Bobby Smith
Dr. Monroy
INQR101-B
27 Jun 2022
This assignment has given me great advantages in the future when looking for reliable
information. With being able to search all sources of information using keywords help bring up
smaller published pieces to light that may be very informative to my topic. Having the resource
to understand the life of musician around the world and pull small pieces to tell a bigger story of
an industry that is constantly moving all the timer. Currently I am studying for a degree in Jazz
Studies: Commercial music my primary focus in life is to perform and give back to others
through music. The scenery I work around is Musical, Jazz Gigs, Orchestral, Festival Stage, and
Studio Work. Getting to be around others like minded and driven as you is the goal to be around
as a living working passion. The Life of a Freelance Musician was to see how musician work and
make day to day life work as a career of music. Going through this topic personally confirms that
as musicians everyone goes through the same hard work as others to make it in the industry, but
biggest thing is consistency and dedication that keeps a career going. Personally, I feel that being
a musician myself and going through the struggles of COVID closely relates to my academic
interests as it affected them to by restricting being in person too. With my research I’ve noticed a
lot of life choices and similarities between other musicians and real life on how we live striving
to be great at our crafts. Looking through my sources they confirm the hardships of being a
freelance musician, but reflets on the positives of working to be your own boss making your own
choices day by day working under contracts. Following an article: The Experience of a Freelance
Musician in the UK; “There are 14,000 classical orchestral musicians in the UK. Only 8% of the
UK's 14,000 professional classical orchestral musicians are employed on permanent or long-term
Bobby Smith
Dr. Monroy
INQR101-B
27 Jun 2022
contracts with orchestras, such as the five BBC orchestras and the UK regional orchestras.
Before the pandemic, 7% were self-employed members of freelance orchestras like the London
Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the
remaining 85% were self-employed freelance players, employed on short-term contracts as extra
players, deputy players and on an ad hoc basis”.1 In the real world most, normal people see
musicians and may think that in these world-famous groups every musician is employed, and the
percentage is smaller than you think. Most musicians are under small contracts the eventually
expire, because most things are auditioned base in the industry or either because of tenure or
word of mouth knowledge. As freelance we most live gig to gig and depending on the
entertainment industry fans help drive our business as an entrepreneur. As musicians we cherish
are craft to reflect who are as people but through music. So, putting in the work of practicing for
long hours for a performance means a lot to showcase the skill you’ve developed over time to
make others smile and feel good on the inside. Showing the love and passion for the art can
reflect in others so much which leads by example to pass on the good intentions of being a
dedicated musician. With this topic I feel as a Liberty student you can start to build a more
concise in-depth life on what the true things you need to know when going out as a professional
musician and differ steps you can take to make it in the world. Liberty has prepared me enough
to understand the freelance life but through self-determination I took it upon my self to get after
and work for the goals I want as well. In the end I know to keep striving for a professional music
1 Cohen, Susanna, PhD., and Jane Ginsborg PhD. "The Experiences of Freelance Orchestral Musicians in the
UK." MTNA e - Journal, vol. 13, no. 4, 2022, pp. 2-7. ProQuest, http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F
%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Fexperiences-freelance-orchestral-musicians-uk%2Fdocview
%2F2660147004%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085.
Bobby Smith
Dr. Monroy
INQR101-B
27 Jun 2022
career and to stay consistent and have good credibility with the people that cross my path.
Knowing that God has my back through it all and will guide me the right way helps me spread
the gospel no matter who crosses my path or he puts in my path. I feel researching this topic the
university can get a better understanding of how lives are lived and maybe intergrade ways to
help expose freelance artist more and connect them with others around the world not just within
the School of Music. Living in the Twenty-first century we’ve globally changed how we make
living with technology being involved heavily as a creative global commerce. “The creative
sector—aspects of the global economy powered by things like advertising, art, crafts, design,
entertainment software, fashion, film, music, publishing, performing arts, radio and television,
and visual arts—helps define our cultural touchstones and the social environment in which we
want to live”.2 Teaching more Entrepreneurial skills to help small business development for all at
higher education would bring a lot more opportunity and positivity. Having the small detail skills
that don’t always get talked about such as independent taxes, filing for unemployment, and even
joining music unions for more secure contracts. Biggest question even is how you get gigs and
book them without having help in the beginning. In this upcoming semester I want to connect
with my peers and talk to them on how they live their lives and are making to start life off as a
freelance. Of course, as college students we are well of yet, but we come up with a goal set of
how we want to grow our careers. With COVID still not far behind we as musician were put not
so long ago not knowing if we’d ever work again. With no way to be in venues we found other
avenues to play eventually switching to more technology interactions. For most transitioned to
2 Fitterman Radbill, Catherine. Introduction to the Music Industry : an Entrepreneurial Approach. Second edition.
New York, NY ;: Routledge, 2017. Print.
Bobby Smith
Dr. Monroy
INQR101-B
27 Jun 2022
Zoom performance, Livestreaming, and social media platforms to get their work out there.
Studio artist with the digital tech we have today realized the capabilities of at home recording
and even taking on the complete change of having home studios and working from home and
using the digital space to make revenue. With current venues and more jobs needing to be filled
in the industry I want to through the next year follow up on how musician in the community is
recovering and changed in their personal achievements. For future research I will continue you to
investigate newer articles that come out internationally and State side that connect to the rise of
the global music economy and how it changes over the next couple years for the demand of
entertainment. With this being my career, I will get live in this topic for the rest of my life and
want to achieve great in my endeavors of being a freelance musician. Once I finish school, I will
have more freedom to use the skills I learned more in the field and work towards my goal of not
working a 9 to 5. Achieve this would help show others that it’s possible to be a successful
freelance artist no matter what avenue you come from. Success doesn’t happen immediately but
being true to what you does and a quote from Jay Z sits with me is, “A music mentor of mine
once told me “overnight success” takes about seven years to transpire”.3 Looking forward the
professionalism correlates heavily in the industry and this conversation is a great topic to have all
opinions on with feedback. To gain more credibility as a musician build trust and dependability
to your coworkers says a lot. Knowing how to come into work do your job and still have a good
time. Being able to work with another musician and knowing your place as a musician within a
3 Perice, Leanne. "Music Entrepreneurs in the Twenty-First Century: A Case Study on the Career of Jay-
Z." Meiea, vol. 12, no. 1, 2012, pp. 221-238.
