Hello and Welcome!!
I had a love for singing throughout my childhood, and my passion expanded to the stage when I performed my first ever role of Winthrop Paroo in The Music Man. I was fortunate to have a father who always said I could literally do anything I want in life and find success. So I majored in music and pursued a career in singing with experiences spanning the globe in many genres including opera, musical theatre, sacred music and art song. My aspiration to teach led me to earning my Doctor of Musical Arts degree.
Throughout my journey, I've faced many recurring physical and mental challenges ranging from having tension down to my toes to limiting beliefs up in my head. Many of those limiting beliefs were about what constitutes a successful “career” in singing and the supposedly "right" way to do it. However, I've discovered that for every unavailable or out of reach opportunity, there remains an infinite amount of new opportunities just waiting to be created. It's all about mastering that entrepreneurial mindset!
Anyone can be the creator or catalyst for a wealth of possibilities, even you! I created The Lucrative Artist to help artists and artistically-minded individuals have a safe outlet to realize what they most want out of life and position themselves to develop their own new professional opportunities carrying out or supporting their deepest artistic desires. I love helping people overcome limited beliefs, realize their truest niches and acquire the additional vital entrepreneurial skills and knowledge they need to succeed. I truly want everyone to become empowered to have the successful careers and lives they truly desire and deserve!
Brian Witkowski, DMA,
Founder and Business Coach - Consultant
My Background
Doctor of Musical Arts, University of Arizona
Master of Music, Oakland University
Bachelor of Music, Loyola University New Orleans
Money Mindset Certification
Applied Voice Instruction
Academic and Career Advising
Mentor to First-Generation College Students
Musical Theatre Workshop
Audition Techniques Instruction
Adjudicator for NATS and Other Competitions
K-12 Opera Outreach Performing and Teaching
Arts Integration Seminars
Professional and Leadership Development Workshops
20+ Years of Music Ministry
Performance Career (20 Years and Counting)
Some Favorite Stage Roles and Solo Repertoire:
- Lord Farquaad in Shrek: The Musical
- Papageno in The Magic Flute
- Lancelot in Spamalot
- Charles Guiteau in Assassins
- Marius in Les Misérables
- Doctors in next to normal
- Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd
- Father in Hansel and Gretel
- Beethoven's An die fern Geliebte
- Schubert's Die schöne Müllerin
- Schubert's Winterreise
- Schumann's Dichterliebe
- Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn
- Fauré's L'Horizon Chimérique
- Ravel's Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
- Vaughan Williams' Songs of Travel
- Paul Bowles' Blue Mountain Ballads
- William Bolcom's Cabaret Songs
- J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata
- J.S. Bach's B Minor Mass
- Handel's Messiah
- Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass
- Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem
Recent Speaking Engagements, Conferences, etc.
2021 Self-Employment in the Arts Virtual Summit
March 2021
Graduating with an Arts Degree During a Pandemic - Now What?
2020 Self-Employment in the Arts Conference
February 22 & 23, 2020
Columbia College
Chicago, Illinois
Recent Podcast Guest Appearances
Heart-Hustle-Humor Podcast (November 9, 2021)
I joined Dr. Theresa Ashby for a conversation on the sales process, life as a musician, and what it means to be resourceful!
Mindfulness of Singing Podcast (June 28, 2021)
Are you a voice teacher or professional singer looking to improve your relationship with money? I was on the Mindfulness of Singing Podcast to talk about the various money challenges we face! Check it out!
Choralosophy Podcast (June 23, 2021)
I was the guest on the 72nd episode of the Choralosophy Podcast talking about entrepreneurship for singers and the realities of academia and industry. If you want more insights into the lives of different kinds of choral directors and the different choral director perspectives on many of the issues all performing artists are facing, there are a lot of great episodes worth checking out!
What Would Mozart Do? (May 28, 2021)
What would Mozart be doing in 2021? This podcast talks about the possibilities of the "real world" in the arts and academy, and I talked about the Lucrative Artist and being an entrepreneur as a singing artist. Check it out!
Relate Podcast (June 18, 2021)
How is your relationship with money? Do you hate it some times and love it at other times? Do you wish it was easier to bring into your life? I had the opportunity to talk about this and the money mindset coaching work I do on this episode of Relate Podcast!
Take the Stage: The Opera Podcast (April 9, 2021)
Take the Stage: The Opera Podcast is a new podcast dedicated to helping young classical singers achieve their artistic goals. In this episode, I opened up about some of my own experiences as a professional singer, we talked about money mindset, ideas for additional income, the importance of financial well-being, and more!
The Business Savvy Singer Podcast (March 31, 2021)
The Business Savvy Singer with Dr. Greta Pope offers weekly conversations with professional singers and industry professionals with a variety of experiences! I opened up about some of my journey and talked about The Lucrative Artist!
ActorCast (Feb 16, 2021)
ActorCast is a new podcast that broadcasts the work, advice, and insight of actors, writers, directors, producers, and other industry experts in show business. Patrick McAndrew and I talked about overcoming the "starving artist" stereotype, why money should be important to artists, and how to start creating a financially sustainable career.
The Self-Compassionate Professor Podcast (Feb 14, 2021)
The Self-Compassionate Professor Podcast supports academics and former academics in finding career wellness. I talked with founder and coach Danielle De La Mare about going into business for yourself to create your living beyond the usual job market!
Personal Finance for PhDs Podcast (February 24, 2020)
I was the guest on the February 24, 2020 episode of the Personal Finance for PhDs Podcast, where graduate students of all fields can learn more about finances, career options and more.
Testimonials
"Brian Witkowski has helped me very much with the re-branding of my Vocal Instruction Skokstudio Vocal Instruction. He helped me to go inward into myself to see exactly what I wanted to bring to the world with my business, and he gave me the permission I needed. I'm finding I'm helping many singers by offering the pathway to love themselves and to listen to their own inner gut for their direction. Brian can be trusted to help you with your own desires for your specific business. I do highly recommend his services.
— Heidi Skok, Owner of Skokstudio, Founder of Resonanz Opera, and Former Metropolitan Opera Artist
"My business partner Emily Martin Moberley and I worked with Brian Witkowski through certain issues of a new business, From the voice of, can be so challenging but Brian knew how much (or little) hand-holding we needed at various points in the meetings. We came with a wild number of ideas and a messy process but he helped us sort through the fluff, find the nuggets of truth and ultimately help us feel like we can now offer the best of ourselves to our clients. We look forward to continuing our work with Brian as we come up against the normal challenges of business building."
Elizabeth McDonald, Founder of EM2Connect & From The Voice Of
"I cannot say enough good things about the Lucrative Artist program and Brian Witkowski! Brian's insight, guidance and creative ideas have helped me open so many new doors and forward thinking in my comprehensive voice care business model. I was really in "paralysis analysis" stage, and my sessions with him helped me unlock the creative juices! Now, they are FLOWING! I was able to really hone in on my ideal client and begin the process of developing new programs to offer. I can't wait to see where things lead for 2021! Thank you, Brian!!"
Lori Formby Sonnenberg, MM, MA, CCC-SLP,
Speech-Language Pathologist and Voice Specialist