If you are an organization or venue working on a small budget who gets excited at the thought of staging a live classical music event but can't afford to hire professional players, I have some good news for you.

I don't ask you to pay me a fixed fee.

Here is how it works:

1. You decide whether my style of delivery is what you are looking for to meet your needs
2. You invite me to use your venue to perform suitable repertoire
3. We come to a mutually acceptable agreement on a percentage split of ticket sales and that is how you meet your costs and I earn my living as a classical clarinetist

Rather than you taking all the risk, we both shoulder the responsibility of the gig being a success. It's a win-win situation all round.

What's In It for You

• The only upfront costs to me that you have to worry about are a $100 deposit and a cheap return flight if applicable.
• Free access to my business expertise and specialist contacts worldwide in the areas of marketing, social media and audience development.
• The highest standards of classical music performance and delivery tailor made to suit you and your target audience

Am I a Good Match?

Availability

I've deliberately chosen a location-independent lifestyle which means I'm available to travel freely worldwide as engagements dictate without the restriction of being tied to any particular country.

Provided I have your proposed date free with a minimum of 6 weeks prior to performance date once contracts have been drawn up and signed, we can start working together on getting your show on the road.

Venue Types

I'm particularly interested in performing at unusual and non-traditional classical music venues e.g., municipal sports centers, shopping malls, night clubs (although obviously not at the same time as when a DJ is in residence!), sound and light shows at historical sites, etc.

It does not matter to me whether you are looking to fill a church hall or a space the size of the Cincinnati Opera House but I do ask that you can seat a minimum audience of 100.

As you would expect, I can turn my embouchure, tone and technique to suit to the majority of musical styles encompassing the entire history of the clarinet although I confess to having a special bias towards the French and British composers, Mozart, Weber and Brahms.

However, please note that my skill set does not include jazz or Klezmer styles and I am not a great fan of serial composition.

The repertoire for each event is unique, following discussion between me and the organizer.

Ticket Prices

It is important to me that ticket prices for events are kept at a level that will ensure easy accessibility for all who wish to attend.

My Expenses

Most initial conversations can be had using Skype and email although this does depend on the business practice in any particular country.

For final rehearsals and performance, I do ask that any flight costs are paid to me up front when the contract is exchanged and this is reflected in the agreed split on ticket sales.

So far as accommodation is concerned, I am far happier staying with you or somebody you know well – a fellow musician or classical music aficionado in your area perhaps – than being stuck in an anonymous hotel!

My Style of Classical Music Delivery

I can be whatever you want me to be although having burned my penguin suit back in 2008, I would struggle to find any ball gowns lurking at the back of my closet these days!

Informal ethnic clothing is my preference and I often perform barefoot.

I like to chat between pieces but do not expect a dry academic lecture! I aim to help audiences relate the music to what is going on in their own lives - to understand the present day relevance of a work which may have been written hundreds of years ago.

Sounds Intriguing? What To Do Now…

Let's talk.

Drop me an email outlining what sort of event you have in mind and we can start a conversation.

If you'd like some examples of my playing, let me know and I'll send you links to the most appropriate material.

My email address is on the Contact page.

If you'd like to take control of your own musical career and create your own sustainable income streams by using your musical talent in unconventional ways, that's where flutist Alexis del Palazzo and I come in.

Background

I originally set up Zero 2 Maestro with the multi-talented Lea Woodward back in 2011. As it has a habit of doing occasionally, life got in the way and at the same time we were both led in other directions with our respective internet biz.

The site has largely remained dormant for the last 12 months but this Fall 2012 Alexis and I will be re-launching Zero 2 Maestro as a joint venture.

What To Expect

Zero 2 Maestro was created to provide tools and resources to help classical musicians of all standards who are struggling with building a sustainable career - full time or part-time - by empowering them to implement a range of unconventional strategies.

These are the sorts of things that generally speaking they still don't teach you in music colleges and conservatories - how to generate multiple income streams from your music; how to use your talents to build a proper business and guard against your music from working you!

In our experience, to appeal to and continue to grow the numbers of fans of classical music, we have to move with the times and start playing our own game, following our own paths and attracting our own niche audiences.

It's certainly a brave new world for creative and talented musicians but you don't have to face it alone. We're here to provide support, motivation and inspiration.

Would you like to join us?

Get Your Tax and Financial Affairs Sorted Out Now

One of the most common questions freelance classical musicians have – truth be told, freelance anybody – is this: how can I minimize the amount of tax that I pay?

That's a great question but one that can't easily be answered in an article or even an ebook. Reading that sort of material could help get you started but to be truly meaningful you need an in-depth knowledge of your own individual circumstances together with an excellent grasp of tax and financial affairs.

The problem we all face is that consulting with a practicing professional tax lawyer or financial planner can be expensive either in fees or commissions.

I believe that for a comparatively affordable sum you should be able to avoid making any expensive or time costly mistakes.