The Musician's Journey

Reviews / Votes

Jill Timmons' book is indispensable for musical performers, teachers, non-profit administrators, and grant writers. In the present reality, many of us are "all of the above." The Musician's Journey is a wonderfully comprehensive guide for the vision-plan continuum, the idea of joining heaven and earth, and fully embracing one's role as an artist entrepreneur. * John Thiessen, Executive Director, Gotham Early Music Scene Faculty, The Juilliard School * In today's global marketplace, musicians need resources and wisdom that support and nurture a thriving career along with a satisfying musical life. The Musician's Journey outlines an achievable process, including thought-provoking insight, gained through the author's decades of experience. It positively encourages us to contemplate a wider horizon, which ultimately will lead toward greater artistic and personal fulfillment. * Peter Ellefson, Professor of Music (Trombone), Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University * Entrepreneurship education is taking its essential place in the music curriculum, and Timmons' book is an ideal companion. The updated, expanded edition includes teaching entrepreneurship to high school and college students, managing social media networks, striving during the Covid pandemic, and new information on grant writing in the arts. The Musician's Journey inspires personal confidence to discover a wider lens, to engage a synthesis of practical, creative, and artistic skills, and to empower a successful career in music and the arts in a changing world. * Faun Tanenbaum Tiedge, Professor of Music Emerita, Linfield University * The Musician's Journey is filled with useful information about how to make a good living and to feel fulfilled as a musician. It is exceptionally helpful and also entertaining to read. It is valuable not just for musicians, but for anyone in the arts.This second edition features a new and expanded narrative on grant writing, inspiring true-life stories of diverse artists thriving in today's global market place, and real world advice for artists new to entrepreneurship. This book should be required reading for anyone contemplating a career in the arts. * Seldy Cramer, Founder and Principal, Seldy Cramer Artists, Inc. * Timmons guides us through the aspirational, the theoretical, and the practical in a way that speaks not only to the concert musicians she intended, but, indeed, to any inspired artist who is called to develop and share their gifts. If we have the skills and passion, this book shows us the method... So, buckle up, roll down your windows, and drive this car with its top off. You will love every vista you encounter. * Martin D. Jean, Professor of Organ, Director, Institute of Sacred Music, Yale University * This is a bold book that aims to offer an inspirational and practical resource for musicians embarking on their careers, or perhaps re-evaluating and making changes in their professional portfolio. Its tone is emphatically optimistic, and it is suffused with useful information, practical tips, uplifting quotations, and stories. It draws on an intriguingly broad set of reference points from ancient philosophies to spiritual texts, contemporary neuroscience to personal experience. * British Journal of Music Education * I hope this book will inspire you to create an artistic vision and craft a plan to realize your own thriving career in music. This is the musician's journey. This book is a roadmap for musicians who are eager to accept responsibility for their own careers and are looking for guidance on how to do so. * Rhonda Rizzo, No Dead Guys * 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. * The Cross-Eyed Pianist * 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. * The Cross-Eyed Pianist * Timmons' meticulous and expansive [book] serves as a timely roadmap, skillfully navigating individuals through the dynamic landscape of the music industry, addressing both its challenges and opportunities with unwavering insight and eloquence. The book's unique blend of visionary insights and actionable tools sets it apart, providing solutions grounded in real-word scenarios. Indeed, The Musician's Journey deserves the highest accolades as a mentor, companion, and wellspring of inspiration for anyone embarking on a musical career. Timmon's genuine passion for the transformative power of music entrepreneurship shines through, making this book an indispensable asset for aspiring and seasoned professionals alike. * Jose Valentino Ruiz, American Music Teacher Magazine * The Musician's Journey by Jill Timmons is an essential read for both emerging and established professional musicians; it offers a guide to remembering the visionary, expansive nature of art while attending to the realities of "paying the bills." * Patrick Parker, The American Organist *