pls consider helpng this guy!!

[visitor]

super talented composer and wife are working to further their studies and have set up a donation campaign site. Please take moment to watch and share, and donate if you can and feel it
thanks for considering!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-opera-singer-composer-apply-to-grad-school

[Bob]

I'll take some money too if anyone's giving it away.  I'm an aspiring Bob. 

A broke composer?  Really?  Solution.... More schooling.  Problem solv... well, put off a while longer.  Haha.


Singer took a year off?
Composer dropped out of high school? 
Decided to become a prof, yadda, yadda...
She's talking about how it's good for her... Wouldn't that apply to anyone?  Grad school... It will help you learn a bit more.  Sure.


I'm not that impressed.  Begging for money.  What's the difference between these two and everyone else out there?  They want to continue schooling... Why contribute though?  Everyone would want to continue schooling.  (And what about scholarship/tuition waivers through a school or even taking out a loan?)

I'm kind of wondering about the singer from hearing her, from the taking a year off part, no performance degree/just a Bachelor of Music?, and from the voice change.  For the composer... He likes music and performed in a concert... And... What about music he's composed?  What has he actually composed?  What style, etc.?


These look like two students ready to apply for a lot of music schools.  How many are out there like this?  Tons, probably.  Why aren't the music schools going after these two?  Why aren't they being off a GA/TA/RA position with a tuition waiver? 


Sure, they look nice enough, but... What else?  And what's the payoff going to be later?  Is she good enough to perform professionally... but no music school is going after her now? 


Maybe I'm just in a bad mood tonight, but....

[visitor]

no man is an island, and i for one am happy to help someone when i am in a position to do so.  i would assume he/they will receive scholarship and teaching stipend once accepted but little int he way of application assistnace,etc.

the guy is a talented composer at least from what i saw and heard and corresponded with him on. 

at least you looked/read it, which is all i asked, was to consider it, whether one does or doesn't is up to them.

 

[m1469]

What I find interesting is that there are not many -that I know of- Classical Music organizations who are truly financially independent.  Where they can thrive, or even just survive, simply by providing the product/service they aim to provide, and having enough people wanting that product/service through usual means to pay for it in usual means and thereby actually keeping it fully functioning by that alone.  Symphonies, Opera Companies, Choirs, Performance Houses ... As far as I know (but I welcome more ideas regarding this), almost every Classical Music organization relays extremely heavily on mere donations.  This is largely true about Universities, Colleges, and Conservatories, too, I think.

As a side note, I am thinking pretty deeply about the fact that music rarely ever stood on its own.  It was originally -at least the vein of Classical Tradition- dependent fully upon Churches and Royalty.  I've got some developing thoughts on that, but that subject isn't my point.  I will add though that people of reasonable wealth or of great wealth are as close to "Royalty" as it comes in the US, and probably in many other Countries, too.  Even above politicians, since politicians aren't much without their hands in the pockets of the super rich.  So, much of the business aim of Classical Music organizations, who depend upon donations, heads towards appealing to and pleasing the royalty of our time.  Sometimes that is in-line with musical substance, sometimes it is not.

When it comes to individuals within the Classical Tradition not being financially independent enough to somehow cope with the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars+ it (can) costs to make truly businesslike progress within the Music Business, and individuals also needing donations, it is somehow thought of as a less worthy cause, or even (more) shameful.  Especially when considering that a performer, even if professionally truly capable, will often be in circumstances where performance opportunities do not include getting paid (or not getting paid very much), or may even require payment from the performer in order to perform.  For example, there are times I have personally given every nickle I made from singing to the accompanist I hired to play for me.  Unless an individual comes from the actual family pockets that entire organizations aim to be in, I don't see how an individual has ever done anything in a businesslike way, without severe financial support from somebody(s) else.