 The Doublers BBoard
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Author: maximus852
Date: 2007-02-03 07:38
Hello all.
This is directed to any of you that are professional doublers.
I'm graduating with my degree in oboe performance this year, and I'm interested in pursuing a career in doubling. I'm going to take a year off before grad school to work on my doubles and audition on oboe, clarinet, and sax. I'm planning on getting a tenor sax, since most of the books with oboe have tenor with it.
What I would like to know is how you feel about doing theater work. Is it hard to break in with my double? I don't even know how one breaks into theater work. I don't know where auditions are posted for pits. Do you think I should plan on moving to New York someday, or another big city like D.C. or Chicago (I live in the midwest and would like to stay near there)? Playing in musicals would be the most ideal for me, but I'd be happy teaching at a university also.
Any comments would be appreciated, since there aren't any doublers around here to talk to.
-Michael
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-02-03 13:21
There really isn't such a thing as a "career in doubling." Basically you would be a professional musician who is able to play doubles. You would be put on people's lists as someone who can handle more than one horn, and get calls that way, in addition to other gigs.
If you're interested in breaking into professional theatre work, then you'll want to find a teacher who is playing in theatre. Take lessons with this person. Sooner or later he or she will need a sub, and if you're any good, they'll ask you to do the gig. You'd better say yes--if you say no, you won't be asked again. Keep in mind you must be good; they're not going to risk their reputation by bringing in someone who can't cut the part. If you're not good enough, then you won't even be asked. If you perform successfully, then people will remember you the next time a full-time opening occurs.
Whenever I've asked this question, the first thing people say is to join the union. I don't know if that's still required, but it can't hurt. You'll certainly increase your opportunities that way. Some union people don't enjoy playing gigs with non-union folk.
You should be proficient on English horn, by the way. Many oboe parts double on EH. And while you're at it, you should be expert on flute and clarinet, too. Keep in mind that there are, right now, many already-established players who can play most anything they want on sax, flute, clarinet, and all the double reeds, in any style. The competition is fierce.
Not to say it's impossible. But if I were you, I would buy that tenor sax tomorrow. The fact that you don't even own a tenor sax and that's what you want to build your career on means you have a lot of work to do. Don't even think of trying to get into professional theatre work until you have spent a lot of time being taught by a full-time professional. In the end, it is their guidance combined with your available talent that will determine how successful you will be. If you want it bad enough, you will eventually get it. But there will be no substitute for hard work and not a little luck.
In the meantime, you should be playing in community theatre pits. Ask around and get contact info for all the community theatre groups in your area, including the college theatre departments. Leave your name as a musician who wants to play in their orchestras foe their musicals. Do it for free if necessary. And keep calling them back. You need as much experience as possible. Once you get proficient at this, then you (and your teacher) can assess your abilities and think about moving to the big city, if that is in the cards.
Bottom line is that you need to be so good that you're one of the first people a contractor would think of when an opening occurs. You also need to be completely dependable and easy to work with. It's all about knowing cats. If you're good, and you're nice, people will talk about you, and you'll get calls.
You can always play in musicals part-time in addition to a day gig, such as teaching. Again, the openings are limited, but it can be done. I think the best thing to do is to commit to what you want to do, and then just dive in and don't look back. Immerse yourself in it all. Listen to your teachers. Go out and find the gigs instead of them finding you. If you can do it, things will start to happen for you. Eventually they'll seek their own level and you'll have an inner sense of how will things will work out. But you need to start the ball rolling and keep it rolling.
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2007-02-04 19:39
Great advice above!!! Also take a look at this article kindly posted on the BBoard by Mr. Moses, a professional musician who does a lot of pit work who posted it with the permission of the AFM International Musician. It has included some top notch advice from contractors, a must-read for any prospective theatre musician!!!
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=174565&t=174565
Best of Luck!!!
Clayton
*Edited for clarity*
Post Edited (2007-02-04 19:43)
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-02-05 16:59
One thing to add is to not only seek out community theatre and college gigs but also high school shows. Contact the drama and music departments in all the local high schools. They quite often need to bring in competent players for some of the show books, which are usually beyond the range of a typical high school band student. And since you are coming in to perform a service for them, they will pay you.
(BTW, I've found that many hs schools shows are incredibly good, so you won't be suffering in the pit.)
Another thing that has helped me get shows is to watch the bulletin boards at the local supermarket or music store. They often will have posters for the next upcoming musical. Also look in the local papers in the arts section--they will have a column dedicated to auditions for upcoming shows. Get the music director's name and call him or her, and offer your services.
I've found in my 25 years of doing shows that show writing has a particular style to it, and the more shows you do, the quickly you'll pick this up, which will make you sound better sooner.
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-02-06 02:30
Oh, and one more thing...
Something that goes without saying but I'm going to say anyway: It is not enough to be able to double on all of these horns; you need to OWN them as well. Some semi-professionals I know will borrow some of the more obscure instruments (e. g., English horn, Eb clarinet) from friends if they figure they won't need them much and it wouldn't be worth it to buy one. But if it's your career, it certainly is worth it. You don't want to depend on someone else's horn being available if you need it for a gig. And if word gets around that you're the only person who has these instruments, bingo--you'll get all the gigs.
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Author: johnnymo0829
Date: 2007-02-06 16:40
Everything that has been said already is great and solid advice. I would also suggest taking up flute. Oboe is a great horn and if you play oboe/e.h. well enough you should be able to get steady enough work and the addition of flute to sax and clarinet you should be in good shape. Jaysne's advice is great as well. There is nothing worse than having to turn down a gig because you can't get an instrument. I had to turn down a book on a summer theater production of company because I didn't have an bE clarinet at the time. Needless to say I went out and got the best bE that I could get soon after. I would also suggest that you look around your area in college for local high schools that do musicals and make friends with their music directors. I played a bunch of high school musicals in college where they would hire somebody to play a book and then team up one of the school students with the hired gun so the kid got some experience as well as the benifit of seeing how the book was played by a pro. in a lot of small towns I have seen where the schools work where the band directors of the area will work together and play eachother's shows and if you get in good in that situation it helps you to boost your resume. Good luck.
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Author: maximus852
Date: 2007-02-16 05:36
Thanks everyone for your advice. I already own an English Horn and clarinet. I want to get a tenor sax next because that is the most common with oboe/EH/clar, but I will get a flute as soon as I'm able.
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Author: oboeidaho
Date: 2007-04-03 06:38
I have played the oboe/eh for 20 years - I'm guessing at least 50 shows, since I usually do at least 3 shows a year - and even with just that double I get called a lot. I believe I have done maybe 3 shows with clarinet (which I would say I am a sort of competent player) and actually one with celtic harp (which I am pretty lame at actually, but they mostly wanted glissandos)
Good luck!
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Author: maximus852
Date: 2007-04-28 03:40
Thanks again for the advice. I played in a pit for a community group in March where I played flute, pic, clarinet, alto sax and oboe. I'm glad I did this because it was a low stress situation where I got to work on flute and pic.
Now I'm playing in the pit for the university musical. I get to play oboe, English horn, clarinet and flute. I'm having great fun. This summer I'm playing in a light opera company in MA where they put on 9 musicals in 9 weeks!! I'm so excited I'm getting into this. Just thought I'd let you know I took your advice, Jaysne.
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2007-05-10 00:59
Wow--oboe, EH, clarinet and flute. It does sound like great fun! I'm happy that some things I said helped you out, maximus. And the neat thing is that if you're any good at doubling, the word will get around and you'll be called by people you don't even know.
Where in MA is that light opera company? I'm from MA.
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Author: Loralie
Date: 2007-05-10 02:11
Maximus---are you talking about the College Light Opera Company? If so, I played flute and piccolo for it last summer. That would be in Falmouth, which is in Cape Cod. If this is the program, it is a really fun thing to do for a summer and living on the Cape is definetely a plus. If this isin't it, then which program are you doing?
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Author: maximus852
Date: 2007-08-25 15:21
Loralie;
So sorry I just saw your post! Yes, I am at the College Light Opera Company. Tonight is the last show! It was a great opportunity. Tomorrow I leave to look for an apartment in NJ. EEK!
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