46 freelance musicians living in Switzerland took part in the survey for this study. They are leading figures in the fields of classical music, jazz and innovative folk music. Their responses shed light on the dilemma faced by all musicians who are trying to build a livelihood through their artistic work: the tension between indispensable artistic freedom and the laws of the market. The study vividly illustrates the enormous personal sacrifices these people make to pursue their lifelong dream, but also the contradictions they have learnt to live with. Based on these findings, readers are left wondering whether it makes sense to train thousands of professional musicians every year, for whom there is, for the most part, no demand.

Autorentext
Stefan Meyer studied music, cultural management, business and law at universities in Lucerne, Bern and Rochester, New York. As part of his MAS, MBA and EMBA programmes, he explored the interplay between culture and business. Stefan Meyer now lives and works in Einsiedeln as an entrepreneur and cultural practitioner.