CMC Professional Development Series
With a view to providing composers and performers with opportunities for developing skills needed for a sustainable career, the Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland (CMC) places Continuing Professional Development for composers and new music specialists at the core of its programme of activities.
Lockdown and other Covid-19 restrictions from mid-March 2020 onwards necessitated a switch of focus for many composers and contemporary music specialist performers. Live music performances ceased and online performances across all art forms increased in the ensuing months. With this in mind, CMC instigated a series of CPD events, delivered throughout July 2020, which explored three important aspects of online performances - what it takes to create an online music performance and challenges frequently encountered; how to monetize online performances and how feasible this is; and how to market online performances as part of an overall career strategy.
Creating Online Performances presented by composer Eoin Callery and filmmaker Seán James Garland
This ‘Creating Online Performances’ event delivered by composer Eoin Callery and filmmaker Seán James Garland took place on 14 July 2020, and was the first in a three-part series of CPD events related to Online Performances that was presented by Linda O’Shea Farren, Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.
Eoin Callery deals with the audio element of online music performance, and shows how particular issues that online performance of contemporary music presents can be approached. Seán James Garland complements this slide presentation with a discussion about challenges presented by the visual aspects of online performance and how they can be ameliorated.
Following these presentations, which also address problems raised in advance by participants in this session, Linda O’Shea Farren opens the floor to a Q&A discussion about how to use affordable and readily available technology and equipment for music-making at distance.
Monetizing Online Performances presented by Nick Roth
This ‘Monetising Online Performances’ event delivered by composer/performer Nick Roth took place on 21 July 2020, and was the second in a three-part series of CPD events related to Online Performances that was presented by Linda O’Shea Farren, Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.
Nick Roth surveys in a slide presentation the available options and accessible technologies currently enabling artists to receive payment for their online performances and looks at alternative subscription models, assessing these in terms of how composers, performers and other artists can navigate an increasingly digital environment.
Following this slide presentation, which also addresses problems raised in advance by participants in this session, Linda O’Shea Farren opens the floor to a Q&A discussion about how payment models can be set up for attendance at online performances.
Marketing Online Performances presented by Naomi Belshaw
This ‘Marketing Online Performances’ event delivered by Naomi Belshaw of WildKat PR and Naomi Belshaw Consultancy took place on 28 July 2020, and was the third in a three-part series of CPD events related to Online Performances that was presented by Linda O’Shea Farren, Contemporary Music Centre, Ireland.
Naomi Belshaw explores not only how marketing can be used to increase attendance at online performances, but also beyond this in terms of career strategy generally and how to present oneself depending on what path a composer/performer wants to take.
Following this slide presentation, which also addresses problems raised in advance by participants in this session, Linda O’Shea Farren opens the floor to a Q&A discussion about how to use free or affordable and readily available technology to market online performances.