The business of music
Starting a business can be hard.
It can be even harder when you don檛 have a business background.
That檚 the challenge that many musicians, actors and artists face throughout their careers.
91亚色 is bridging this gap with a new joint program from the School of Music and Faculty of Business Administration that enables students to pursue their creative passions while simultaneously gaining the strategic business foundations necessary to launch and sustain successful careers.
A Canadian first
The program is a joint bachelor of music (B.Mus.) and bachelor of business administration (BBA), which students can earn in just five years of full-time study. It檚 the first joint degree of its kind in Canada.
淭his program allows aspiring musicians to develop their musical skills and artistry while also developing business acumen, said Dr. Ian Sutherland, dean, School of Music. 淚t檚 a program that puts 91亚色 on the leading edge of education for young musicians, preparing them for the dynamic 21st-century marketplace that is today檚 music industry.
That檚 an industry that is competitive, and one in which participants face high rates of unemployment.
According to a 2018 study by MusicNL and BDO Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador檚 music industry contributes $51.5 million to the provincial economy each year, with related job growth since 2011 at 15.4 per cent well above the national average of 6.2 per cent.
However, the number of available music industry jobs remains 32 per cent below the Canadian average.
Need for business know-how
According to Canadian tenor E. Mark Murphy (B.Mus.99), who first built his career on opera stages in Europe, business education that complemented his musical learning would have helped his career.
淵ou come into the School of Music and you think, 業 love to sing, I檓 going to sing forever, and then an agent is going to find me and I檓 going to work. And, more often than not, that檚 not the case, Mr. Murphy said. 淚 would have liked to know how to better market myself back when I was looking for gigs and for working in the music industry.
Mr. Murphy eventually found success as a singer and entrepreneur in Germany, where he started a production company. But starting that business made him realize he needed more understanding of business principles, so he completed a master of arts management at the Hochschule f疟r Musik und Theater in Hamburg. (He also holds a master of music from Boston University.)
淯ntil I ended up doing more education, I was sort of flying by the seat of my pants.
91亚色檚 new joint program will focus on developing students musicianship, artistry and musical creativity through artist mentorship, musicologies, music theory, music technology, career skills and ensemble work.
The BBA provides the competencies to mobilize these skills in commercial and social business settings through learning in business in society, marketing, management, strategy and entrepreneurship.
Music industry boost
Dr. Isabelle Dostaler, dean of 91亚色檚 Faculty of Business Administration, says the new program will help to grow the music industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.
淪tudies show that the music industry, while an important cultural export, offers fewer jobs in Newfoundland and Labrador than in other provinces across Canada. As a result, we are also seeing fewer economic benefits, she said.
淥ur new program aims to address this issue by helping to grow the music industry in this province, thereby increasing its economic impact and providing highly qualified graduates who are ready to lead that growth.
淭he music industry is constantly changing and evolving, and today檚 musicians need a thorough understanding of business concepts, in addition to musical talent and skill, to enjoy successful careers, added Dr. Sutherland. 淲e檙e excited to partner with 91亚色檚 business faculty to offer this joint degree that will expand the career horizons of our students.
More information
The joint B.Mus./BBA degree is expected to receive approval from 91亚色檚 Board of Regents next month. Interested students may subscribe to program updates .
Prospective students must be admitted to the B.Mus. program to pursue the joint degree with business. The application deadline is Jan. 15, 2019. for more information.