"This book is a sensible yet inspiring manual on how to live a vibrant, fulfilling and successful life as a professional musician. Timmons gives much pause for thought with ideas and suggestions musicians may not have considered before, or were discouraged from considering during their training. In encouraging a good portion of “thinking outside the box”, Timmons’ book will also appeal to people outside the profession: her pragmatic and inspiring approach is applicable to anyone embarking on a freelance career."

"Timmons guides us through the aspirational, the theoretical, and the practical in a way that speaks not only to the concert musicians she intended, but, indeed, to any inspired artist who is called to develop and share their gifts. If we have the skills and passion, this book shows us the method… So, buckle up, roll down your windows, and drive this car with its top off. You will love every vista you encounter."

"Simply stated: the newly updated and expanded second edition of The Musician's Journey by Dr. Jill Timmons is a must-read for Classical musicians, music teachers, and music students. In general, the second edition retains all of the excellent content of the first edition but is updated and expanded. Most excitedly for me, the new edition includes a chapter on “Educating the Emerging Entrepreneur.” As such, this chapter offers college instructors like me a variety of ways to better educate university students about becoming savvier arts entrepreneurs. All in all, the second edition of the Musician’s Journey is a welcome update and an invaluable resource."

"Aspiring musicians have many instructional books and resources to help them toward greater proficiency, understanding, and creation of music. Practical advice in developing careers in music, however, is in much shorter supply. In “The Musician’s Journey” (revised and updated in its second edition), Jill Timmons provides detailed and extensive counsel to help students, performers, teachers, and future professionals develop their own pathways toward a rewarding career in their discipline. Her tone is conversational, helpful, and aspirational, rather than merely academic… Here is the definitive set of answers to those annoying relatives who tell aspiring young musicians, 'You’re getting a degree in music? Well, what are you going to DO with it?'"

"Jill Timmons's remarkable book, The Musician's Journey: Crafting Your Career Vision and Plan-2nd Edition, resonates deeply within the hearts of aspiring music entrepreneurs, offering a profound exploration of the transformative power of music amid the complexities of our contemporary world. Timmons' meticulous organization, thoroughness and emphasis on practicality make it an indispensable companion for navigating the intricacies of the music industry. The book's unique blend of visionary insights and actionable tools sets it apart, providing solutions grounded in real- world scenarios. Timmons's genuine passion for the transformative power of music entrepreneurship shines through, making this book an indispensable asset for aspiring and seasoned professionals alike."

“The title is apt – this book describes a journey in thought, preparation, and destination, and is appropriate for all, not only musicians, who are building a career and a satisfying life. The reader is led from idealistic aspiration through awareness of self and the market to practical outcomes that are entirely possible. Beyond the message and excellent writing, the quotes and bibliography are a diverse and priceless bonus.”

"The Musician’s Journey sets forth a unique blueprint for success in all the parts of one’s profession. Timmons draws inspiration from a wide range of sources—psychologists, novelists, scientists and philosophers ranging from Euclid to Oliver Sacks—all in the service of musicians wanting to find personal fulfillment and financial reward. She describes our musical world as it is, not as we wish it were, and gives us the tools to develop our own unique vision of happy excellence and bring it to fruition…The Musician’s Journey will be a wise and useful friend to you as you build your own path to personal and professional fulfillment."

"As their graduates focus more and more on careers, colleges and universities are devoting significant resources to career planning and education. This volume by Timmons is written from her considerable experience as a performing musician, academic, and arts management consultant. Targeting performing musicians, Timmons provides advice for developing an overall career vision and a plan that will see the vision through. Two key concepts—entrepreneurship and change preparation–are central to planning and visioning. This volume outlines potential career paths for musicians, and techniques for marketing one’s talents and skills. Historically, musicians have carved out careers for themselves that incorporate music making in various forms, along with related activities such as teaching, consulting, and writing about music. Timmons suggests building on this tradition by thinking creatively about opportunities and positioning oneself to take advantage of them. The work concludes with several case studies drawn from the author’s work as a consultant, providing firsthand accounts of the techniques described in the book. This engaging read is an excellent resource for undergraduate performing musicians as well as those at any stage of their careers. Summing Up: Highly recommended."

"This is a bold book that aims to offer an inspirational and practical resource for musicians embarking on their careers, or perhaps re-evaluating and making changes in their professional portfolio. Its tone is emphatically optimistic, and it is suffused with useful information, practical tips, uplifting quotations and stories. It draws on an intriguingly broad set of reference points from ancient philosophies to spiritual texts, contemporary neuroscience to personal experience."

"From the outset, the author makes clear her intention: “I was looking for a book that could guide musicians in the process of creating their career vision and that would also provide concrete strategies for making that career a reality” (p. xv). The operative word for me was concrete and the author makes good on her promise. Over the course of ten chapters, Timmons traverses the road from creative vision to plan development and finally to implementation, using a variety of sources, approaches, and real life stories to make her case. Through a series of checklists and online materials (duplicated in the book), systematic research, and a thoughtful and extensive bibliography, the author has created an interactive resource that defines the nature of artistic craft and establishes a way in which to implement creative desire."