Public Announcement

The George Kao Scholarship
(Applications Open Now)

Dear friends,

Over the years, my work as an independent artist and mentor, though fulfilling, has brought some tough decisions.

One of the trickiest has been pricing my services.

Finding the balance between sustainability and accessibility has meant:

  1. Unpacking my patterns around worth, privilege, and fairness.
  2. Doing this while running what is essentially a creative business from the European Union, which is not the cheapest part of the world to live in and comes with strict standards for practicing artists and educators.

My collaborators come from every corner of the world.

Students at the Holistic Musician Academy include locations as spread out as Nashville, New York, Mumbai, Chennai, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Jakarta, among others.

Needless to say, their circumstances can be very different.

For some, a session with me might mean skipping one expensive dinner.

For others, it could mean an entire month of rent.

Serving that diversity with integrity has kept me questioning and refining my practice for a long time.

To be fair, the deciding factors are not only geopolitical but also cultural and psychological.

  • I have met millionaires from so-called 'lower-income' regions who approach life through a bargain mindset.
  • I have met struggling creatives from wealthier countries who face truly extenuating circumstances, yet still choose to invest in their growth because they understand the mechanics behind it.
  • I have met contenders who do not understand what coaching is or what it does.
  • Then there are those wired to take advantage of generosity or question credibility when it is offered.
  • Thankfully, there are also the most balanced ones who take time to learn, reflect, and ask for help. These are the people I have tried to support through the various resources I have been building for nearly two decades.

To get some help with this question, I recently began studying with George Kao.

George is well known as a soul-aligned mentor for creatives who approaches business as a practice of service and self-awareness that rejects fear-driven marketing tactics.

One of my first assignments under his guidance was to create a scholarship program for creatives I believe in.

A way to offer high-level coaching without financial pressure being the gatekeeper.

The George Kao Scholarship Coaching Program offers three months of biweekly 1 to 1 sessions focused on mindset, clarity, and creative sustainability.

The fee: 75 euros per month.

This offer is open to independent artists, educators, and global creatives who are actively engaged in their craft and committed to growth, but for whom my regular coaching rate of 300 euros per hour would currently be out of reach.

I have allotted five slots for this program, and one is already spoken for.

Special consideration will be given to artists and creatives, though it is not a strict requirement. The first scholarship was awarded to a young tech professional who recently moved to Berlin from China, which feels like a fitting example of how broad this space can be. 

Applications are seamless and based on trust. There is no screening process, interview, or exam. I believe anyone who has the will to grow should have access to effortless coaching.

That said, if it becomes clear after the first session that the scholarship is not a good fit or has been misused, participation will end with a full refund after the first session. 

Applicants can read more or enroll directly here.

Apply

Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might benefit.

Going forward, I’ll be working on creating programs that reach as wide a demographic of creatives as possible, using a sliding scale system designed to support both those who are still finding their financial footing and more established practitioners who need dedicated, VIP-level guidance.

As a touring and recording artist myself, I know how unpredictable and layered a creative life can be. The Holistic Musician Academy reflects that reality, offering a full spectrum of support, from freely available materials and accessible programs to more in-depth mentoring for those ready for deeper, long-term work. 

The intention is to ensure there’s meaningful, qualified guidance and community available for every stage of the creative journey.

Sincerely,

T.L.

P.S. If you are still wondering what coaching is or why it matters, you can read a recent piece I wrote where I share some of my thoughts on it.

T.L. Mazumdar
Musician/Educator
Founder, HMA