The Rise of the Concert Agent

Question 1

William Weber - Introduction to the Musicians as Entrepreneur

Answer 1

• “music historians give musicians too little credit for their roles in shaping and reshaping musical life on a broad social plane”
• “need to ask how musicians worked as active agents within musical life” and “society”
• “must take musicians seriously as business people and as social forces”
• “how they acted as entrepreneurs and how they took advantage of opportunities before them”

Question 2

The artist manager

Answer 2

(Atholl Swainston-Harrison):

• “artist management” - “requires nuanced knowledge of the media, audience, broadcasting, promotion, taxation, legal affairs, travel and even politics”
• artist manager follows artist for a while before discussing a contract
• classical era - agent + manager = similar roles
• agent should know what singer should sing (voice type, gig, genre) -“nurture talent”

Question 3

Weber’s 5 stages in the development of the concert agent

Answer 3

• Self-management by performers (Spohr + Hummel)
• Personal manager (Liszt + Paganini)
• Sole agent - independent (Gutmann - Vienna)
• Cooperation between European agents (1910)
• Corporate management after WWII (Columbia Artist Management + IMG)

Question 4

Why did virtuosi get agents?

Answer 4

• to ‘prepare the way’ across large geographical distances (prep accommodation, venues and promote in advance)
• perform in many concerts - maximise profit
• changing model from cooperation to competition in local centres
• promotion and image management, keep up with competition (Liszt vs. Thalberg)

Question 5

Paganini and his agents

Answer 5

-agents in local centres (London, Norwich, English + French provinces)
-relationship = short-term profit - demands of agents often conflicted and pushed Paganini too hard
by giving him too many concerts (an artist manager should think of longevity and not set too much!)
-conflicts and rivalries between agents over legal and monetary disputes

Question 6

Liszt and the ‘exclusive’ agent

Answer 6

-Belloni (‘exclusive agent’ 1841-1847) accompanied Liszt on travels and went ahead to cities to make arrangements, acted as press officer (promoted Liszt), arranged instruments (transport), acted as treasurer (pay bills, cash takings, ‘counting heads’ at concerts), managed Liszt’s affairs (custody battle over Liszt’s children), created a profit orientated enterprise based on long-term reputation and image management

Question 7

Beyond Liszt and Paganini

Answer 7

• Established concert institutions in most European centres meant agents negotiated increasingly with other professionals
• Agents (e.g. Gutmann - Vienna) - authoritative arbiters of taste
• 1910s, many agencies controlled schedules of venues + clients
• agents established life long relationships with clients and ‘lists’ of artists who would tour/perform together
• CAMI (Columbia Artist Management), CBS, Columbia Records, New York Philharmonic, Carnegie Hall (links between agency, broadcasting, recording, control over orchestras and venues)

Question 8

Rise of IMG (International Management Group)

Answer 8

• 1960 (set up - for sport but soon Shirley Bassey and other showbiz personalities are taken on)
• 1982 (classical promos, one-offs)
• 1984 (acquires NY agency, gain clients e.g. Joshua Bell)
• 1986 (ads + endorsements with Perlman)
• 1987 (Carmen in Earl’s Court then worldwide tour)
• 1991 (Stephen Wright joins bringing 25 clients)
• 1992 (Graham + Mulgan join bringing 100 singers)

Question 9

IMG - return to terra firma

Answer 9

high ratio of agents to artists, created an inflammatory market (top earners earn more, the rest struggle), bought by parent company, make market more equal

Question 10

IAMA Guidelines for Artist Managers

Atholl Swainston-Harrison

Answer 10

• clear statement of intent by artist management company (AMC)
• statement to develop artists career strategy
• date of agreement + termination notice
• state territories agreement is valid in
• Artist manager as sole representative can enter into agreements on artists behalf
• plan for dealing with expenses

Question 11

Commission Rates

Answer 11

10~20% for singers + conductors (concert/opera), intrumental soloists, chamber ensembles

Question 12

Medium-sized agency

Answer 12

Hazard Chase (London-Cambridge)

Question 13

Small ‘boutique’ agency

Answer 13

Clarion-Seven Muses (London)

Question 14

Large/corporate agency

Answer 14

IMG

Question 15

Atholl Swainston-Harrison - artist’s loyalty to manager is important why?

Answer 15

Develop a relationship with them (spend a lot of time together), thats why artists go with managers to different agencies like IMG

Question 16

The ‘expanded field’ of concert management

Answer 16

• Angela Myles Beeching - “role of managers, producers, presenters (and sometimes artists) are becoming somewhat blurred”
• artist managers job description is becoming blurred (manage more than 1 artist, secure performances, compete for opportunities on artists behalf, advise on projects + accareer marketing + PR)
• personal managers “” for 1 artist
• promoters engage performers and provide direction over programming
• producers “” 1 off events, educational/community projects
• booking agents book venues, hotels etc
• publicists manage media coverage (website, social media)

Question 17

A return to self-management

Answer 17

• self-managed performers
• personal managers
• sole agents (independent, small, ‘boutique’ agencies e.g. Clarion-Seven Muses)
• networks of medium-sized agencies (agency + media e.g. Hazard Chase + Orchid Media)
• Corporates (IMG)

Question 18

Advantages of professional management (having an agent)

Answer 18

• Advocacy - someone negotiates on your behalf (travel + hotel), higher fees
• Legitimation/’consecration’ - artists benefit by association with other artists on agents list
• Collaboration - artists collaborate promoted by agents
• Know other promotors, venue managers, festival directors, newspaper arts editors, radio producers/presenters

Question 19

Disadvantages of professional management (having an agent)

Answer 19

• Competition with agent’s list - favouritism?
• Competencies - what functions are really necessary? how good are they at promoting? better to get personal manager/publicist?
• Cost - 20%, can you afford that? Benefit for it?