Re: HK Phil tuba audition open(high salary )


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Posted by Been There, Done That on March 10, 2001 at 12:18:02:

In Reply to: HK Phil tuba audition open(high salary ) posted by Tuba on March 08, 2001 at 22:29:46:

I may have an interesting perspective to add here.

I did this gig from 1980 to 1991.

In spite of all the negative press in this forum, and my own ambivalent feelings regarding the current situation there, I would advise young players looking for some honest-to-goodness playing experince to not discount this opportunity. I would view it as a place to get some experience - not as a lifetime job.

It is true that US$65K will not go as far in Hong Kong as it will in MOST U.S. locations, you will NOT be living in poverty on a sampan somewhere. You will probably need to have a roomate to afford a decent flat. (I had a roomate the whole time I was there - my wife Cheryl, who played Principal Horn in the orchestra.)

You will NOT be able to afford an auto, but on the other hand, you will not NEED one.
Public transportation is plentiful, convenient and cheap. After the first year, I had several tubas and didn't have to slog them around anymore at all. (I do not miss those years of NOT having any of the joys or responsibilities of car ownership.)

You WILL be working for the commies, but you probably WON'T have to spend a few weeks each year down on the collective for reprogramming. (At least not yet...)

Yes, the management will suck, but so do LOTS of managements...

You WILL see almost all the pertinent literature there is in a relatively short time.(We once did Meistersinger for a couple of years for school concerts - must have played it 50, 60 times - plus all Mahler, Bruckner, Shostakovich (most with Maxim, a VERY interesting experience), Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky - EVERYTHING really.)

We had a brass quintet that went into the schools for 20 or 30 concerts a year and did several well-paid recitals in addition to the orchestra salary.

There is a very active recording industry there and no local tubists (I' GUESSING this is still true) - you can augment you income there too.

There are several universities (and The Academy for Performing Arts) which SHOULD hire you to teach tuba.

While I was there the orchestra toured China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore... A very cheap way to see some fascinating places.

So, while there are those with fears (do not discount the possibility that some may be hoping YOU will NOT audition for the gig THEY want...), I wouldn't let that get in the way UNLESS I had some BETTER gig all lined up & ready to go.

Look, it's only 10 months. If everything I've said here is wrong, come on back and get on with your life. If not, you MIGHT even go back for another year! I did that 10 times!

Hope this helps some.

Cheers!

Jeff Hoard



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