Episode #20
Kyra Sims: Building a Freelance Music Career Through Joy, Resilience & Curiosity
What happens when you stop trying to fit your music career into a single definition? In this episode of Orchestrated Way, we meet Kyra Sims, a New York City–based French hornist, performer, educator, creator, and entrepreneur whose career has taken her far beyond the traditional boundaries of classical music. From performing across all seven continents to joining a polar science expedition in Antarctica, Kyra has built a career around curiosity, experimentation, collaboration, and—most importantly—following what brings her joy. This conversation explores what it really means to build a sustainable freelance music career, navigate rejection, create multiple income streams, and remain open to opportunities that may not fit the traditional definition of success. 3 Main Takeaways 1. Follow the Joy, Not the Formula. A meaningful music career doesn't have to follow a predetermined path. Let curiosity, creativity, and genuine enjoyment guide the opportunities you pursue. 2. Build a Career That Can Bend Without Breaking. Sustainability comes from diversification—multiple skills, income streams, relationships, and opportunities can create stability when one area becomes uncertain. 3. Rejection Is Data, Not a Definition. Not every opportunity will work out, and many decisions are influenced by factors outside your control. Keep learning, refining, and putting yourself forward. The Three Big Ideas 1. Your Instrument Can Be Part of Your Identity Without Becoming Your Entire Identity ⏱ 02:59–05:20 A sustainable creative life begins when music becomes a source of joy rather than a test of personal worth. The distinction matters: when success or failure on an instrument determines how you see yourself, every setback can feel personal. When music is one meaningful part of a larger identity, there is room to explore other interests, experiment, and recover from difficult seasons. "I've always been really attracted to the joy that playing the horn gives me." That mindset creates freedom. Instead of measuring your value by auditions, gigs, titles, or technical perfection, you can use your craft as a foundation for discovering what else you want to create. The result is a career that can evolve without requiring you to abandon who you are. 2. A Freelance Career Becomes Stronger When You Build Multiple Paths ⏱ 49:35–52:03 Freelancing rarely moves in a straight line. Gigs disappear, projects get canceled, applications go unanswered, and entire seasons can suddenly become uncertain. Building multiple sources of income and maintaining strong professional relationships creates the flexibility to respond instead of panic. Patreon, additional work, previous collaborators, community relationships, and simply being willing to reach out when the calendar becomes empty can all become pieces of a sustainable career. "Having the community and being open with your community if you need support, I think is also a great way to navigate things." This is an important shift in thinking: a freelance career doesn't have to depend on one perfect opportunity. The more relationships, skills, creative projects, and revenue sources you cultivate, the more resilient your career becomes. 3. You Never Know What Can Happen Until You Ask ⏱ 1:00:47–1:02:35 Some of the biggest opportunities can begin with something incredibly simple: sending the email. A cold email about a French horn opportunity eventually led to Kyra being invited into a major artistic project, with music specifically written to include her instrument. "You never know until you ask." The lesson is bigger than one email. Opportunities often remain invisible until you make yourself visible. You don't need to know whether someone is looking for you before reaching out—you simply need to make it possible for the right person to discover what you can offer. Sometimes the opportunity isn't already designed for you. Sometimes you have to introduce yourself and give it a reason to exist. A Word on Rejection & Resilience Rejection is inevitable in a freelance creative career, but it doesn't have to become evidence that you're not good enough. Different panels, decision-makers, priorities, timing, and personal preferences can influence an outcome. That means a "no" often contains far less information about your artistic value than it initially feels like it does. "It truly doesn't reflect on you as an artist. And so you really just have to keep swinging for the fences." The goal isn't to avoid rejection. The goal is to become someone who can keep moving after it. Make Your Career Easier to Manage Creative freedom still requires structure. A calendar, alarms, organized applications, reusable artist statements, and a record of previous applications can turn an overwhelming freelance workload into something manageable. Keeping track of what you've submitted also creates a valuable feedback loop—you can see what language works, what doesn't, and what can be improved next time. "My calendar is my best friend. My alarm clocks are my best friend." Creativity may be spontaneous, but building a sustainable creative career requires systems that protect your time and energy. The Bigger Message A successful freelance music career doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It can include performance, teaching, entrepreneurship, administration, experimentation, unexpected collaborations, side jobs, grants, residencies, community, and entirely new creative directions. It can take you from a rehearsal room to a science expedition in Antarctica. It can change shape. And that's not a sign that you're losing your way. That's what growth looks like. Join the Opus Freelance Community Want to connect with other freelance musicians, share opportunities, learn practical career strategies, and build a more sustainable creative life? Join the Opus Freelance Facebook Community: Join the Opus Freelance Facebook Community Follow Orchestrated Way Stay connected and never miss a new conversation: Podcast: Listen on Apple Podcasts YouTube: Subscribe on YouTube Facebook: Follow on Facebook Spotify: Listen on Spotify
