 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: missclarinetist
Date: 2005-08-15 11:04
Hey everybody, I'm just curious on this board - who considers themselves a semi-professional? I for one, do because I have many orchestral experiences under my belt with a long list of experiences on my resume and had been paid to go on tours with an orchestra. Is that considered being a semi-professional even though with an all state orchestra or a university level orchestra (not a professional one) subsidize your tour as part of your pay to play? Just wondering what your opinions are. How do you know when you become a professional? Professionals tell me that when you start getting paid for a symphony or philharmonic and most of them said people turn professionals when they're in their mid-20's. If that is true, I would consider myself 3/4 of almost there to becoming a professional. What do you think?
Post Edited (2005-08-15 11:08)
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Author: jangjiman
Date: 2005-08-15 12:47
I consider myself an ameteur (I hope that's spelled correctly). I'm only in high school but I wouldn't consider myself a bad player... just not up to par with professionalism.
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Author: Danny Boy
Date: 2005-08-15 12:48
I wouldn't say you need to be 'getting paid for a symphony (orchestra)', I'd say when the majority of your income is from playing the clarinet...you're a professional.
Semi professional...such an ambiguous term in all walks of life, I suppose I'd count myself as that when I had just started college. Earning bits and pieces here and there, but having to supplement the income.
Thankfully, thanks to a music related business and lots of luck orchestrally, I'd now call myself professional, at 23.
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2005-08-15 14:47
No, I don't consider myself as a semi(not even quarter^^) professional.
But I like to categorize myself as a 'false beginner'. I picked up that word somewhere in this site and like it very much. And I can characterize some of my amateur friends that way, too
Lucy Lee Jang
Post Edited (2005-08-15 15:30)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-08-15 14:50
Hey,
I'm a pro.
I got $10 for a church gig.
I'm going out and buy all them nice new toys and write them off on my Schedule 1040C at income tax time.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-08-15 14:56
We had a thread a few years ago about what constitutes a professional, and although there were varying opinions, it boils down to making a living at what you do. I understand that "making a living" is almost impossible--but you know what I mean. But, a pro will be someone whose main focus in the day is their instrument and they're hired on a regular basis. Lots of variances there...
I consider myself a semi-pro because I play in various volunteer organizations (like churches, community band, etc.) and am only in one professional orchestra that plays one month out of the year. So, put me down for the semi-pro category although I'm practicing and playing every day.
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-08-15 15:26
I make my living teaching, not performing. So I consider myself a professional teacher.
Sue Tansey
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-08-15 20:08
I am a professional when I'm being paid to play, and I always try to ACT like a professional when I'm playing for free (which seems to be most of the time nowadays). I guess that makes me a "semi-professional".
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2005-08-16 01:44
It all comes down to whether you can play or you can't play!
Just like my first teacher always said when i commented about who was or wasn't professional: A Hooker is a Professional!
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Author: ned
Date: 2005-08-16 04:45
''I am a professional when I'm being paid to play, and I always try to ACT like a professional when I'm playing for free ''
A worhy sentiment, but a little misleading, in my view.
One might also say, some professionals tend to act in an amateurish fashion too, when being paid to play - and I would not agree with this statement either.
Seems to me that we really should not describe a player's attitude (I think this is the real issue) as being ''professional'', ''semi-professional'' or ''amateur'' really - the last two terms can be misinterpreted as being disparaging by some.
How different does an amateur ACT when compared to a professional when playing (for free OR payment) anyway? There should be NO difference, I should hope.
Olympic athletes are, theoretically, amateur performers but we expect a ''professional'' performance don't we?
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Author: SVSorna05
Date: 2005-08-16 05:18
I believe you're a musician first. Being a professional I think is the benefit that comes with hard work as a musician.
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Author: JessKateDD
Date: 2005-08-16 06:58
Amateur literally means doing something for love. In that sense, most of us here are amateurs. Even most of the "pros" who frequent these boards could make more money in other fields. I certainly could.
So, to answer your question: I consider myself an amateur, even though when I play my clarinet, I'm usually being paid. Should the day come that I cease to love what I am doing, I will do something else.
Post Edited (2005-08-16 07:13)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-08-16 15:27
Pro=money as far as I'm concerned. How good you play don't matter.
Bob Draznik
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-08-16 17:04
I was Professional at 17 as I played all summer at Busch Gardens - sole source of income and it provided me room/board and savings.
Went all downhill from there....... 
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-08-16 17:41
YES, A VELLY interesting group of comments, giving a wide scope to the "semi". I had been and still am claiming membership. For quite a few years I played in dance and smaller combo bands as sideman, ran my own 4 piece "cool jazz" group, a "weekend-warrior", for small pay, belonged to 2 AFM Locals [still do, 1, as a retired, nostalgia, I guess], it didn't promote me to pro, tho !! Helped get a local symp going, its surviving better than many biggies ! I still get an occassional honorarium from some gigs, now Pay to Play mostly. Do minor repairs for a "song" to kids/parents. Still enjoy it at 86 golden ones, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-08-17 15:09
<<One might also say, some professionals tend to act in an amateurish fashion too, when being paid to play - and I would not agree with this statement either.>>
I have to agree with David S. and also with John's disagreement. I try to behave in a professional manner at all times and in all rehearsals...but, not to behave like a few professionals I've worked with in the past who behaved quite badly. The worst professional I ever played with was a viola player who played with me one year in Israel. She was the rudest, most ruthless and ill-behaved human being I've ever met. She took food from other players at meal times (the orchestra stays together in a youth hostel for a month every year), took over the practice room (the one with the piano) so she could "prepare for an upcoming audition," among many other unmentionable things. The last night of our concerts our conductor leaned over her and quietly said, "You are uninvited to play with this orchestra again."
I thought he didn't care about her behavior throughout the month because she was such a fantastic player, but he was only exibiting extraordinary patience and self-control. I spoke to him later that evening and thanked him. In his usual quiet manner he just said, "You're welcome. Please come back next year."
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Author: 3dogmom
Date: 2005-08-17 15:18
We're all human beings first, and some of the qualities inherent in some of us transcend our occupation. Sad, but true.
Sue Tansey
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