The US-based Future of Music Coalition (FMC) has released the first financial case studies in its Artist Revenue Streams project, which aims to examine how musicians' income streams are changing, and why. The FMC, a national non-profit advocacy organisation for musicians, profiled a symphony orchestra string player and a contemporary chamber music ensemble.

The orchestral player case study analyses income and expenses over an eleven-year period that ranged from undergraduate and graduate studies to a full-time salaried position as a section player. The study tracks the changing relationship between the player's freelance and salaried income. It also shows that purchasing and maintaining instruments and bows made up just under half of the player's expenses over the eleven years, and was more than double the cost of his education.

The FMC is set to present further data from the project over the next three months, including reports on session and backing musicians, and on gender and geographic variations in musicians' earnings.

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