Musician: Dream Job? Magdalena Bork PhD University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna

Why  Enough satisfying work possibilities?  Where are the soloists?  Frustrated – in spite of holding a rare orchestra position?  Why still wanting to become a musician?  What role does the institutional education play in all this?

What  What skills, abilities and attitudes does a musician need in the modern job market?  Can a university music education teach these skills?  What significance do teachers and master classes have in this context?  What was the initial motive for making music?

Method  qualitative in-depth interviews  40 graduates of the Vienna Music University  classes of  out of school for between one and ten years  broad fields of activity of musicians

Crisis  At the beginning of the course of study  During the course of study  At the end of the course of study  During transition  As orchestra musician  As freelance musician

Musician`s Job Description  Traditional definition of musician  Transformation in the modern music market  Freelance musicians  Individual careers  Between self-realisation and the „haven‘t made it“- verdict

From Passion to Profession  The power of music  Joy and devotion to music-making  Conservatoire study: Practising  Struggle for perfection  Competition

Key Competencies  Technical competence  Artistic competence  Social competence  Entrepreneurial competence  Health knowledge  Pedagogical know-how

Questionnaire  What kind of musician do I want to be?  What music(s) do I wish to play?  For whom and with whom do I want to play?  What do I want to give my audience?  What is my artistic vision, what are my artistic goals?  How can I live from that which I most love to do?  How do I get to perform? How do I find my audience?

Where to, Devil‘s Fiddler?  research project to further the competencies of musicians  develops alternative learning environments in conservatories  initiates a circular process between art&science  connects innovative artistic praxis with reflexive consideration  creates a musical competency laboratory  sets up a qualitative research structure with free improvisation at its center

Method  single, small group and ensemble-based improvisation workshops  personal career coaching sessions  reflection on and contextualisation of the improvisation experiences

Central question To what extent can this process help classical musicians to successfully deal with the many challenges presented by their education and their working life on stage, in the orchestra and in the open market?

 one of seven pilot projects approved by the Austrian Science Fund  new program for supporting art-based research  two years project  conducted in all instrumental departments at the University of Music in Vienna  led by an artistic/scientific team  results: publications, a concert series and an international final symposium

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION!