Well.. the New Year is over, and we will be returning back from summer holidays very soon. That means that everything will need to get started for my ensemble quite soon. After two concerts last year, and a last minute chat with the local arts funding body. It is clear that I'm going to have a busy few days and weeks of getting some order and planning done for this coming year.
There are 5 concert dates lined up for the year, these were all organised and locked in during the closing days of the last year... and that means that I have solid flashpoints to aim for, and specific dates to ask if people would be available to play.
In the regular course of events (hopefully a place that we will eventually reach...), the programming would come first, scheduling, then followed by the locking down of personnel with adaptations on availability. However, due to the fact that this is a fledgling ensemble with unsure financials, and a small cash reserve... well, it is harder to be certain about programming for larger sized ensembles. So, the object is to keep it small and light for several years... with the occasional splash out for an extra two or three people for a "larger" event.
With a bit of a rotating roster of people from a pool of local and interstate players, it might be possible to wrangle a decent enough program and ensemble setting for this first full year. I'm still a bit nervous about asking players... as I a bit embarrassed that I can't offer them a definitive fee... but at the very least, I can definitely offer a minimum fee and something extra if we manage to exceed what I expect. I figure that it is better that way around, than offering more than we can manage sustainably over a long term. But as always, I'm quite aware that I don't want to burn goodwill or give the impression that I'm "using" people. If people are helping now, I want to be loyal in return.
I am still toying around with the idea of having a gut version (original instruments...) and a steel version (modern instruments) for the concerts. Having the modern version opens up more players... and I figure I can move it into the early music direction with interpretation.
Meanwhile, there is the infrastructure things that I need to get a move on with... a business name is already registered... so, I should set up a separate bank account and fix up a website with proper contact details and portfolio. At the moment, I'm just sending out examples on a dropbox link! Eventually, I will have to think about whether or not it is a good idea to set up a proper company structure.... sigh... eventually. But for the first year, it is just operating as an extension of my own self-employed status.
Lots of emailing will be required to try and lock in some concerts in regional festivals and music venues. These things tend to be planned quite a long way out, so it might be a long shot to get anything in the near future... but I have some interest for 2024 already. Still, it is the sort of thing that won't bear fruit if I put it off. I can't just focus on the near term, but I do need to have the possibility of interesting projects in the longer term that take us away from our home base. Plus, if I can have a little regional tour that ties in with the home base concerts, then it would be better payment conditions for the players that I'm able to ask!
Eeep... it sounds quite daunting and there is a lot of cold-contacting. But again, the support that I've managed to find from venues, community, and players has invigorated me. I think it might be possible, but like all things... taking those early first steps is the most scary! But, if I want this to happen (and I do!)... then I just need to swallow any pride and reservations, and just keep putting the feelers out there!
Plus... I have to remember that all the groups that I see around the place... well, they have at least a 10 year head start on me! And at some point, they were starting from this initial early stage of nothing but goodwill and a nebulous idea!
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