Klarinet Archive - Posting 000700.txt from 1998/02

From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.us>
Subj: RE: "Professional" vs. "amateur"
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 03:42:23 -0500

You hit the nail on the head, Scott! Go for it!!!!!

Nancy

> ----------
> From: Scott Morrow[SMTP:sdm@-----.edu]
> Reply To: Scott Morrow;klarinet@-----.us
> Sent: 17. helmikuuta 1998 10:58
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: "Professional" vs. "amateur"
>
>
> Scott D. Morrow
> DNA Synthesis Core Facility
> Department of Biochemistry
> The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
> Baltimore, MD 21205
> (410) 955-3631
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
> To: nmarzec@-----.com>; Klarinet
> <klarinet@-----.us>
> Date: Sunday, February 15, 1998 10:16 PM
> Subject: Re: "Professional" vs. "amateur"
>
>
> >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
> >
>
> Imagine my surprise, upon reading your definition of "professional",
> on
> finding out that I am NOT a "professional" in my "day job", in which
> I've
> been working for 16 years!
>
> Just to throw in my ten cents (adjusted for inflation):
>
> A professional gets paid.
>
> Unfortunately, this definition implies nothing regarding ability or
> attitude:
> +Those "professional" drivers who run you off the interstate with
> their big
> rigs?
> +The "professional" lounge singer who can't sing on key but nobody
> notices?
> +The "professional" actor who can't act but looks great?
>
> I'm sorry, but I think we're applying the meaning to this term that
> we'd
> LIKE it to have!
> I do not derive the major share of my income from music, but people
> will pay
> me to perform. If someone asks me if I am a professional, I answer
> "yes",
> and I get paid!
> If I answer "no", I DON'T get paid!
>
> What's in a name?
>
> -Scott
>