Las francesas y el voto: Ciudadanas y madres

A musician biography is used for many professional, and promotional purposes. Chamber ensembles also need to have a biography specifically for the ensemble. An ensemble biography (bio), is used almost everywhere the ensemble has a presence. For the studied ensembles, it is found on the ensembles’ websites, and social media accounts, in press kits, in news articles about ensembles, and will likely be in their performance programs, and for grant applications (Beeching 2010, p. 49; Cutler 2010, p.

78; Eastman n.d.; Highstein 1991, p. 18-19; studied ensembles). Below is a list of possible uses for the chamber ensemble bio (Barth 2010, p. 25; Beeching, pp. 78-80; Conner and Laverty 2014, loc 282; Cutler 2010, p. 78; Heflick 1993, p. 14; Highstein 1991, pp. 17-19, 24; Hinckley 2015; Hyatt 2012, pp 40, 170-176; Kimpel n.d.

;

Loft 2003, p. 242; Ricker 2011, p. 70; Sivers via Curran 2005, pp. 193-194; Taylor 2011, p. 110; Whitney 2013, pp. 63-64).

● Competition applications

● Grant applications

● Management (if seeking)

● Performance Programs

● Press Kits

● Promoters (give to)

● Residency application

● Social media (full bios found on Facebook, short bios are found on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube)

● Website

This section will discuss how to create an outline for a resume or CV, which will be used as a reference when writing a biography (Curriculum Vita (CVs): Beeching 2010, p. 259’ Cutler 2010, p. 85-86;

Ricker 2011, pp. 69, 70, 73. Resumes: Beeching 2010, p. 259; Cutler 2010, pp. 83-84; Highstein 1991, pp. 18, 19; Ricker 2011, pp. 69-73; Slaughter and Kober 2004, p. 107; Whitney 2013, pp. 63-64). Once the ensemble’s history, and experiences are organized, I will then go into detail on how to write an informative and engaging biography from the collected information. Content, organization, length, and writing style recommendations from the research will be compared to the studied ensembles’ biographies and a general guideline will be given for these characteristics.

Only Hyatt and Loft specifically discuss biographies for ensembles, but the remaining research all includes discussions on creating a biography for an individual artist (Barth 2010, p. 25; Beeching 2010, pp. 78-80; Conner and Laverty 2014, loc 2825; Cutler 2010, p. 78; Heflick 1993, p. 14; Highstein 1991, pp. 17-19, 24; Hinckley 2015; Hyatt 2012, pp. 40, 170-176; Kimple n.d.; Loft 2003, p. 242; Ricker 2011, p.

70; Sivers via Curran 2005, pp. 193-194; Taylor 2011, p. 110; Whitney 2013, pp. 63-64). This chapter will take the recommended steps for collecting and organizing experiences for individuals, and add or remove subjects as they apply to a chamber ensemble.

Definitions for “Resume” and “Curriculum Vita” as they relate to musicians could only be found from university resources, whereas definitions for “Musician’s Biography” have many more varied resources, but no official definition from a university, or scholarly source.

Resume: “A résumé is a formal overview of your past and current professional and educational experience. It should directly and concisely list any experiences related to the teaching position you are seeking. Some description of your experiences may be appropriate, but you should be as concise as possible. Remember, a résumé is not an autobiography – it is an outline of your experiences.” (Eastman n.d.,

https://www.esm.rochester.edu/iml/careers/documents/resumeguide2005.pdf, accessed 10/29/16).

Curriculum Vita: “The curriculum vitae, also known as a CV or vita, is a comprehensive statement of your educational background and your teaching, performance, and research experience. It is the standard representation of credentials within academia.” (University of Illinois n.d.,

http://www.grad.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/cvsampledma.pdf, accessed 10/29/16).

Biography: All the research that discusses biographies states that a biography is a narrative that should be engaging, and not just a resume in paragraph form. There are three primary goals that should be met in a biography. A biography should: 1) Create an identity. 2) Define a musical style. 3) Lead the reader directly to the music.” (Kimpel¹⁶ n.d.,

http://www.taxi.com/members/bios.html, accessed 10/29/16).

As noted above in the definitions, the main differences between CVs and resumes appear to be a matter of detail and length. A resume is a one or two-page document that outlines your accomplishments, whereas a CV is a document that is a detailed record of all music, and related activities, with short

descriptions of the activities. A CV is only discussed for solo musicians, and would generally only be used in academia, and possibly, grant applications (Beeching 2010, p. 259; Cutler 2010, p. 85; Eastman n.d.;

Ricker 2011, p. 69). The research also suggested that the content of a resume should be adjusted accordingly to fit the purpose, or intended audiences’ needs, whereas the CV would be an unabridged document that can be kept for reference when creating a biography or resume (Beeching 2010, p. 259;

16 Dan Kimpel is on faculty at the Musicians Institute, College of Contemporary Music. Author of Networking in the Music Business, Networking Strategies for the New Music Business and, How They Made It: True Stories of How Music’s Biggest Stars Went from Start to Stardom (Hal Leonard Publishing). For five years, Dan conducted weeklong master seminars at Sir Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) in the U.K. Stateside, he lectures at colleges, universities and conferences across the U.S. and Canada. At MI, Dan teaches a course in Music Business Networking and conducts personal career counseling.

(http://www.mi.edu/about-mi/faculty/daniel-kimpel/, accessed 2/13/17)

62

Cutler 2010, p. 83-84; Eastman n.d.; Ricker 2011, p. 70). Several universities¹⁷ with well-respected music programs have released online documents that define resumes, CVs, and biographies specifically for musicians. These documents also provide instructions on how to create the CV, resume, and biography.

I did not ask in the interviews about how the ensembles created their biographies, however, all 17 studied ensembles featured ensemble biographies on their websites, and many of these bios followed similar organizational patterns as was recommended by the research for individuals. Based on this information, I have used the research’s recommendations on biographies for individuals and included the information that would pertain to a chamber ensemble biography. To do this, the ensemble should be considered a single entity and only activities of the ensemble as a whole should be included in the biography.

Some of the research recommends creating an outline of activities which could be similar to a CV or resume, and then using the content to craft the bio, resume, or CV. Though none of the studied ensembles include a resume or CV on their website or in their press kit, creating one of these documents is a good way to organize the ensemble’s activities (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-54, 259; Cutler 2010, pp. 78, 83-86; Ricker 2011, p. 69). Following these steps will be recommendations from the research on how to arrange these activities to help write an informative biography for an ensemble’s website and press materials. The recommendations for bio organization will then be compared to the content and the organization of bios from the 17 studied ensembles.

Collecting and Organizing Ensemble Experiences

It is recommended during this first step to list every performance, masterclass, and other experiences that the ensemble has had from its inception. Any editing or removing of activities will come later in the process (Beeching 2010, p. 54; Boston Conservatory n.d.

;

Conner and Laverty 2014, Loc.

3835; Cutler 2010, p. 38; Eastman n.d.; Ricker 2011, p. 72-73).

Possible activities are listed below based on subjects discussed in the research and listed in the 17 ensemble biographies studied. Your ensemble may have other activities not listed, and there may be some suggestions your ensemble has not experienced yet. Since there is no research available

specifically for the construction of a chamber ensemble resume, these activities are taken from the research and compared with the biographies of the studied ensembles. Some suggested activities have been adjusted to apply to a chamber ensemble, and some suggested activities have been removed as

17 Eastman University, https://www.esm.rochester.edu/iml/careers/documents/resume%20guide_performance.pdf, accessed 7/4-7/30/16, New England Conservatory of Music, http://necmusic.edu/pdf/em/Tips_for_Writing_Perf_Resumes.pdf, accessed 7/15-7/30/16), Boston Conservatory,

https://www.bostonconservatory.edu/sites/all/files/career_services/performance_resume_example.pdf accessed 7/15-7/30/16

they could only be related to a solo musician, and cannot be applied to chamber ensembles. This is a very detailed list; however, an ensemble may have other experiences not included. Remember to include any kinds of activities your ensemble has had, no matter how inconsequential you think it may be

(Beeching 2010, p. 54; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Conner and Laverty 2014, Loc. 3835; Cutler 2010, p.

38; Eastman n.d.; Ricker 2011, p. 72-73). These steps can be used to create a CV or resume, and then take the information from the outline to create the biography. I have included the number of ensembles who mention any of these activities in their biography on their website to indicate what projects, and experiences ensembles prioritize in their bios.

Possible ensemble activities

1. Awards, grants, or scholarships: Include details on any notable awards or recognition your ensemble has received (Beeching 2010, p. 52-53; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Cutler 2010, p. 78;

Eastman n.d.).

a. 9/17 ensembles mentioned awards they have received.

b. 4/17 ensembles mentioned grants they have received.

c. One ensemble mentioned receiving a scholarship.

2. Collaborating musicians: Include names of ensembles, composers, or individual musicians with whom your ensemble has collaborated on projects or performed (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53, 259;

Cutler 2010, p. 78; Highstein 1991, pp. 20-24).

a. 10/17 ensembles mentioned collaborations they have done with other musicians, composers, or other kinds of media artists.

3. Community service or volunteer work: List organizations or programs with which your ensemble has worked or done residencies, such as: senior centers, preschools, hospitals, other non-traditional venues (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Eastman n.d.).

a. None of the ensembles included information about community services, or volunteer work. Two ensembles do mention outreach programs they do that differ from their other educational programs.

4. Competitions the ensemble has won: Include information on competitions your ensemble has participated in, and any awards received (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53; Boston Conservatory n.d.;

Cutler 2010, p. 78; Highstein 1991, pp. 20-24; Eastman n.d.).

a. 7/17 ensembles mentioned festivals or competitions where they were winners of the top prize.

5. Educational experience: Include ensemble coaches, conductors worked with, and/or masterclasses where the ensemble was coached (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53; Boston

Conservatory n.d.; Cutler 2010, p. 78; Eastman n.d.; Highstein 1991, pp. 20-24; Ricker 2011, p.

72).

64

a. One ensemble mentioned past participation in a masterclass as the student ensemble.

b. 3/17 ensembles mentioned past coaches or teachers they have worked with.

6. Management: If the ensemble has worked with a management firm in the past, or is currently working with a management firm (Cutler 2010, p. 78; Eastman n.d.).

a. None of the ensemble’s bios include their management firm (if applicable).

7. Media coverage: Include information about any radio interviews or performances that were broadcasted (Eastman n.d.).

a. 6/17 ensembles mentioned being featured on a radio or television show. Most were radio shows playing their albums, or interviews.

b. None of the ensembles specifically mentioned having a news publication cover the ensemble at any point, though some used quotes from a journal or newspaper.

8. Memberships: Include current and past memberships to any arts organization held by the ensemble (Cutler 2010, p. 78; Eastman n.d.).

a. None of the ensembles mentioned their organization memberships, though some mentioned if they are affiliated with an instrument maker.

9. Performance experience: Include the name of the venue, concert series or festival, as well as the city state and country (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53, 259; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Eastman n.d.;

Highstein 1991, pp. 20-24).

a. Note if any of these performances were part of a tour (Eastman n.d.).

10. Projects: List any current, and former projects, programs, commissions or recordings the ensemble is working on. Include dates and locations (Beeching 2010, p. 52-54; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Cutler 2010, pp. 83-84; Highstein 1991, pp. 20-24).

a. 12/17 ensembles mentioned music they had premiered, all ten of the ensembles that mentioned commissioning new works also mentioned premiering new works.

b. 12/17 ensembles mentioned their album recording activities.

c. 10/17 ensembles mentioned commissions that the ensemble has given to acquire new works from composers.

11. Residencies or fellowships: List any of these activities in which the ensemble is the presenter.

Consider university or summer festival residencies. Include dates and duties performed at these residencies (Boston Conservatory n.d.; Cutler 2010, p. 78).

a. 10/17 ensembles mentioned residencies or masterclasses where they were the presenters, or the organizer of the programs.

The next step is to organize and prioritize your ensemble’s experiences. Once grouped according to similar subjects, the main headings can help organize paragraphs for the biography (Beeching 2010, p.

55; Hinckley 2015; Ricker 2011, p. 70). For a bio, you will want to choose the most interesting or relevant

activities from any of the headings (Beeching 2010, p. 54; Cutler 2010, p. 78). “It should tell someone who doesn’t know you about who you are as a musician.” (Conner and Laverty 2014, Loc. 3835). The bio must be compelling, and maintain the reader’s interest throughout (Beeching 2010, p. 50; Cutler 2010, p. 78).

Content Organization

1. Group similar items together by topic: Topics can include ensemble performances, awards and scholarships, community performances, etc. (Beeching 2010, p. 54; Boston Conservatory n.d).

Do not organize only by where or when the activities took place (Beeching 2010, p. 54).

a. Combine weak headings: If there are only one or two activities under one subject, combine with a similar subject to make sections look more full (Cutler 2010, p. 85).

b. Once the main headings are decided, organize activities within their assigned headings in reverse chronological order, with the most recent activities first (Boston Conservatory n.d.; Eastman n.d.).

c. For every ensemble studied, each paragraph discussed only one topic, or related topics.

2. Create strong headings first: The organization of information may vary based on the audience.

For opportunities that have an application process, use the instructions on the application as your guide when arranging your resume and bio. For an online biography, or for a press kit, put the most interesting and relevant activities in the first paragraph (Beeching 2010, p. 259; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Cutler 2010, p. 85; Eastman n.d.; New England Conservatory n.d.).

3. Show benefits: Illustrate not only your projects and activities, but also the affect these activities had on the recipients (community, other musicians, etc.). This would be used in a CV, or can be part of the bio text (Cutler 2010, p. 83-84).

4. Range of repertoire: For the ensemble’s personal records, it may be useful to have a complete list of all pieces you have performed. However, listing all these pieces in a biography is not

recommended (Beeching 2010, p. 54).

a. For the bio, highlight the ensemble’s range of repertoire your ensemble has by listing four or five pieces of compositional variety, include any works that the ensemble specializes in performing (Beeching 2010, p. 54).

5. Update often: Once created, a biography is not set in stone. Be sure to add new activities as they occur, updating the bio as necessary (Beeching 2010, p. 54; Boston Conservatory n.d.; Conner and Laverty 2014, Loc. 3835; Cutler 2010, pp. 38, 80; Eastman n.d.; Kimpel n.d.; Ricker 2011, pp. 72-73). At least once a year, or when new activities and accomplishments occur, update your list, and change the bio accordingly (Hinckley).

a. 7/17 ensembles mention their 2015/2016 projects and programs. Two ensembles were out of date, mentioning their “upcoming season” as 2014 and 2013. One ensemble’s downloadable bio was very old, including members that are no longer in the group, but

66

their website was up-to-date. The remaining ensembles do not mention enough specifics to determine if they have updated their bio recently.

The final outline of your ensemble’s activities could be considered an ensemble CV. It should be a complete historical record of all the ensemble’s activities, and be maintained primarily for the

ensemble’s records. It can be used as a reference when creating an ensemble biography, or for a reference in the cases of grant applications, or other academic applications.¹⁸ For the remainder of this section, only biographies for websites, social media, and press kits will be discussed. In addition to specific activities, there are some other important items that will need to be included in an ensemble bio.

Below are recommendations of additional content, as compared with what was found in the studied ensemble’s bios.

Recommended content to include in an ensemble biography

1. Background: Include a brief history of the ensemble, where and when it began, and the path it took to get to where it is now (Loft 2003, p. 242).

a. 17/17 ensembles have one or more paragraphs dedicated to past performance experience, awards, residencies, or educational programs. 12/17 ensembles put some historical information as their second paragraph.

b. Add some interesting anecdotes to personalize a biography, such as funny stories, the story of the members created the ensemble, or any hobbies they do together outside of the ensemble (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-54; Cutler 2010, p. 78). None of the studied ensembles included non-music related anecdotes in their ensemble biographies, but some bios were more formal, or more informal.

2. Pitch/Mission: What distinguishes your work or is important to you as an ensemble? Does the ensemble specialize in specific genres of music, unusual influences, or do you have a legacy you hope to leave behind? This should be early in the biography (Cutler 2010, p. 78; Hyatt 2012, pp.

40, 170).

a. 10/17 ensembles include their pitch in their bio. All ten included their pitch in the first paragraph.

b. 13/17 ensembles have a clear mission from information in their biography. 4/13 specifically use the word “mission” in the bio.

18 Using a CV or biography for those purposes are not covered in this document. Further reading on grants and residencies can be found in Beeching and Cutler.

▪ 5/13 include a sentence that could be construed as a short mission statement.

Three ensembles put this sentence in the first paragraph, and two put the sentence in the final paragraph.

▪ 8/13 ensembles break up their mission statement. Many of the ensembles focus on multiple projects. Their mission statements are broken up into paragraphs based on the project. For example, if an ensemble’s mission was “To perform new works for woodwind quintet, including holding composition competitions for young composers, and to work with young performers in masterclasses and seminars.” This mission may be broken into three separate paragraphs in the bio.

One paragraph discussing their mission to perform new works, one paragraph to discuss their work with young composers, and one paragraph discussing their educational programming.

3. Quotes: Use powerful testimonies that have been written, or spoken, about your ensemble from fans or famous people, or in reference letters, or media sources (Barth 2010, p. 25; Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53; Cutler 2010, p. 78).

a. 7/17 ensembles include at least one quote from a media source, venue promoter, or well-known musician.

b. If using quotes from letters of recommendation or reviews get permission from the author first (Beeching 2010, pp. 52-53).

c. If you don’t have any quotes, ask notable musicians in your field to review a recording or a performance and create a quote or review for you (Barth 2010, p. 25).

4. Describe the kind of music in which you specialize: Make it clear what services your ensemble offers at the bottom of the bio: Weddings, holiday parties, special events, recitals, master classes, educational presentations, etc. Describe the style or genre of music you perform, possibly picking some pieces that best represent your performances (Beeching 2010, pp. 65, 58; Kimpel n.d.).

a. 17/17 ensembles provide some information on their performances and other programs.

Other parts of the ensemble’s websites or press kits have further details on specific types of performances and programs.

b. 15/17 talk about repertoire, or their musical concept and style.

c. 7/17 ensembles have a long list of repertoire or programming available. Some of the ensembles list numerous works in their bio, which gives examples of their musical styles, others have separate lists available to peruse.

d. If playing new music or non-traditional music, make your descriptions easy to understand, while also helping to get people to imagine what your music sounds like. Don’t be

pretentious or confusing. Add a comparison to a more well-known ensemble, or choose some well-known works you perform that fit your ensemble’s style or mission (Beeching 2010, p. 66; Hyatt 2012, p. 170).

68

5. Do not assume the reader knows the instrumentation of the group, especially if your ensemble is not a traditional instrumentation (Beeching 2010, p. 58).

a. 13/17 ensembles mention either their exact instrumentation, or say “String Quartet,”

“Woodwind Quintet,” or “Brass Quintet,” at some point in their bio.

b. Two ensembles I studied are larger chamber ensembles. These two groups do not mention their exact instrumentation in their biography.

Creating the Narrative

All the research agrees that the narrative biography is more than just a resume in paragraph form. It is not a laundry list of achievements. The content should reflect the ensemble’s mission, brand and personality. It should not include every activity the ensemble has done (Barth 2010, p. 25; Beeching 2010, p. 50; Cutler 2010, p. 78; Highstein 1991, pp. 19, 24). A bio should contain enough information to introduce the ensemble, reflect the integrity of the ensemble, and be interesting enough to make the

All the research agrees that the narrative biography is more than just a resume in paragraph form. It is not a laundry list of achievements. The content should reflect the ensemble’s mission, brand and personality. It should not include every activity the ensemble has done (Barth 2010, p. 25; Beeching 2010, p. 50; Cutler 2010, p. 78; Highstein 1991, pp. 19, 24). A bio should contain enough information to introduce the ensemble, reflect the integrity of the ensemble, and be interesting enough to make the

In document El año internacional de la mujer en España y Francia, 1975: feminismo y movimiento de mujeres desde una perspectiva comparada (página 84-92)