Author: Felton, Marianne Victorius

Publication Year: 1977

Media Type: Report

Summary:

The object of this study is to focus attention on the condition of one kind of creative artist in twentieth century America: the composer of serious music. It is hoped that the findings of this study will have relevance for other fields of creative activity as well.

Abstract:

The object of this study is to focus attention on the condition of one kind of creative artist in twentieth century America: the composer of serious music. It is hoped that the findings of this study will have relevance for other fields of creative activity as well.

Both the study undertaken by the American Music Center in 1961 and the Russell Lynes done for the McDowell Colony in 1969, indicate that the majority of composers living in the today cannot earn a living solely by composing serious music. All but a few are employed full time at another job, primarily teaching at this country's colleges and universities. They compose on their own time and largely at their own expense. The production of serious music is in effect being subsidized by its composers.

The objectives of this study are 1) to obtain information about the professional activities of composers, an area in which the economic profession has to date been fairly uninformed. 2) to use this information to identify the major problems facing composers and, in the light of an economic framework, to ferret out reasons for these problems, and 3) to try to formulate some policy suggestions as to how some of the problems might be minimized or overcome.

This study is based primarily on a questionnaire, reproduced as Appendix A, which was sent to the population of 1560 composers of serious music residing in the . In addition, personal interviews were conducted with representatives of the leading publishing firms and record companies in the industry. Before proceeding, clarification is needed on a matter of definition. What do we mean by serious music? Admittedly, no completely objective answer can be given to this question.

After a brief consideration of the composer's role in society in Chapter one, the results of the survey conducted of composers via the questionnaire will be investigated in Chapter Two. The reasons behind these findings are examined in Chapters Three and Four. Chapter Three deals with elements influencing the demand and supply of compositions; Chapter Four with marketing practices. Patronage is discussed in Chapter Five, including its sources. Multiple regression techniques are employed to discover the implications for patronage of a composer labor supply function and a total revenue function. Some policy suggestions are offered in Chapter Six.

CONTENTS
List of tables.
List of additional tables.
Introduction.

Chapter I. The economic and non-economic role of the composer.

Chapter II. Survey results: 

1. Personal characteristics.
2. Employment.
3. Income and expenses.

Chapter III. Demand and supply of compositions: 

1. The supply of compositions.
2. The demand for composition.

Chapter IV. The Business of Music: 

1. Marketing methods.
2. Laws and regulations.

Chapter V. Implications of the survey results for patronage: 

1. Patronage received.
2. The labor supply function.
3. The total revenue function.
4. The simultaneous equation model.
5. Policy implications.

Chapter VI. Conclusions and recommendations.

Appendix A. Composer questionnaire.
Appendix B. Survey coverage and response.
Appendix C. Additional tables.

Bibliography.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Professional Development, Artists-Resources for