“OBSTACLE OR OPPORTUNITY?”

Music Entrepreneurship Clinic

One of the biggest challenges facing any aspiring young musician is the existential question of how they can turn their passion into a profession. If you want to be a doctor, firefighter or a lawyer, there is a well worn path to follow. It is easy to understand the career trajectory. When you make the decision that you want to pursue music for a living, often times that comes with a lot of questions, optimism and also doubt. The reason is because although the path my also be well worn, it is not always visible to the public or often times you only hear stories about failed musicians that couldn’t make it.

One of the best ways to understand the career path of someone who plays an obscure instrument is to study the parable of “The Two Shoe Salesmen.”

The parable goes like this…

Two salesmen from competing companies are sent to a foreign county to asses the market for shoes.

The first salesman scouts around for a few days and then sends a telegraph back to the company headquarters saying "Research complete. Unmitigated disaster. Nobody here wears shoes."

The second salesman does his research and after a few days also sends a telegraph back to his company but his says "Research complete. Glorious opportunity! Nobody here wears shoes!"

Essentially, one person sees an obstacle where another sees an opportunity. In this clinic, Best-selling author and Jazz Ambassador Bill Muter invites the audience to explore different methods of creating their own opportunities within their future career in the arts.

About Bill Muter

Bill Muter is a multi-instrumentalist, best-selling author, composer, clinician and probably most well known for his work on the tuba. Having performed in venues across the globe, Bill is without a doubt one of the world’s leading tuba and and bass players earning him the nickname “Tuba Visionary.” The New Times also hails Bill as a “Showstopper” and “The most innovative tuba player we’ve seen.”

As a performer, Bill was a tuba soloist, percussionist and keyboardist in the Tony and Emmy Award winning Broadway sensation “Blast!” with numerous tours in Japan, South Korea and North America. Bill is the Music Director for Drew Tucker and The New Standard and has also shared the stage with Sarah Reich and her Tap Music Project, The James Francies Trio, Matthew Whitaker, Warren Wolf, Stefon Harris, Leon Foster Thomas, Shaun Martin, MonoNeon, Robert Sput Searight, Larnell Lewis, Nate Werth, Weedie Braimah and played in horn sections with Justin Stanton, Mike ‘Maz’ Maher, Jay Jennings, Chris Bullock and more.

Bill’s love for the stage is only echoed by his passion for music education in the classroom. Bill holds the esteemed title of “Cultural Ambassador” by the U.S. Department of State and has worked with embassy’s and music organizations across the globe. Bill’s instrumental technique book “A Practical Approach” was a best-seller on Apple’s iBookstore with it’s largest audience primarily in Japan. Bill was also an Artist in Residence and Curriculum Advisor at Honeyland College in Lagos Nigeria, blending the roots of Afrobeat music and jazz. Bill is heavily involved with the marching arts activity as clinician, designer and adjudicator. Bill has worked with the Boston Crusaders, Crossmen and Colts Drum and Bugle Corps and was also the Caption Head for the WGI Gold Medalist “Stryke Wynds.”

As a composer for band and film. Bill has written, recorded or composed for works featured on BET, Okayplayer, XXL Magazine, Tribeca Film Festival and more. His solo albums have reached #1 on the iTunes Charts in South Africa and in the Top 30 Global R&B charts.