I’m super excited to share that the 2nd edition of Lessons from a Street-Wise Professor: What You Won’t Learn at Most Music Schools is NOW AVAILABLE! See some inside pages and purchase on Amazon.com.

It was an honor to be the contributing author to this book, written by former Dean of Professional Studies and Professor of Saxophone at the Eastman School of Music, Ray Ricker.

F R O M T H E B A C K C O V E R

The professional music world...it's tough out there! Yet musicians manage to survive and even thrive in this competitive environment. Lessons from a Street-Wise Professor encourages the reader to take his or her skills, talents and interests and put them into a package - You, Inc. A musician is like a small store where clients come to buy your musical services. It can be a corner store where selections may be generic, or it can be a specialty boutique. We want boutiques. The authors' mission is to help young musicians who are at point A in life, figure out where they want to be (point B), and to discover their path to get there. It's realistic but positive, because the truth really is that one can craft a successful, meaningful, personalized career based on interests and talents, and that is one of the fantastic things about being a musician. Among the many practical skills you'll learn are:

• developing an entrepreneurial mindset

• understanding your musical marketplace

• separating yourself from the pack

• navigating professional relationships

• maintaining your artistic integrity while striving for financial success

T E S T I M O N I A L S

"...Ray's Lessons from a Street-Wise Professor has more wisdom per pound than any other book I've ever read about the business of music." - Jeff Beal, Emmy award winning composer

"...This book is a must for anyone having anything to do with the music scene, or for that matter, any kind of creative endeavor in the arts." - Bob Mintzer, Grammy winning saxophonist, composer and educator

S E C O N D E D I T I O N

What's new in the 2nd edition?

• Updated statistics and updates to many sections, such as tax and finances

• New sections on social media, websites, email marketing, crowdfunding, interviewing, documenting your work, professional writing, a profile on Brooklyn Duo, and more!

For bulk orders, contact ramon@rayricker.com.