Sigh... I was warned of this, but it is completely true. Running your own ensemble is a constant and ongoing chore! The playing of the music seems to actually end up getting dwarfed by all the administration and other things that all need to be done. I really wish I had the budget to just pay someone to do it all...
Anyway, I'm away on tour at the moment... which does give me empty days to crank out those emails, marketing stuff, and to get the website vaguely functional. The website is a bit hilarious... I have no visual ability, so I honestly don't know if it is the visual equivalent of sticking a needle in your eye. Thankfully, I do the pages... and my wife and older daughter look it over! They are much better than me at that sort of thing!
We are now in the run up to the first concert of the year. Musicians are booked, venue locked, repertoire chosen, and rehearsals planned. If it was up to me... that would be all there would be to do.
Sadly, there needs to be some publicity and marketing done... or we will have an empty hall to play to. Which doesn't really bother me so much... but apparently, to have a concert... you should also have an audience as well!
So... in the previous weeks, I have been hard at work getting the website and social media functional. Not completed by any stretch of the imagination... but it works. And then, I have gotten the images, posters, and press releases done...
... and now, we are at the stage of getting those press releases out... inviting reviewers and students/colleagues... and just getting the buzz out there. The last concert we did, we had minimal publicity as we left it too late (I'm a noob when it comes to these things)... and we still had a nice sized audience and managed to come away with a decent surplus.
This time, I have tried to be more organised... and so I have started writing all these emails and contacts with about a three week lead up. Each day, another batch of emails and contacts are going out.
Honestly, the whole thing drives me nuts... but it is a necessary thing to do. After all, you might put on the best concert ever... but if no-one knows about it, does the tree make a noise? Or something...
... but at least it is one consolation that when I am writing the marketing and press releases, I'm just doing it in my own voice. No polished and refined marketing copy here... it is just full of my own way of writing (without the ....) and with my own stupid sense of humour and jokes. It is the only way that I think I can do it... and it is the sort of character that I want my ensemble to have. One that is high-quality, but with that sort of relaxed and casual approach to concerts.
Anyway, I think I will have an enormous batch of emails to write and send again in the morning before my flight leaves. I guess that is what I will be doing at the airport! But it does get easier with each email... and I've got a rough template sorted out now!
Actually, I was just thinking that all this practice that I get writing here is definitely standing me in good stead!
... but I still will be happy when I'm in the rehearsal and concert phase. That is what I'm good at... and the part that I enjoy! Just a few more days of torture left...
... and then I have to start thinking about the next concert and the things that need to be done for that! ARRRRGH... it NEVER ENDS!
I can also be found cross-posting at:
Hive
Steem
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