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First published in 2013, The Musician’s Journey by Dr Jill Timmons is a handbook for musicians who want to make the most of their specialist training to carve a successful professional career.

A celebrated pianist, who studied with, amongst others, György Sebők, Jill Timmons is also an acclaimed educator and leading consultant in arts management and mentorship. Her profound appreciation of the sensibilities of musicians and the exigencies and challenges of the musician’s life – from physical and emotional health to the importance of self-care and personal autonomy – together with years of experience within the music profession, make her the ideal guide and mentor.

The musician’s training, usually undertaken at specialist music school and/or conservatoire, is still largely focussed on learning to be a performer. Yet, today more than ever in the highly competitive world of professional music, musicians embarking on a professional career (and even those already established) need a good handle on the business side of the profession. Little practical support or teaching is offered in the other important areas of shaping one’s professional career – from learning how to create a website or develop a social media presence to entrepreneurship, and business and marketing skills – leaving many musicians on graduation thinking, (and often being asked), “So what do you do now?”.

Unfortunately, an attitude still prevails that taking a more businesslike approach to one’s career “devalues” the music. Fortunately, Timmons successfully debunks this absurd notion in The Musician’s Journey, and offers a wealth of practical information, inspiring case studies, and insights drawn from personal experience to help musicians develop, enhance and broaden their careers while retaining a strong self of personal autonomy, individual integrity and artistic vision – themes which run, fugue-like, throughout the book.

Organised in short, focussed chapters, with clear subject sections within each of them, and written in an accessible, conversational style, Timmons draws on numerous resources from religion and mythology to neuroscience, physiology to Feldenkrais, and much more, to illustrate her approach. This is not a self-help book in the traditional sense, and it is refreshingly free of “woo woo” pseudoscience and cod coaching. Instead, Timmons presents a meticulously researched, highly readable and non-elitist handbook which takes the reader on a detailed journey with specific goals and plans showing how to steer a path through the myriad complexities of the profession.

Too much is written on practicing music, finding one’s creative voice and finessing one’s performance skills; too little is written on the practicalities of forging a career in music (and in the arts more generally) in the 21st century. This book is a sensible yet inspiring manual on how to live a vibrant, fulfilling and successful life as a professional musician. Timmons gives much pause for thought with ideas and suggestions musicians may not have considered before, or were discouraged from considering during their training. In encouraging a good portion of “thinking outside the box”, Timmons’ book will also appeal to people outside the profession: her pragmatic and inspiring approach is applicable to anyone embarking on a freelance career.

Key points

  • Offers a strategic combination of creating a vision and then formulating a plan to help guide musicians in successfully developing a thriving career
  • Includes diverse true-life stories of music professionals who have used the process successfully
  • Focuses on entrepreneurship as a means for career development
  • Suggests general tips on grant writing and financial development
  • Guidelines for teaching entrepreneurship
  • In addition, the updated second edition considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of musicians, and the arts in general

Additional resources, including downloadable forms and worksheets, are available from the book’s companion website

The Musician’s Journey (second edition) is published by Oxford University Press

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It has, as they say, been a bumper year for Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts. We have seen record audiences (consistently around the 80-90 people mark) and a wonderful range of music and musicians. In keeping with the founding ethos of the series, our programmes mix well-known repertoire with rareties and lesser-known works. This year we were introduced to the music of Jessie Reason in an atmospheric piece for cello and piano, performed by Joseph Spooner and Duncan Honeybourne. We were also treated to a new work for piano by composer Ben Gaunt, inspired by The Sand House in Doncaster. The piece was masterfully performed by Matthew Schellhorn, with accompanying film which gave the audience a tour of The Sand House and illustrated the music.

In addition to our monthly lunchtime concerts, we also presented a Young Artist Showcase featuring students of Duncan Honeybourne from the Royal Academy Junior Department. It was wonderful and inspiring to see these talented young people perform with so much maturity, poise and professionalism, and we look forward to more concerts of this type in the coming seasons. We will also broadening the remit of the series, with a rebrand, to enable us to present more varied concerts and related activities.

Unlike certain other concert venues and promoters, we have never felt the need to do audience satisfaction surveys, tell the audience when they should clap, how they should listen, or what they should wear to our concerts…. Instead, we make everyone feel welcome and maintain a high level of trust between audience and artistic director (read more here). The pre-concert lunches, provided by a small team of volunteers, undoubtedly contribute to the Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts experience!

We are looking forward to 2024 with an exciting roster of performers, including Helen Kuby (French horn), Joseph Tong (piano), Lewis Kingsley-Peart (piano), Ruth Henley (cello), Marie-Louise Taylor (piano), with our season finale given by Artistic Director Duncan Honeybourne.

A big thank you to our guest artists, our friends at St Mary’s Church who help to make our concerts run smoothly and enjoyably for all, our volunteers, and of course our audience, without whom there would be no concerts.

Find full details of Weymouth Lunchtime Chamber Concerts here

Frances Wilson (AKA The Cross-Eyed Pianist), Concerts Manager, WLCC

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Award-winning British composer Thomas Hewitt Jones, who has an unashamed love for Christmas and Christmas music, has released a selection of new music for the festive season – from carols for choirs to a dramatic retelling of the Christmas Story, featuring Stephen Fry. Plus a few “Christmas crackers” to entertain and delight…..

Onward We Go

A tuneful, warm and nostalgic tribute to the Christmas story, scored for the children’s touchingly young voices with piano, electric bass and instrumentalists. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral. Performed by the children’s choir of St Stephen’s Church, Dulwich, directed by Caroline Lenton-Ward. Sheet music available from Stainer & Bell.

The Christmas Story, narrated by Stephen Fry

A dramatic orchestral retelling of the Christmas Story, as told by the Gospel of Luke, narrated by acclaimed actor, broadcaster, comedian, presenter, writer and national treasure Stephen Fry, with the Scottish Session Orchestra and Choristers of St Martin-in-the-Fields, directed by Andrew Earis. Score published by Stainer & Bell.

The Christmas Story will be broadcast on ClassicFM at 6.45pm on Christmas Eve.

The Funny Snowman

From the composer who brought us TikTok sensation ‘Funny Song’, comes another catchy, toe-tapping tune. ‘The Funny Snowman’ has a wonderfully nostalgic vibe, with vocals reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, a “tap dance” section worthy of Morecombe and Wise, and memorable, singalong lyrics which are sure to bring Christmas cheer and merriment. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral, sung by Freddie Benedict.

Christmas Delivery

Thomas Hewitt Jones says, ‘I am traditionally a last-minute present buyer and wrapper, and the couple of days before Christmas in my family have often been appropriately fraught. I wanted to write an unashamedly light-hearted orchestral encore in the same vein as the orchestral pops of composers such as Leroy Anderson – depicting the mad Christmas rush leading up to the 25th each December. If you listen carefully, you can hear Santa in his sleigh in the sky above, dashing through snowy skies, as the warmth of Christmas is evident to the end.‘

Played by the Scottish Session Orchestra

Camel Carol

The three Magi defer to their trusty steeds in Thomas Hewitt Jones’s hilarious Camel Carol – a perfect offering for choirs this Christmas. Scored for SATB voices and organ, Camel Carol is a light-hearted yet theologically serious take on the visit of the Three Wise Men with their precious gifts, from a trio of grumpy yet not unperspicacious dromedaries. Words by Gordon Giles, Canon of Rochester Cathedral. Sheet music available from Stainer & Bell.

A Child’s Christmas

A collection of orchestral music for Christmas by British composers, curated by Philip Lane, ‘the doyen of light music’ (Gramophone), expertly played by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Works by Victor Hely-Hutchinson, Gordon Thornett, Adam Saunders, Thomas Hewitt Jones, Roy Moore, Bryan Kelly, John Lanchbery, and Philip Lane. Performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Barry Wordsworth & Gavin Sutherland and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Julian Bigg

Released by Heritage Records and available on CD and via streaming.

And finally…..

Crazy Frog Does Funny Song

Funny Song has become a viral sensation with over 14 billion streams on TikTok (it also appears in the new ABRSM Grade 2 cello syllabus!). In its latest incarnation, Crazy Frog, who spawned a worldwide hit single in 2003, and numerous spin offs, does Funny Song. The video has enjoyed almost 6 million views to date since it was launched a couple of weeks ago.