Read the following instructions and updates about the 2021-2022 MRS, and then take the quiz below to register.
MRS is available to NEC Students, and Alumni 1-3 years post-graduation.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: CPT is required for work off campus. You are welcome to register for the MRS and look for gigs, but if you take the gig, you must send your international advisor the contract/employer letter and permission from your studio teacher before you begin any rehearsals.
HOW IT WORKS
ITEMS OF INTEREST
FAQs
Q: Do I have to use email? Can I just look up gigs online?
A: No. Most opportunities as a professional musician will come to you via email. Check early and often, be professional and polite, and respond promptly.
Q: I can’t make it to the gig after all, what should I do?
A: The best professional etiquette is to communicate politely with your patron: apologize for the inconvenience, explain why you can’t make the gig, and recommend 2-3 other musicians (include their contact info!) that you know would do a great job. It is extremely unprofessional to back out of a gig with less than 2 week’s notice. PS – the surest way to avoid this is to double check your calendar before you respond so that you don’t double book!
Q: How should I negotiate my fee?
A: In the notification email you receive from MRS, you’ll see a budget range (or in some cases a specific budget) listed from the patron. We recommend a minimum of $125 per hour per musician for performances, but ultimately this fee is negotiated between you and the patron. If you need help, write to us at [email protected] or visit EM in SB 201.
There are different reasons to gig for various fees. If you haven’t gigged a lot before, $100 for your first gig may not be a bad start. Perhaps the fee is a little low, but they’re willing to provide you dinner, and you’ll have a chance to network with more experienced musicians in town, which leads to more gigs (if you're prepared, easy to work with, etc.).
If you’ve been gigging a long time, $100 may not be worth your time. You can always try negotiating if the rate is too low. It would not be unreasonable for you to ask if more money is available, though in some cases a patron will have a fixed budget and will be unable to adjust the compensation. In negotiating, it's best to do this in a polite way. Remember, you are building a relationship with the patron at the same time that you are requesting a higher fee. If you need help, bring a draft email to the MRS Office (SB 201) and we’d be happy to talk it over with you.
Q: I’m having trouble negotiating my fee, what should I do?
A: Remember, the MRS Office (SB 201) is here to help along the way. Send us an email, call, or stop by the office to chat.
Q: I had a bad experience with a patron, what should I do?
A: Notify the MRS office immediately. We keep records of both student and patron experiences and will do our best to limit problematic client interactions with our students.
Q: I reply to every gig request I receive, but I still don’t hear back from a client! How can I fix this?
A: First, check the Gig Index of the “Students Only” section and see if the gig has been filled. Second, take a look at your responses to the gig requests… Are they professional? Do they have typos or grammar errors? Are they too long and rambling? Do they include demos of you playing, or links to a compelling website? Remember, you’re in competition with other musicians in Boston, and this initial email response is your first impression on a potential client. They are likely sending multiple inquiries to various musicians (and other music schools) in the area, so make it count. REMEMBER: you can always set an advising appointment with EM to go over the materials you share with patrons.
Q: This patron is writing me a TON of emails, how do I limit this?
A: This occasionally happens in the freelance scene. Most patrons that “over-communicate” just want to make sure everything will go well at their event. If you sense this starting to happen, offer to get on the phone with the patron, or even to meet for a brief coffee to discuss the client's requests for the gig. Remember, you know how qualified you are for the gig, but the patron may just be getting to know you! Try responding with video demos of your playing and offer some reassurance that you’ve done this type of performing before by referencing previous performances. Gigging is all about relationships – a musician that takes the extra time to invest in a 15 minute phone call or coffee to learn about the intricacies of a patron’s special event (and is friendly!), is a musician who will get recommended for future gigs.
And remember, you can always visit Entrepreneurial Musicianship (EM) in SB 201 to ask for help.
MRS is available to NEC Students, and Alumni 1-3 years post-graduation.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: CPT is required for work off campus. You are welcome to register for the MRS and look for gigs, but if you take the gig, you must send your international advisor the contract/employer letter and permission from your studio teacher before you begin any rehearsals.
HOW IT WORKS
- Patrons fill out a Gig Request Form about their gig
- Our office receives the gig request via email
- We forward the email to our MRS roster
- Students respond to the patron directly (students should be 100% available and interested before responding; if you're interested in an ensemble gig, only respond if you are willing to take the lead to find all other musicians that will perform with you).
- If/When the patron hires you, you’re required to immediately fill out our 2 minute Gig Report Form, and that’s it! (The gig report keeps this service free to you. We ask for 2 minutes of your time so that we can continue offering this service to you for free, 100% of the gig fee goes to you, the musicians).
- If you become unavailable for a gig – it’s your responsibility to communicate with the patron and recommend 3 other MRS musicians, including their names and contact information, they could contact and potentially hire instead.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
- COMPETITION OF CHOICE – Because you and your colleagues are receiving gig requests at the same time, multiple interested musicians may be responding to the same patron at the same time. You are responsible for crafting a professional response to a potential patron. The more professional and punctual your email, the better your chances of booking the gig. If you’re having trouble crafting a response, bring in a draft to the EM Office (SB 201) for assistance or email us at [email protected].
- Not sure if a gig is still available? Check our confirmed Gig Index in the “Students Only” section of the MRS website
- You keep 100% of the fee you and the patron negotiate; NEC/MRS does not take a cut
- By filling out the Gig Report Form, we’re able to continue offering this service to you for free. You help us with tracking, we help you make money.
- INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: CPT is required for work off campus. You are welcome to register for the MRS and look for gigs, but if you take the gig, you must send your international advisor the contract/employer letter and permission from your studio teacher before you begin any rehearsals.
FAQs
Q: Do I have to use email? Can I just look up gigs online?
A: No. Most opportunities as a professional musician will come to you via email. Check early and often, be professional and polite, and respond promptly.
Q: I can’t make it to the gig after all, what should I do?
A: The best professional etiquette is to communicate politely with your patron: apologize for the inconvenience, explain why you can’t make the gig, and recommend 2-3 other musicians (include their contact info!) that you know would do a great job. It is extremely unprofessional to back out of a gig with less than 2 week’s notice. PS – the surest way to avoid this is to double check your calendar before you respond so that you don’t double book!
Q: How should I negotiate my fee?
A: In the notification email you receive from MRS, you’ll see a budget range (or in some cases a specific budget) listed from the patron. We recommend a minimum of $125 per hour per musician for performances, but ultimately this fee is negotiated between you and the patron. If you need help, write to us at [email protected] or visit EM in SB 201.
There are different reasons to gig for various fees. If you haven’t gigged a lot before, $100 for your first gig may not be a bad start. Perhaps the fee is a little low, but they’re willing to provide you dinner, and you’ll have a chance to network with more experienced musicians in town, which leads to more gigs (if you're prepared, easy to work with, etc.).
If you’ve been gigging a long time, $100 may not be worth your time. You can always try negotiating if the rate is too low. It would not be unreasonable for you to ask if more money is available, though in some cases a patron will have a fixed budget and will be unable to adjust the compensation. In negotiating, it's best to do this in a polite way. Remember, you are building a relationship with the patron at the same time that you are requesting a higher fee. If you need help, bring a draft email to the MRS Office (SB 201) and we’d be happy to talk it over with you.
Q: I’m having trouble negotiating my fee, what should I do?
A: Remember, the MRS Office (SB 201) is here to help along the way. Send us an email, call, or stop by the office to chat.
Q: I had a bad experience with a patron, what should I do?
A: Notify the MRS office immediately. We keep records of both student and patron experiences and will do our best to limit problematic client interactions with our students.
Q: I reply to every gig request I receive, but I still don’t hear back from a client! How can I fix this?
A: First, check the Gig Index of the “Students Only” section and see if the gig has been filled. Second, take a look at your responses to the gig requests… Are they professional? Do they have typos or grammar errors? Are they too long and rambling? Do they include demos of you playing, or links to a compelling website? Remember, you’re in competition with other musicians in Boston, and this initial email response is your first impression on a potential client. They are likely sending multiple inquiries to various musicians (and other music schools) in the area, so make it count. REMEMBER: you can always set an advising appointment with EM to go over the materials you share with patrons.
Q: This patron is writing me a TON of emails, how do I limit this?
A: This occasionally happens in the freelance scene. Most patrons that “over-communicate” just want to make sure everything will go well at their event. If you sense this starting to happen, offer to get on the phone with the patron, or even to meet for a brief coffee to discuss the client's requests for the gig. Remember, you know how qualified you are for the gig, but the patron may just be getting to know you! Try responding with video demos of your playing and offer some reassurance that you’ve done this type of performing before by referencing previous performances. Gigging is all about relationships – a musician that takes the extra time to invest in a 15 minute phone call or coffee to learn about the intricacies of a patron’s special event (and is friendly!), is a musician who will get recommended for future gigs.
And remember, you can always visit Entrepreneurial Musicianship (EM) in SB 201 to ask for help.