The American Music Center and the American Composers Forum have released “Taking Note: A Study of Composers and New Music in the United States,” an in-depth study of lives of contemporary American composers. Both organizations are dedicated to supporting new music by American composers. The study presents information taken from nearly 100 interviews done by the Research Center for Arts and Culture at Teachers College, Columbia University. Among the results of the survey, conducted in eight cities and via an online national survey: composers earn a median annual income of $45,000; only 10 percent make their primary living from composing; two-thirds of professional composers perform their own music and do not rely solely on others to produce and present their work; composers are increasingly using new technologies to connect with audiences directly. Three quarters of respondents said they were more successful now than five years ago. The study can be found at amc.net/takingnote.
