Klarinet Archive - Posting 000828.txt from 1999/10

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Is it professional...?
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 12:59:05 -0400

To Claudia,

I tend to agree with all you said. It is important for a musician to know what
they're getting into, especially if they have strong feeling based on moral or
religious values.

Every year I end up playing the Messiah with someone, and of course, this is all
a very Christian oratorio based upon text from the Bible. It is not uncommon for
some of my Jewish musician friends to show up and play. Why? Because they like
to play good music. At least, that's my take on it.

Some musicals do have a bit of rough language in them. It goes with the
territory. "City of Angles," a Cy (sp?) Coleman score so happens to be one of
the most exciting, contemporary scores I've played in resent years. I just loved
it. Your friend missed out on a great musical experience. But, if he was going
to be miserable and hate every moment of it because of the language that
offended him, he probably did the right thing for himself. It might also be
noted, that his participation did not require bringing his grand children to
that event. If he left other people in the lurch, then that's a different story.

Claudia Zornow wrote:

> David Renaud wrote:
>
> > Has anyone in the working clarinet world had difficulty
> > will the imposition of unjust politics on our art? Perhaps
> > in the pit, accompanying some theater display that really
> > hit a nerve? Is it professional to accompany anything
> > and everything regardless of the content.
>
> A musician of my acquaintance recently dropped out of rehearsals
> for a musical ("City of Angels") because he found the swearing
> and suggestive language of the show too offensive. His comment
> was, "I couldn't bring my grandchildren to see this."
>
> My take on this is that it is unprofessional if you have already
> committed (unless you can supply a sub of equal quality). This
> was in community theater, non-union, so the stakes weren't terribly
> high, but he should have investigated before accepting the gig.
>
> On the other hand, I think everyone has a right not to accept jobs
> that they find offensive.
>
> Claudia
>
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