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Review of literature on the career transitions of performing artists pursuing career development

  • Jerry C. Middleton
  • Jason A. Middleton
Article
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Abstract

Few studies in the existent empirical literature explore the career transitions of performing artists. First, we provide working definitions of career transition and of a performing artist. Thereafter, we peruse empirical studies, from the 1980s onward, that delineate the career transition process in terms of three main types of transition: transitioning from training to professional work, transitioning due to voluntary or involuntary factors, and transitioning due to retirement. We examine the process and psychological consequences of these career transitions. We then discuss empirically informed ways by which performing artists cope with career transition, and conclude with considerations for future studies.

Keywords

Career transition Performing artists Career development 

Résumé

Revue de la littérature sur les transitions de carrière des artistes interprètes poursuivant leur développement de carrière. Il existe peu d’études dans la littérature empirique qui explorent les transitions professionnelles des artistes interprètes. Premièrement, nous proposons une définition opérationnelle des transitions de carrière et de l’artiste interprète. Par la suite, nous examinons les études empiriques qui, dès les années 80, décrivent le processus de transition professionnelle en termes de trois types de transitions principales: la transition de la formation au monde du travail, la transition due à des facteurs volontaires ou involontaires, et la transition à la retraite. Nous examinons le processus et les conséquences psychologiques de ces transitions professionnelles. Nous discutons ensuite des manières fondées empiriquement dont les artistes interprètes font face aux transitions professionnelles et nous concluons avec des considérations pour les études futures.

Zusammenfassung

Literaturüberblick zu Karriereübergängen ausübender Künstler und deren Karriereentwicklung. Es existieren wenige Studien in der empirischen Literatur, welche die Karriereübergänge ausübender Künstler untersuchen. Zuerst stellen wir eine Arbeitsdefinition von Karriereübergang und ausübendem Künstler zur Verfügung. Danach untersuchen wir empirische Studien ab 1980, welche den Prozess des Karriereübergangs beschreiben. Es werden drei Arten unterschieden: der Übergang von der Ausbildung in die Arbeitswelt, Übergänge, welche auf freiwillige und unfreiwillige Faktoren zurückzuführen sind, und Übergänge aufgrund von Pensionierung. Wir untersuchen den Prozess und die psychologischen Konsequenzen dieser Karriereübergänge. Dann diskutieren wir empirisch gestützte Wege, wie ausübende Künstler Karriereübergänge bewältigen und schliessen mit Überlegungen für die zukünftige Forschung ab.

Resumen

Revisión bibliográfica de las transiciones de la carrera de artistas en busca de su desarrollo de carrera. Pocos estudios en la literatura empírica existente exploran las transiciones de carrera de los artistas en activo. En primer lugar, proporcionamos definiciones de trabajo de transición de carrera y de una artista en activo. A partir de ello, recorremos los estudios empíricos, desde la década de 1980 en adelante, que delinean el proceso de transición de carrera en función de tres tipos principales de transición: la transición de la formación al trabajo profesional, la transición debido a factores voluntarios o involuntarios, y la transición debido a la jubilación. Examinamos el proceso y las consecuencias psicológicas de estas transiciones de la carrera. A continuación se comentan las maneras en la que los artistas hacen frente a la transición de carrera, y concluimos con consideraciones para futuros estudios.

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Notes

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Shulamit Mor for inspiring us to write this article. Dr. Mor wrote her doctoral thesis in 1996 on the career transitional process of performing artists in the classical music profession and had discovered that this area of scholarship remains in its infancy. We thank her for her comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

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© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Counselling Psychology; Department of Educational and Counselling PsychologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada

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