Earning Outlook for Zydeco and Cajun Musicians

Robert Willey
Associate Professor of Music Media
School of Music and Performing Arts, University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Cajun and Zydeco music are unique styles of American roots music that are actively practiced in South Louisiana.  A survey of representative bands is presented showing the locations of performances and fees earned. This information was collected from interviews with band leaders, who were asked as well about the percentage of time they work as musicians, their opinions comparing opportunities in the past and the present, and the outlook for the future.

A report is included on the progress of a new project of music business students at UL Lafayette: to develop an online searchable database in order to increase connections between music business professionals and their customers.


What I really Learned at Audio School

(This research is funded in part by a MEIEA Research Grant)

Doug Bielmeier
Faculty in Audio Production
The Art Institute of Washington D.C.

    There is no empirical data that Audio Engineering Technology (AET) programs and approaches teach students the skills they need to be successful in the audio industry. Dr. David Tough in 2009 asked experts in the industry what skills they would want new hires to have. As a follow up study, this research uses the Tough identified skills. A non-experimental, mixed methods survey given to both the New Hires and their Employers indicated the difference or similarity in perceived and observed skills. Preliminary data from the Pilot Survey showed that a gap exists when looking at communication skills. The data showed that the students are learning these skills on their own, and only 18% of the Employers listed that they are learning these skills on the job. This data and that from the resulting survey, to be administered online from October 2012-Febuary 2013, could confirm or deny a larger disconnect between the Audio Industry and AET Programs. This data will be used to make recommendations for the design of future AET curriculum.

Keywords: audio engineering technology, Dr. David Tough, AET curriculum, audio industry, new hires and employers, audio recording skills