The New Artrepreneur – How Artists Can Thrive on a Networked Music Business

Drawing upon interviews held with classic music students and teachers, international artists and players from the Berlin music industry this paper suggests that artist concepts like they are taught at conservatories and discussed in advisory books have to be revised. Contemporary concepts are adopting entrepreneurial logics in addition to esthetic ones and design careers that will be both fulfilling from an artistic as well as an economical perspective. However, market figures and our own research show that these two perspectives alone cannot provide enough orientation for established and future classical musicians. We suggest a new approach that redefines an artists' creativity and enables them to develop their careers and scope of action by acquiring and exchanging social and cultural capital within their networks.