William Lum is a euphonium artist from Sunnyvale, CA active in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. He is a founding member of the award-winning Viridity Euphonium Quartet, a chamber ensemble composed of current and former graduate students who have studied at the University of North Texas. William serves as the Adjunct Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Dallas College and teaches private lessons at various secondary schools across the metroplex.
An avid soloist, William has been named a winner of the University of Puget Sound Concerto-Aria Competition, King’s Peak International Music Competition, West Midlands Brass Band Association Solo Contest, and the University of Puget Sound Honors Recital Competition. He has also finished as a finalist in the Frances Walton Competition, Bushell Concerto Competition, and MTNA Solo Competition. William has made guest soloist appearances with Brass Band Northwest, the University of Puget Sound Wind Ensemble, and Homestead High School.
William completed his master’s degree in Euphonium Performance at the University of North Texas under the instruction of David Childs. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Music degree in Euphonium Performance at the University of Puget Sound. He was honored as one of two students in his class to receive the highest academic award, the President’s Award for Academic Excellence.
Soft Skills for Musicians – Key Strategies for Thriving in Freelance Music
I intend to highlight the soft skills that are most crucial for thriving in the freelance music industry and how they can be used to navigate challenging situations. This topic is especially relevant for current or recently graduated music students looking to prepare themselves for life beyond music school.
I will primarily draw upon my personal experiences securing performance gigs, building a private lesson studio, and teaching at a community college. I will also reference supplemental career development resources I have found useful, such as Break Into the Scene by Seth Hanes, Beyond Talent by Angela Beeching, and multiple sources by Ramit Sethi.
Points discussed will include:
- Mentality - focusing on growth and abundance over fear and scarcity
- The importance of resilience
- Networking through meaningful and genuine connections
- Clear communication
- Overcoming the fear of cold calls/emails
- Protecting your time
- Setting clear expectations
- Professional development - always keep learning
