We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Teryn Ré. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Teryn below.

Teryn , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I believe that if you really love what you do, you can make a living doing it full time. That might mean having multiple jobs, but if it is all work you love, then it is worth it.

The downside is that it is temporary. During the school year I make a “nice” living, but summer break I don’t make nearly what I make, so I have to save during the school year, etc.

BUT, it is worth doing what I love, and I get to continue other creative work while other work might not be in session.

Teryn , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As an artist, I make a “full-time” living working multiple jobs. Currently, I teach at four different colleges (both 2-year and 4-year universities), lead worship at a church every Sunday, coach vocal lessons regularly outside of school, gig regularly with my big band and other small groups, I am a copywriter, and have a podcast (the Teryn it Up Podcast).

Although I never thought I’d be teaching regularly, I love the college age and helping students figure out their own sound within the jazz realm. As a music student, I always learned the most from my professors who were out in the “real world,” performing professionally. I feel that I provide that same encouragement to my students.

In regards to my podcast, we began in January of 2022, reaching out to women in the L.A. music scene. We’ve expanded to other creatives as well. Episodes are released bi=weekly on any podcast platform. I love learning and sharing what women experience in regards to sexism, working as a woman in a grinding music industry, etc.

As an arranger/singer, I feel I “stick out” because I have my own big band, in which I arrange all of the music. I also sing with them consistently.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the ability to write and arrange music in a way YOU would like to express it. Changing simple things such as the tempo, style, key, etc., of a tune can be exciting! Making it fit your own voice and style is something that makes any artist unique.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Although I know this can be a big ask, I believe venues can support artists more by understanding their own goals better.

Currently I am dealing with a venue that markets itself as a “jazz” venue, but they do not have jazz regularly. And the artist is responsible for selling a certain amount of tickets, while the venue does less than the minimum in regards to social media promotion. I believe creatives do a wonderful job in supporting one another, but more artists would be able to express themselves more freely if more venue owners cared less about the amount of tickets sold, and more about building a community that encourages great music, consistently.

Of course I understand venues need to make money, but at what point does that became too important over the music?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.terynremusic.net
• Instagram: terynremusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk65FjaxrMCDKmOzdDRY-rw

Image Credits
Chapman Vocal Jazz Ensemble Jazz Under Ground with Larry Koonse, Ahmet Turkmenoglu and Julien Knowles