 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: William
Date: 2007-08-30 20:24
This past summer, I was hired to play first clarinet in a pick up conducting seminar orchestra and was quoated a per service fee for principal clarinet. More most of the sessions, I was the only clarinetist, however a second was hired for the last two rehearsals and concert. When I received my paycheck, I discovered that I was only paid the principal fee when the second clarinetist was there. For all of the other sessions, I received the regular fee paid all other section musicians. My position is that as I played all of the first parts and clarinet solos for all of the sessions, I was "in fact" the principal clarinet for the orchestra and should be compensated as such irregardless if there was a second clarinetist or not. The college orchestra conductor and seminar leader disagrees. His position is that I deserve principal pay only for the sessions when the second clarinetist was present.
What do you think????
(btw--the projected enrollment for the conducting seminar was short of its goal, resulting in a deficit "bottom line" for the college)
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2007-08-30 20:34
If it was a union gig then you would have been paid the principal rate. If it was not then you are subject to things like this.
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Author: Mark Charette ★2017
Date: 2007-08-30 20:36
William wrote:
> This past summer, I was hired to play first clarinet in a pick
> up conducting seminar orchestra and was quoated a per service
> fee for principal clarinet.
IANAL, and you might need one.
Seems to me there was a "meeting of the minds" at the onset - you were not quoted anything _except_ as principal, and 1st/principal can be considered ane and the same under many circumstances. In fact, I can't think of a distiction or difference ...
> More most of the sessions, I was
> the only clarinetist, however a second was hired for the last
> two rehearsals and concert.
Which means they considered you principal for three sessions _only_ because another person was present? The music you played prior to that was exactly the same as if the 2nd were there, correct?
> (btw--the projected enrollment for the conducting seminar was
> short of its goal, resulting in a deficit "bottom line" for the
> college)
Not relevant at all to your payment, but probably the reason they're waffling on what they want to pay.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-08-30 22:03
It stinks on ice. Tell them that when there was no other clarinetist, you had to cover both parts and should get doubler's fees. That will rattle their cage and maybe make them more willing to settle.
You might check with the other woodwind principals to find out whether they got the same treatment.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ski
Date: 2007-08-30 22:26
Reminds me of the time I was hired to play on a recording (standard 3 hour session). The producer agreed to my session fee in advance. When I got my check it was pathetically low, so I called him on it and reminded him of my fee and the amount of time I was at the studio. He acknowledged that the session lasted 3 hours, but insisted on pro-rating my fee because the song was only 3 minutes long and that he wasn't going to pay me for time I wasn't recording...
Anyway, sorry to hear about this pickle they put you in. It seems capricious of them (at best) to attempt to make a distinction between your being principle or not depending on the number of other players present. They owe you an explanation AFAIC, and if they don't make good on this, take them to small claims court.
You gotta love this business, dontcha?...
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-08-30 23:17
"college orchestra conductor and seminar leader"
Sounds as if these guys are associated with a university program.
Would their department head like to hear about how you've been treated? I think the department head would.
If the dep't head seems to be as dim witted as the first two, I'm certain that a dean would be interested in the story.
Find out whose in charge of them and tell your story plainly. The two of them should be completely embarassed (and by emabarrased I mean flogged in a public square).
Do you have the offer in writing? (even if only over email?)
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: William
Date: 2007-08-31 03:26
To answer some questions:
Dave and Mark, I totally agree.....
Grifffinity, no--the specific college and conductor will remain annonomus. My only reason for posting was to provok thought and invite discussion.
Interesting comments so far.....thanks for your support.
As of 08/31/07, this "issue" has been resolved to the satisfaction of both myself and the college conductor. Thank you all for your support and suggestions.
Post Edited (2007-08-31 16:10)
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Author: JessKateDD
Date: 2007-08-31 04:14
Well, I join everyone else in the opinion you got the shaft. Here's what I would do were I you:
1) write a letter demanding the full amount that you were underpaid - send it registered, return receipt;
2) if they fail to pay, take them to small claims court.
It's a nasty business, but they already insulted you by not paying what they quoted. They drew first blood, as Rambo would say.
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Author: joeyscl
Date: 2007-08-31 08:50
Well, maybe we should feel sorry about the second clarinet who isn't even there all the time, no? >,<
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2007-08-31 11:47
Well, if you are a supervisor and don't supervise anyone - are you still a supervisor? If a bear .............. o never mind, I was kidding anyway.
Yes, of course you should have been paid Principal as that's what part you were playing!!! That conductor needs a harsh lesson in scrupples - take him to court as was mentioned if he doesn't "come to his senses". Probably just the court date will rattle his cage.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2007-09-01 16:48
You should have been paid the going rate for playing 1st clarinet. Just because there was one you got the rank and file pay? I'd contest it.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2007-09-01 19:32
You can download the personnel rosters of literally hundreds of orchestras at the Musical Chairs website.
http://www.musicalchairs.info/
In a great number of these orchestras the tuba player, harpist and Keyboard player are listed as "principals." Not paying you as a principal when there is no section-leading involved is out of step with our industry. Whether the reason is parsimony or stupidity, I think you were screwed! I suggest you raise heck over this, unless it means that those idiots won't hire you anymore.
Good luck!
Larry
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2007-09-01 23:35
>>I suggest you raise heck over this, unless it means that those idiots won't hire you anymore.
>>
But that's what the jerks count on: They figure they'll get away with this nonsense, because their victim won't squawk, because he might lose the gig--and don't we all know how hard it is to get a paying gig. I don't have direct experience with orchestras because I'm an amateur musician getting paid bubkes by Shadow Cat (but she won't pay me not to play, either, so she's stuck with my noise...). However, I've been stiffed in similar ways many, many times as a freelance writer. In the small press business, screwing the writers is standard operating procedure unless the writers band together, which we almost never do, I suppose because we're a bunch of weirdo loners hiding out in our attics. The Screenwriters' Guild is the only writers' union worth half a squeak. Fortunately, musicians, even when non-union, seem to be much more social creatures who do a lot better at networking.
If you're getting rooked, so are other musicians: ask around among the others (especially the tuba players), and join forces to complain by co-signing letters and arranging meetings together as a group with the money people. Try to outnumber the suits and, especially, try to outnumber the chairs in the office where this meeting occurs. Make sure the tallest, heaviest people (this is why you want the tuba players) are the ones standing up. I don't mean to imply you should make physical threats--of course not; you want to be so reasonable and so civil that nobody could possibly use your behavior as an excuse--but the mere physical presence of large people quietly standing over someone who's sitting can have a strangely salutary effect in such situations. (I write this from the point of view of my vertically challenged 5'3" height, btw.)
The people who do the hiring might fire you as a troublemaker if you're all alone out there, but might think twice about whacking four or five people who don't seem prepared to slink away meekly with their mouths shut. If all else fails, turn on the spotlight: If your friendly local newspaper editor resembles most friendly local newsies, he or she would love to publish this story.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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