Panel Discussion: How to Make a Living as a Musician
Inspired by the portrayal of a working musician's lifestyle in tick, tick ... BOOM!, we're taking a deep dive into the various ways that musicians make a living in the modern era. Composer/producer Kevin J. Simon joins producer/sync licensing professional/jazz trumpeter Farnell Newton for a conversation moderated by Jonas Angelet (aka recording artist Luvjonez), the community programs manager at Portland Center Stage.
In this panel discussion, we'll focus on modern options for working musicians, such as licensing music, creating original scores for film and media, music supervision, registering with performing rights organizations, and the benefits of mentoring and networking on tour.
Kevin is an NYC-based multi-instrumentalist composer, who specializes in music for motion picture. I have composed custom scores for countless commercials in varying styles, for clients such as Dell, Mini Cooper, Mercedes, BMW, Tresemme, Clairol, Yoplait, and many more. In addition to the work he does in advertising, he composes scores for animated features, short and feature-length films, documentaries, and a TON of TV. His music has been featured in almost 100 different television series across the globe in the last 5 years, on networks such as NBC, MTV, ESPN, VICE, TruTV, FOX, VH1, etc.
Aside from composing for motion picture, he still manages to produce quite a few records for indie artists, as well as major label acts.
Farnell Newton was born in Miami, Florida, and moved to Philadelphia in 1992, where he attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. While in Philadelphia, Newton also studied with his uncles, saxophonist/arranger Conny Murray and Sunny Murray, one of the early avant garde’s most inventive and influential drummers.
Newton graduated from the Denver School of the Arts after moving to Denver in 1994 and then moved to Ohio to study at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. At Oberlin, Newton studied music performance with an emphasis in jazz and was mentored by Wendell Logan and trumpeter Kenny Davis. Newton performed with Aretha Franklin, James Moody, Muhal Richard Abrams, and Hugh Ragin while at Oberlin.
After graduating from Oberlin, Newton moved to Portland, Oregon, where he performed regularly with drummer Mel Brown, percussionist Bobby Torres, Akbar Depriest, and many others. He earned a Master’s degree in jazz studies and performance from Portland State University in 2008.
After completing his graduate work, Newton toured extensively with three-time Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott and with the Legendary Rhinestone Rockstar Bassist “Bootsy” Collins.
When he is not spending time with his family, leading his funk band (The Othership Connection), or hosting his own jazz radio show at KMHD 89.1fm, he is touring and recording. Over the years, Farnell has performed with Jarrod Lawson, Stevie Wonder, Skerik, Lettuce, Slightly Stoopid, Karl Denson, Galactic, Nigel Hall, Mike Phillips, and the Portland Cello Project. Newton also created a jazz social media group called Jam of the Week in 2013, which now features over 70,000 members worldwide.
Jonas is a Puerto Rican multi-media creative living in Portland, Oregon. At Portland Center Stage, Jonas serves as community programs manager, producing public programs that accompany the season's theater productions. This allows him to produce events in collaboration with members of the greater Portland-area, including visual artists, dancers, theater companies, local bands, education, and social justice organizations. All events and partnerships prioritize BIPOC collaborators, seek representation from marginalized communities, and aim to create a safe space for all guests.
In addition, Jonas is an instrumental hip hop producer and musician who performs under the stage name Luvjonez (pronounced Love Jones) and licenses music for film, video, and podcasts with Portland-based company Marmoset Music and NYC-based Robot Repair. Aside from personal work, he also co-founded A Beat Happening. ABH is a free, monthly, all-ages, inclusive, music producer showcase held at Future Shock Records and a record label that highlights local Portland musicians with limited edition releases.
Jonas also freelances as a graphic designer, web designer, and illustrator for non-profits and record labels. Check out his (sometimes updated) portfolio site at jonasangelet.com.
Current & Upcoming
Improvisation Classes for Beginners
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Foundations of Improvisation: Sunday Afternoon Series
Looking to expand your knowledge and skills of improvisation? Whether you did theater in high school and want to jump back in, are looking to find creative connections with others, or are a theater professional looking to deepen your training, this course is perfect for you!
Acting for Adults Level III: Actors' Toolbox
Explore Anne Bogart’s viewpoints, Meisner’s technique of repetition, Adler’s emotional recall, Laban’s eight efforts, Lecoq’s seven levels of tension, Michael Chekhov’s psychological gestures and learn to apply these to text of your choosing.
Foundations of Improvisation: Tuesday Evening Series
Looking to expand your knowledge and skills of improvisation? Whether you did theater in high school and want to jump back in, are looking to find creative connections with others, or are a theater professional looking to deepen your training, this course is perfect for you!
Event: An Evening with Kennedy Ryan
Join us to celebrate Kennedy Ryan and the release of Can’t Get Enough!, hosted in partnership with Grand Gesture Books.
Adult Class: Before & After - The Importance of Being Earnest
Join Literary Manager and Playwright Kamilah Bush for a special look at her playwriting and adaptation process, the work of Oscar Wilde and bringing a new play to life in this world premiere production at PCS.
Portland Center Stage is committed to identifying & interrupting instances of racism & all forms of oppression, through the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, & accessibility (IDEA).
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