Klarinet Archive - Posting 000601.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: "Professional" vs. "amateur"
Date: Sun, 15 Feb 1998 22:09:05 -0500

On Sun, 15 Feb 1998, Nancy Marzec wrote:
> How do you decide if you are a "professional" or an "amateur"?
> Is it a matter of percentage of income derived from playing? If so,
> there must be many potential "professionals" out there who play
> magnificently but, because they want to do silly things like put food on
> the table or a roof over their heads (community theater jobs just won't
> do it and GOOD jobs are few and far between), choose to maintain the
> status of "amateur". Or does it have to do with the schooling you have
> had? Or maybe union status?

Professional status is not determined by schooling, degrees, titles, etc.
It is determined by your association with:

1. A Musician's Union
2. Your contract(s) with various employers
3. Your income
4. Your known playing status/position in the performance world

All of these things determine your professional status. You may be a
member of a regional symphony that only pays $60 per service.....but you
are considered professional. You may be better than the aforementioned
professional player but play in a community band...you are amatuer. It
depends on many variables.......for the most part, your union determines
your professionality.......if you are not a member of a musician's union,
you are not considered a professional musician.

Roger Garrett
IWU