The Classical Music Industry

4 Managing Artists in the Classical Sector

Definitions and Challenges

Atholl Swainston-Harrison

To define and scrutinise artist management in the context of classical music today is to encounter immediate difficulties surrounding the ways in which the practice is typically discussed and perceived.¹ Indeed, some within the classical music sector find it uncomfortable to talk about business in the same breath as art. The role of an artist manager is also often misunderstood, for it far exceeds the caricature of someone who simply finds work for the artist and pockets their agreed commission: artist management also requires nuanced knowledge of the media, audiences, broadcasting, promotion, taxation, legal affairs, travel, and even politics. This ...