The Entrepreneurial Musician
The Entrepreneurial Musician (TEM) is a survey of important professional skills and resources as well as a space for students to consider the impact they want to make as musicians. In TEM, students learn by doing—whether it’s talking about their music, building a website, or a balancing a budget, students can tailor each assignment to fit their unique interests and goals. Advising is also built into the DNA of the course; not only will students receive ongoing feedback from faculty and peers, they will also have the opportunity to connect with an E-Advisor who can give them a window into life after graduation. The Entrepreneurial Musician course has two formats—an introductory undergraduate course for third and fourth year students and an in-depth Graduate Seminar elective (see full course descriptions below).
TEM is taught by Boston Symphony Orchestra percussionist Daniel Bauch, NEC Contemporary Improvisation Assistant Chair Tanya Kalmanovitch, and Boston-based vocalist Sabrina Learman. Our faculty members draw on years of experience in different fields of music, but share a common vision for equipping students with a robust professional toolkit.
Course Descriptions
For complete information as to courses offered in the current year, students should consult the schedule of course offerings available each semester in the Registrar’s Office. Courses numbered 100 through 499 are undergraduate level; courses numbered 500 through 999 are graduate level. Course numbers preceded by a “»” are typically offered each academic year. Course numbers followed by a “T” are taught to mixed classes of undergraduates and graduates. Undergraduate students may register for graduate-level courses with the instructor’s permission. Courses followed by a “*” are repeatable for credit. Courses followed by a “**” are repeatable for credit if the topic has changed (permission from Academic Advisor required).
»ENTP 351 – The Entrepreneurial Musician
The Entrepreneurial Musician course provides a strategic perspective of
the skills, strategies, and mindsets that help musicians create and develop
unique, resilient, and successful careers in today’s music field. This class will
cultivate a mindset of self-efficacy – the belief in one’s capacity to perform
specific tasks to achieve goals and standards – as the foundation for a life in
music. Since discussions in this course are focused primarily on post-NEC
careers, students who register should be at least in their junior year of
coursework. (1 credit) Kalmanovitch, Bauch, Learman
»ENTP 440 – Entrepreneurial Musician Internship
Internships place students in environments where they learn how to
take responsibility for all aspects of a musical endeavor – performance,
teaching, administrative work, marketing, etc. – because music careers today
demand all of these skills. The EM staff will work with you to identify a host
organization and craft a “job description” that reflects your unique interests
and goals. In addition, you will work closely with a mentor from your host
organization who will provide support and guidance throughout your
placement. Unpaid internships are available for one credit or zero credits.
Internships may also be paid, but will not be eligible for credit. International
Students must obtain Curricular Practical Training for a paid internship.
(0 or 1 credit) Faculty
»ENTP 445 – Entrepreneurial Internship
Entrepreneurial Internships provide students with a 360-view of
organizations by creating learning experiences in performance, teaching,
and arts administration. The inaugural host organizations (local ensembles
and non-profits such as A Far Cry, the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra,
and WordSong) are uniquely positioned to model artistic and professional
versatility to students, a core characteristic of the entrepreneurial musician.
Unpaid internships are available for one credit. Internships may also be
paid, but will not be eligible for credit. International Students must obtain
Curricular Practical Training for a paid internship. (0 or 1 credit) Faculty
»ENTP 540 – Entrepreneurial Musician Internship
Graduate offering of ENTP 440. (0 or 1 credit) Faculty
»ENTP 545 – Entrepreneurial Internship
Graduate offering of ENTP 445. (0 or 1 credit) Faculty
»ENTP 551 – The Entrepreneurial Musician: Graduate Seminar
This course provides an in-depth perspective of the skills, strategies, and
mindsets that help musicians create and develop unique, resilient and
successful careers in today’s music field. This class will cultivate a mindset
of self-efficacy – the belief in one’s capacity to perform specific tasks to
achieve goals and standards – as the foundation for a life in music. Class
assignments will guide graduate students through the process of setting,
planning for, and achieving a specific career goal. Through this course, NEC
will invest in developing a roster of Entrepreneurial Advisors: passionate,
highly accomplished music industry experts who are motivated to share
their professional experience with the next generation of musical leaders.
Each registered student will be assigned an E-Advisor according to the
student’s specific musical needs, goals and interests. Students will be
required to plan effectively for advising sessions and to demonstrate that
they have incorporated the E-Advisor’s feedback into their project plan.
Class assignments will be organized around the development of a project
plan for a specific career goal. Prerequisite: TOEFL minimum score of 550 or
equivalent. (2 credits) Kalmanovitch
»ENTP 554 - Creating An Audience: Marketing Basics
Recognizing the needs of young artists entering the field, this course offers an overview of traditional and digital marketing strategies to help musicians connect with and build audiences for their work. The curriculum addresses written communications, branding, public relations, social media and digital marketing, among other topics. At the end of the course, students will have a baseline understanding of how to create effective marketing campaigns for performances, projects, recordings and other artistic endeavors. (1 credit) Colbert
»ENTP553 - Music Law 101: Copyright Basics
A critical, but often difficult to navigate area of arts entrepreneurship is the intersection of music and law--artist contracts, copyright law, recording and music publishing agreements, digital rights management, business organization, and more. This course provides an introduction to United States copyright law as it relates to the legal issues that professional musicians face today. Students will complete the course armed with practical tools and resources for understanding fair use and protecting their intellectual property. (1 credit) Guo
LOUIS ARMSTRONG