 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Baron
Date: 2006-07-19 03:29
How much money does a principal oboe player make? lets say the The Boston symphony of the New york compared to a local unknown orcastra like the Dayton orcastra or springfield. ( let's talk with figures)
Can you actually make a living being a pro. How much does a second oboe make compared to a 3rd or 1st. ( lets use numbers by yearly or so)
Please tell me what you know, not think.
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Author: d-oboe
Date: 2006-07-19 16:45
It's hard to say, because salaries are usually kept private! Sometimes for auditions they will advertise starting salaries, but other than that it's *supposed* to be kept confidential.
Principal players usually get a somewhat higher pay, and concertmaster positions are paid more still.
If you ask "can you make a living as a professional musician?" well...consider all the orchestras in the world...many of them are considered "professional" - not just amateur - so most people that are in them are, of course, doing it as their living. The average salary (from what I hear) for the Montreal symphony in Canada is 70000$ CAD. I've also seen 98000$ AUD for the Sydney symphony 2nd oboe audition. I've seen 50000$ USD for various section string positions.
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Author: HautboisJJ
Date: 2006-07-19 17:10
I've seen even higher, although i should not post the figures. =)
But of course, you have to accept the fact that it is not possible to reach the same high figures as you would be able to from, say, the American Big 5, or the top European orchestras, from everywhere. And talk about the chances of being able get in one of those! But then, even the musicians in the top ensembles around the world teach, and no, most of them teach not for the sake of passion but for the sake of making a living.
For wind players, the salary does not differ as much among section members e.g. Principal oboe and Co-Principal oboe, but of course the principal will definitely earn more. But for the string section that can be a HUGE difference.
Can you actually make a living? If you plan to get rich and drive Ferraris, no. (The Karajan period has ended a long time ago, unless you plan work in the crossover scene.) But if you plan to live a fulfilling life, doing the work you love with full of passion, dedication into education and so on, then yes.
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Author: oboeblank
Date: 2006-07-19 19:09
This is like putting the cart before the horse...
You may be making, as principal oboe of the Boston Symphony in excess of 200,000. However, to find yourself in that position means you would have to win that giant audition. The principal oboe job in Boston for instance was open for six years before John Ferrillo's appointment. Prior to that they had a list of great oboe players in there, among them Eugene Izotov, Charles Hamann, Kathryn Greenbank, Eric Barr. Anyone one of those oboists could have done the job but they chose no one. The Cleveland orchestra auditioned the job of principal twice, and both were world class oboists. Chicago went through two auditions before appointing Eugene Izotov and New York may be going through another round of auditions to find a replacement for Joe Robinson. And you may win the job, but that doesn't always mean that you will keep it.
Be resonable, play the oboe because you love it and you are dedicated to working at it and being the best. If you want tons of money go into computers and design a new operating system-which is equally hard work.
John Mack used to say this..."I'll tell you everything you want to know about the oboe, just don't ask how much money I make."
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Author: doublereeder2
Date: 2006-07-20 04:06
It might be a good idea for you to figure out how to practice without getting bored first Baron, before you inquire about salaries. You have a ways to go...
That said, yes, you can make a good living as a pro. My husband and I are both self-employed musicians who live in a nice house, drive nice cars, wear good clothes and jewelry and vacation in foreign countries.
Is it hard work? You bet!!!
We work seven days a week many times and always work when others are on vacation and holiday. Say, how many Nutcrackers and Messiahs can we squeeze in in December??
Christmas with the family? No. We work. Easter with the family? No, we work. We work weekends when everyone else is off. We work evenings when others are home with their families. We are always practicing, rehearsing or performing and I am always making reeds as well. You have to be dedicated and persistent. Being a professional musician is not your job, it is your life.
Would we do anything else in the world? Not by choice!
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2006-07-20 06:20
... think B's doing a most appropriate Career Survey before jumping in the deep end, let's hope B's also done/will be doing Career testing to see if personality and work habit type really is a good match for the career of Professional Musician
... being bored with practising is one of many "walls" and getting over this one, and all the other walls, takes lots of hard work, all one can give and many personal sacrifices too
... right now as a late-blooming community player, and forseeably my entire future as same (grey hair turning white) Oboe Support Services career personnel are earning good bucks off me
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Author: oboemoboe
Date: 2006-07-27 15:33
In smaller orchestras, you'll actually make more money with a 2nd oboe/EH job, because you get payed full salary for oboe and 50% more for EH. My teacher once told me ''the money is in the end of the rows'' (EH, bass clarinet, Contrabassoon and piccolo).
This said, if you want to make a lot of money and have some time off, it may not be the best job, as some other people already said on this forum.
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