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Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician

Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2006-11-18 18:35

A couple of decades ago, I heard some very fine clarinet playing from the pit of a local amateur musical production. The player was pediatric surgeon Dr. John Wesley, who told me the following story.

Dr. Wesley and his best friend in High School took clarinet lessons from Professor Stubbins at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. They both worked their way diligently through all the scales, arpeggios, studies, solos, and excerts. During their senior year in High School, they discovered that Professor Stubbins had given them both the same speach, which I will paraphrase as my memory and the intervening years allow:

"You play very well. You have a good tone and ear, and play very musically. You will make a fine musician, but I would caution that you will work very hard and not make much money. My advice in general is to do something else to make your livelihood, and not to be a musician unless you feel that you absolutely must do it."

Last I heard, John Wesley was at the Mayo Clinic. While John was in medical school in Massachusetts, the friend, Peter Hadcock. slept on John's sofa while auditioning for the Boston Symphony.

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Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-09 18:13

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GBK

2006-11-09 18:51

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EuGeneSee

2006-11-09 19:10

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2006-11-09 19:06

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2006-11-09 19:08

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2006-11-09 19:09

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2006-11-09 19:21

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2006-11-09 19:39

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BassetHorn

2006-11-09 19:32

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

EuGeneSee

2006-11-09 21:30

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-09 19:56

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Sylvain

2006-11-09 20:19

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

GBK

2006-11-09 20:28

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

seafaris

2006-11-09 20:42

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

BassetHorn

2006-11-09 21:22

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Hank Lehrer

2006-11-09 21:59

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

kfrank1

2006-11-09 22:20

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

awm34

2006-11-09 23:58

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

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2006-11-10 01:17

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

marzi

2006-11-10 01:33

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

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2006-11-10 01:35

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

eric293

2006-11-10 01:50

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

mnorswor

2006-11-10 06:28

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skygardener

2006-11-10 07:35

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jmcgann

2006-11-10 10:53

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

crnichols

2006-11-10 12:01

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

stevesklar

2006-11-10 12:08

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nes

2006-11-10 12:22

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

jmcgann

2006-11-10 13:57

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Sylvain

2006-11-10 14:33

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

tictactux

2006-11-10 15:20

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

lowclarinetman

2006-11-10 15:51

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

GBK

2006-11-10 17:51

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

elmo lewis

2006-11-10 18:55

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

SVClarinet09

2006-11-10 20:12

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

GBK

2006-11-10 21:41

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

tictactux

2006-11-10 21:53

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

crnichols

2006-11-10 22:06

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

tictactux

2006-11-10 22:10

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Terry Stibal

2006-11-11 00:50

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

seafaris

2006-11-11 02:08

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Cuisleannach

2006-11-12 06:58

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-12 09:59

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

ChrisArcand

2006-11-13 02:41

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

joeyscl

2006-11-14 23:52

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

ohsuzan

2006-11-15 01:54

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Terry Stibal

2006-11-15 15:29

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-15 15:53

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

eric293

2006-11-15 16:34

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

tictactux

2006-11-15 16:42

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Terry Stibal

2006-11-15 20:45

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-15 21:59

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Cuisleannach

2006-11-17 06:42

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

bawa

2006-11-17 09:38

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

DougR

2006-11-17 15:45

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-17 15:47

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

William

2006-11-17 17:07

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Terry Stibal

2006-11-17 18:13

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Cuisleannach

2006-11-17 23:53

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

Ralph Katz

2006-11-18 18:35

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

bawa

2006-11-19 17:40

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

frank

2006-11-20 07:45

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

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2006-11-20 11:09

Re: Thoughts on choosing to become a professional musician new

fiato

2006-11-25 17:05

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