Klarinet Archive - Posting 000273.txt from 1998/06

From: Dodgshun family <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: [kl] The going rate for pit
Date: Mon, 8 Jun 1998 03:02:40 -0400

At 03:03 AM 6/06/98 EDT, you wrote:
>This is a touchy subject but can anyone provide any input?
>Through two local unions, I often play in the pit for travelling performances
>and the usual going rate is $200 for each performance. My question is: Is
>that the average going rate for anyone else who does this. It seems low to
>me. I play clarinet, flute, and saxes for about three hours. Sometimes they
>even request I do brass as well. I get the score about twoo weeks before the
>show and often do two or three performances at $200 per show. Is that the
>going rate where you perform? Sometimes after putting on that damn tux and
>dragging all those horns to the shows it just doesn't seem worth it. I also
>suspect by the number of gigs that I am requested to play for that I am the
>only one willing to do this. The other performers are never willing to talk
>about this subject. Am I crazy to do this for this money?
>Jerry

Crazy? No way. I did a professional show at the beginning of the year -
Sweet Charity. We had 6 or 7 2 1/2 hour rehearsals and 14 shows. Total
payment: NZ$500. Other pro work I do - the local symphony orchestra - pays
me $15 an hour, minus tax. That's the "student rate" - other rank-and-file
players get $19 or $20 and hour. I would call $200 (that's about NZ$350) a
show a very good rate.

Anna

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