Michelle Lynne welcomes classical accordionist Michael Bridge—fellow Canadian and University of Toronto faculty member—to the Fearless Artist Podcast to talk about building a sustainable performing career. Bridge shares how he trained at U of T (one of the only North American schools to offer classical accordion studies for decades) and explains how the instrument’s classical scene is growing beyond its folk roots. The conversation quickly turns to business: Bridge teaches a course focused specifically on making money from performing, covering topics like setting accurate fees, negotiating, U.S. work visas, incorporation, and long-term financial and retirement planning. His core message is that musicians must understand their true workload and value their time. He describes an “itemized” spreadsheet method that reveals how a single concert can easily equal a full work week once you count admin, travel, practice, promotion, and upkeep—often shocking students into rethinking underpaid gigs. They discuss closing the income gap through professionalism, unique artistic value, better materials, and practice-based negotiation skills. Bridge previews his March 4 “Next Level Negotiation” workshop, featuring role-play scenarios, practical rules of thumb, and scripts for handling low-budget offers while strengthening the industry overall.

✨ Connect with Michael Bridge:

Instagram – @michael_accordionist

Website - https://www.michaelbridge.ca

✨ Explore The Fearless Mastermind:

Website – thefearlessartistmastermind.com

Instagram – @thefearlessartistmastermind

🎵 Intro, Outro music by Michelle Lynne

📌 Episode produced by phMediaStudio, LLC