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Over the years, I’ve worn a lot of hats in the music industry. I’ve worked for jazz nonprofit organizations at both the local and international levels, gaining invaluable arts administration and community-building experience. I’m a bandleader who contracts, arranges, markets, and performs for audiences across the state of Colorado and beyond. I’m a commissioned composer and arranger who writes custom works for ensembles ranging from large jazz ensembles to wind ensembles to musical theatre. I publish my own music and the music of other composers through my company, Brava Jazz Publishing. I’ve created and led educational programs and workshops for young musicians, and I frequently travel around the country as a guest artist-educator. And of course, I’ve played hundreds of background gigs along the way.

Now, as an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Music, I think a lot about what today’s emerging musicians need, and how we, as educators, can help them bridge the gap between school and the ever-expanding world of professional music-making.

Connection and Versatility in the Modern Music Workforce

Absolutely no one needs me to explain how the digital era has reshaped the music industry. It’s obvious. But it’s worth emphasizing that today’s musicians need versatility and adaptability. Nimbleness, even. And to me, at the root of that versatility exists an important concept: connection.

Successful arts organizations understand this. Their ability to not only survive but thrive is grounded in authentic connection. One of my north stars in this realm is the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts (CCJA), an organization I’ve worked with as both an educator and arts administrator (and former student!). For the past 25 years, through smooth waters and rough ones, its community-focused mission has created its vibrance. Its work continues not because of fancy branding or big budgets, but because people feel authentically connected to what it does.

This same idea applies to individuals in the music world. And by connection, I don’t mean in a schmooze-your-way-to-the-top, artificial kind of way. I mean genuine, meaningful relationships—with audiences, peers, mentors and mentees, collaborators, and communities. Being reliable, kind, communicative, and curious goes a long way. I’ve found throughout my career that it’s often not “who I know,” but who knows me: who has seen me show up, follow through, and demonstrate commitment.

Versatility has also been essential in sustaining my own career. Early on, I taught myself graphic design so I could create my own album art, marketing materials, and website without outsourcing. That skill has served me well for more than 15 years. And when I lost all performance opportunities during the pandemic, my background in arts administration and bandleading gave me the adaptability to consider other career avenues, ultimately leading me to launch Brava Jazz Publishing.

Beyond the Binary: Rethinking Traditional Career Pathways

In many ways, the old “perform or teach” binary is an outdated model. Some musicians absolutely thrive on that path, but today the landscape is so much broader. When I talk with students at CU Boulder—because career conversations come up constantly—I encourage them to imagine a much wider menu of possibilities. Think less “five-item” diner menu and more of a “Cheesecake Factory” kind of menu: expansive, surprising, full of all sorts of combinations.

Here are just a few career pathways that can be pursued and combined with one another:

• Arts administration
• Booking and artist management
• Creative entrepreneurship (Brava Jazz Publishing is one example from my life)
• Composer/arranger commissions
• Side-musicianship and freelancing
• Educational programming and workshop creation (like SheBop)
• K–12 or higher ed music educator
• Music research/academia
• Recording or live audio engineering
• Producing and contracting ensembles
• Music journalism

Of course, this list is nowhere near exhaustive. But it illustrates how much more exists beyond that traditional perform-teach binary, and why our students need exposure to these possibilities. Just talking about these pathways is a start, but even better is allowing students to see them up close. That could mean:

• Inviting the Executive Director of a local music nonprofit to speak to your students
• Bringing in someone from an arts organization’s Board, Development, or Donor Relations
• Contacting a living composer whose music you’re performing (most of us are thrilled to hop on a quick Zoom to talk about our music and/or careers!)
• Partnering with a local jazz club to meet the owner or booking manager—or even creating an outside-the-box performance opportunity for your students
• Visiting a local recording studio to learn firsthand what engineers do and what takes place on a weekly basis in the studio.

Think outside the box! You never know which experience will unlock something meaningful for a student who has never encountered these experiences or voices before. Also, it’s hard to say what kind of creative ideas these visits can unlock within you and the planning of your program.

Entrepreneurial Mindsets for Young Musicians

I encourage students to think of themselves as creators, not just performers or interpreters. Even musicians who imagine themselves primarily in supporting roles benefit enormously from taking ownership of their career paths. Organizational skills, planning, follow-through, and a proactive mindset are what turn creative goals into real-world outcomes.

Music educators can support this idea by offering students to take ownership over projects (big or small!) within your program. Can students help organize the holiday concert? Assist with promotion and logistical planning? Can they curate the repertoire for a special themed performance? Learn some very basic recording techniques (even just one room mic) and walk through the process of producing and releasing a simple live recording of one of your groups? Can they help book a performance in your community, maybe in an unexpected venue? These experiences, supported of course with your guidance and potential community members willing to share their expertise, can give students agency, confidence, and an authentic taste of music entrepreneurship that they’ll carry with them regardless of what path they choose in life. 

Where Does College Fit In?

When I think about the question “Why study music in college?” – especially when so many musicians don’t technically need a degree – I always return to the idea that studying music at the college level offers far more than music instruction. Yes, students develop deeper technical and artistic skills on their instrument or within their musical discipline. But they also gain something much harder to quantify: networks, structure, habits, communication, and workflow skills that shape them long after their time on campus.

Looking back on my own undergraduate years, these intangible lessons stand out the most. I learned how I work best, how to set goals and meet deadlines, and how to be creative within structure. It helped me create structure and goals when I graduated and embarked on my career. What college cannot do, of course, is guarantee a sustainable career in music. Students must take what college offers – skills, networks, structure, development of work ethic – and combine it with their own imagination, curiosity, and initiative.

This is where educators can play an important role. We can help students choose suitable degree paths, craft audition materials or portfolios, and connect with mentors and communities to support their goals. There are more degree options than ever before:

• BA in Music
• BM degrees in Performance, Composition, Jazz Studies, Musicology, Theory, Songwriting
• BM/BS in Music Production or Recording Arts
• Music Business / Arts Administration
• BME (Music Education) – here at CU Boulder we even offer a  “jazz emphasis” with a BME degree!
• Musical Theatre and countless specializations
  

Students interested in double majors might thrive at larger universities, while a conservatory-style model may better serve someone laser-focused on an elite performance career. And I believe we should always encourage realistic conversations about the ultimate cost of an institution.

Bridging The Gap

Ultimately, our job as educators is to help students see what’s possible. It’s truly part of the magic of what we get to do. We give them the tools to access their artistry, and we can also support them in accessing and shaping their own pathways into future careers in music. When we offer visibility, support adaptable mindsets, and present some of the skills needed to navigate an industry, we give students a stronger foundation for future success in the field. The more we can broaden the menu and create opportunities for them to explore it, the more prepared they’ll be to build meaningful, sustainable lives in music. And our world will be better for it!

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