Let me outline the thought process of a typical undergraduate music major. They think it’s just three easy steps to get a job in the art music world.

1. Get a graduate degree (Masters or Doctorate)
2. Get really good at (insert instrument or voice or field)
3. Get a sweet, cushy college teaching gig

I mean if you’re really good at your instrument, you’ll definitely just get hired right? Probably not. If you go to Higher Ed Jobs and search for music, you turn up 240 results. Take into account a students specialty (guitar, music theory, composition, jazz, etc.) and the pool of available positions dwindles considerably.

There are hundreds of music majors at UNT. And all the other big music schools in the country have similar numbers. Add the thousands of music graduates from big schools to all the little schools and that’s a lot of people competing for very few jobs.

Frankly, getting a college gig probably isn’t going to happen. Sorry. No one cares how good you are at (insert instrument or field). No one cares if you went to a great school. There are lots of folks out there who are really good at their instruments, and there are lot of graduates who went to better schools. So what are you going to do instead?

What makes you stand out? How much networking do you do? How many equity does your personal brand have? And, most importantly, why the hell are you waiting to start your career? School is not a waiting period, and building a personal brand is a lot of work. You might as well get going.

I have a few big gigs/events to go to next year, but they’re spread across many months. I’d like to use each gig as a base, and play concerts along the way.

Here’s the routes I have to take:

1. Dallas, TX to Clarksville, TN – this one is around March 18, 2011.
2. Dallas, TX to Macomb, IL – Around April 7th, 2011. I can also go through OK City and Wichita and Kansas City on this one. If there’s places to play there, that is.
3. Dallas, TX to the Los Angeles Area – In Late October 2011. I would like to drive and play a few concerts on the way, but otherwise I’ll have to fly.

Do you know any venues in the areas or along the way? Would you like to host a house concert? Are you a classical guitar teacher and want to have a Masterclass or Concerts just for your students? Please leave a comment below or get in touch via email.

Thank you!

It’s kind of odd being on the other side of the wedding music thing. As I’m a composer (sort of), and my Fiancée is contributing her visual art skillz in making invitations, I thought I should creatively contribute to the wedding plans.

So here’s my first attempt. It’s an easy piece. AND infinitely repeatable (awesome for wedding musicians).

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(very quick recording, lots of flubs, but you get the idea).

See the music here (PDF)

What I looked like circa 2006.

And here’s what I look like now. (more here)

Thank god for lifting heavy things.

About two months ago, I received a guitar from Michael Thames. This guitar is my very first “concert” guitar. Before it, I owned a Kenny Hill new world model and a cheapo Washburn classical. I never really suspected that a guitar could make a big difference in my playing, but it did. I had outgrown my Kenny Hill, and it was past time for an upgrade. A better guitar made me a better guitarist.

The Thames guitar is extremely responsive, and has a fast attack. It can sound sweet or growly depending on what I need, and its dynamic range is outstanding. Trebles really sing out and the basses are throaty and well separated. The guitar wins in the playability department as well: the neck profile is great, and the big frets make it very easy to play. One of my favorite things, though, is the arm rest on the body. It makes my right arm very comfy. The guitar, in addition to sound great and playing well, is gorgeous. The rosewood on the back is beautiful, so is the cedar top. I really like Michael’s rosette as well. The guitar is a complete package: the clarity, projection and volume I was looking for combined with great playability and looks. Frankly, it’s just fun to play.

pretty good look a the rosette

First picture with the new Thames guitar, I believe.

I had a few ads and blurbs in the local papers about my concert. Here they are! (click to view larger images)

I don’t listen to guitar music. I might listen to guitar music once in a while to hear a piece, but that’s really it.

To be honest, I just don’t get excited by a lot of guitarists. There are a few players I enjoy, but I’d much rather listen to a string quartet or an orchestra.

I am a classical guitarist. I play art music on the guitar, and I’m not terribly interested in performing much else (outside of more art music-like fingerstyle).

But I will never put, “Christopher Davis, classical guitar,” on a program; I will never advertise my concert as, “Christopher Davis, classical guitarist.”

If it’s my mission to expand the audience for classical guitar, I owe it to that mission to attract unusual audiences. Avoiding the classical guitarist label avoids shutting down conversation about a concert before it starts. How many young people attend an orchestra concert? Not many. Most people are interested in guitar in general enjoy classical guitar at least a little bit. No one, however, knows they like classical guitar until they hear it. If I can get someone to come to a concert of art music by appealing to their general guitar affection, I’m a happy performer. I look at it as having the opportunity to share art music with an otherwise uninterested crowd. I don’t want to discourage them with a classical guitar label

The second reason I avoid the classical guitarist label is it makes more marketable as a teacher. I’m comfortably with just about any style of music. I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into one genre of teaching at this point in my career.

Here’s the same piece I just posted, but mostly finished. No fingering put in yet, but the dynamics are there. Some small cleaning up to do, but it gives you an idea.

Click here to look at the PDF