Debbie Brooks has been a freelance contractor since 2000 in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX area.
​
​Debbie taught Career Development at the University of North Texas from 2009 - 2015, where she learned about the needs of students looking for guidance as they entered their respective fields. She has also been a judge at the UNT Entrepreneurship Competition, headed by Dr. Fabiana Claure, sharing the platform with David Cutler (2017), Angela Myles Beeching (2018), and Tonya Butler and Michael Archer (2019).
Her desire is to elevate the standards and ethics of the music-contracting profession.
Am I Qualified?
There is no substitute for knowledge gained from working under other contractors as a hired musician for a long length of time. My experience of over 20 years as an orchestral musician and freelancer before I became a contractor was invaluable in recognizing the ethics of this profession. And I'm old enough to look back on mistakes that I've made and want to help others avoid making those same mistakes or missteps.
​
The thoughts presented are my opinions only.
​
Whether or not you find the information valuable is yours to judge.
Why a Blog?
I have not found any book that really teaches someone how to be an excellent music contractor.
​
When we learn our instruments, we work with a private teacher or professor to become excellent. You are not going to gain real excellence reading a book called "How to play a . . . ," by watching an instructional video, or even reading a blog.
Yet, aspiring music contractors generally don't see the need for expert help to work on their skill set.
Finding a Mentor
We have mentors on our instrument and in other areas. It is also critical to have other contractors with whom to discuss the many pitfalls and joys of contracting. But this requires a high level of trust on both sides. Find someone who is willing to help you, but actually do what they say, or they won't share the deeper wisdom. They will notice how you handle the information, just like any great teacher will know if you practiced!