From music student to professional: the process of transition

theme in accounts from all genres. There was a sense that there was little scope for
specialism in the music world, if one were to forge a viable and rewarding career:

“We recorded a debut CD and we are in the process of recording a second
one .. I’m writing some choral music for the local community choir and

occasionally I do a bit of instrumental tuition. I also gig .. I’ll go and play
with other bands.” (Jessica, jazz musician)

For some the need to sometimes be „jack of all trades’ threatened their musical

identity - “I don’t like the fact that we don’t fit into one world or the other” (Henry,
classical/popular artist) - and caused considerable stress:

“It didmake me physically ill because it was just such a strain. I was doing
everything. I wrote the music, I directed, I did everything.” (Fred, popular
musician)

Musical justification for the importance of being versatile was found in the accounts

from musicians representing all of the four genres.

“It's important to have a range of things, because they inform each other”
(jazz) .. “Any genre of music, anything. Listen really in-depthly, analyse it...
it can be anything classical music, pop, rock, just listen to what the
instruments are doing (Scottish traditional) . “I’ve listened to everything
from jazz to rock, to pop. I think it’s important to get inspiration from lots of
sources. I think that makes a better musician, more rounded and more open-
minded” (classical) . “It’s that level ofobsession about his work that he’ll
work in any genre . It’s complete kind of immersion and involvement in the
music” (Popular).

TABLE 6 HERE

Support of professional colleagues: The importance of belonging to a community of
practice, within which musicians derived moral support and forged musical
performance relationships, was prominently articulated across the genres and
summarized by Bridget, a classical portfolio musician who had three main
performance partners:

“I am very committed to those three and I’m not very keen on doing ad hoc
performances or liaisons, not because I don ^,t want to, but because I have very

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