Changing Directions

Today I decided to make a change in my direction towards optimizing the Harlem Voices musical for performance. I, obviously, have tons of content to share but the main problem I need to address is focusing that content towards successful partnerships with other artists and performance groups. In the past I was content to compose a piece of music, then let it sit until I could convince a group I play cello with to perform it. However, these days I can rely on sophisticated software to reproduce the sound quality of orchestral instruments with such fidelity that most people cannot tell they are not listening to a live performance/recording.

Instead of concentrating on producing better content (more recordings, adding closed captioning to movies, or more extensive linking to the jazzicalmusic site) I need to market the musical to a saturated market. How can I get my very fine new musical into the hands of people who don't know me? How do I package my material so that it can serve those people the best? How do they find new musicals? Do they care about performing new musicals? These are the kinds of questions I need to answer.

Although I am not very thrilled about marketing my works, the collaborative nature of Harlem Voices demands that I do so. The larger question of how to successfully market the music I compose is difficult. I am fond of saying that no one will run down to the music store to purchase my new string quartet. I have used that quip as a shorthand way to illustrate my dilemma. It is brutally sad, and accurate... so brutal, in fact, that I have been in denial about it. Now it is time to re-invent myself as a "classical" composer who does not do my work from behind a guitar or in front of a band.