Good Day Fine People, I’m calling out to the

— a few brave souls who might step up and help fuel a small gathering of devoted artists about to embark on a creative mission. It’s a long shot I know but if I can borrow your ear for a few moments I’ll fill you in on the whole story…
Our first show at the Unitarian Church in Hillcrest...
My group, The Peter Sprague String Consort is heading into the recording studio in 3 weeks time to record our first cd. We've had many folks ask us at our concerts, "is this music on cd yet?" Finally, I can say that the momentum has begun. We’re thrilled and excited but I also know it’s a big deal hovering on multiple levels. The music is complicated and challenging and even though we’re rehearsed and ready, it’s going to still take a lot of time getting it right. Our group is 7 people strong and because of the size of the ensemble and the bigger time commitment to record, this project is going to cost a sweet penny to see it through. This is why I’m leaking the word out to ye potential Patron Saint of Strings.
The Consort shapeshifting in Balboa Park...
The semi-brutal details of pulling together a project like this all simmer down to the stark truth of the Benjamin’s — it’s going to cost a fair amount of money to complete and in the long run, at least by my past experiences, not a whole lot of cd’s will get sold.
News Flash
The record industry is in ruins!
Should this stop the music? I’m 100 percent convinced it shouldn’t and what I’m searching for is a hidden alternate reality that could make this whole endeavor purr along more smoothly.
Carter on cello, guest bassist Hamilton Price, and violist Pam Jacobsen deep in trance...
More and more artists today are exploring creative project funding using the business models of yore. Mozart and Bach had their generous patrons who funded their composing livelihoods. This worked back then, any chance it could fly inside our new digital frontier?
The view from Magnussonista...

My project will cost around $10,000 to complete. This will go towards paying the musicians and getting the actual cd’s manufactured. All my efforts as the daydreaming bandleader, the foolish composer and the tyrant studio engineer will be hopefully rewarded on the back end from the income generated from cd sales. Ah, the glorious BACK END — that tiny income source that dribbles in with the lofty prospect that years down the road the project may be lucky to break even. The truth is, most of them don’t. In fact, did you know that my little record company is called SBE Records and that our mission statement includes both a laugh and a sigh?

SBE Records
Strivin’ to Break Even Records
Generating enough dough so we can do it again.
And doing it again my fine folks is exactly why I lose myself in these projects. Creating new music and sharing it with friends looks to me like a life well lived.
We're happy 'cuz we made it to the end of the 17 page chart with 6 codas and no medic was required...

To wrap it up, while sporting a business model that will make investors run for cover, I’m putting the word out to those potential Patron Saints of Strings who might enjoy helping fund a wild ride of 7 musos searching for beauty within a twelve note scale. I know it’s a complete stretch, maybe double the stretch now with these economic times, but weirder things have worked out. I’m devoted to continue with our group and this recording project and it’d be even that much more of a groove to have some of you along for the ride. Hop on up and enjoy the view...

Click here for more details and you can also email me with questions at peter@petersprague.com.

Thanks for reading this far. Happy trails, Peter