Klarinet Archive - Posting 000555.txt from 1996/04

From: Nate Burk <nathan@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Amateur players
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 11:45:01 -0400

> don't forget
>those people who play the clarinet for the love of it - they don't have to
>make a living at it.

While I can't comment on the ICA (even though I've been a member since
December and all I have to show for it is a single magazine sitting in my
drawer and a member card whose purpose I'm still trying figure out), I have
to disagree that amateur players are "forgotten" by the rest of the clarinet
world.

I live outside of Boston, and I think there are an awful lot of performing
opportunities for non-pros. I think people are even more willing to hire
non-union musicians in some cases. Several local community theatre groups
here welcome high school clarinet players to audition for the pit
orchestras. Admittedly, the older, more experienced players will undoubtedly
play the 1st part, but so what? There's a plethora of seats available to
amateurs in community bands, theatre groups, and so on and so forth.

We, as amatuers, however, can't expect people to come knocking on our doors
with jobs for us, though -- we've got to go hunt them out. When I've got the
time to learn a part, I'm going to call up that theatre group even before
they advertise openings in the pit orchetra and tell them I want to play!
It's true that amateur players might be looked down upon compared to the
pros out there, but that means we've got to work even harder to make our
presence known!

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