Re: Band vs. Orchestra


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Daryl on May 07, 2003 at 10:53:36:

In Reply to: Band vs. Orchestra posted by Paul Averton on May 06, 2003 at 22:37:41:

My experience is that the players that are only focused on getting a certain type of job are LESS successful than those that are simply in love with playing the instrument and focus on being the best they can be. Sounds contradictory, but it certainly seems true.

That being said, it's admirable to be thinking about this so early. Having been one of those 25 year old students with no job yet (I was just finishing my master's degree) I'd like to give you two pieces of advice if you'll take them.

1. Be patient with yourself. Would you really want to give up if you haven't scored a primo job by the time you hit 25 if you could have one when you were 30 instead? Maybe even 35 or 40? Yes, you need to earn a living; however, that doesn't mean that you have to "Give up" - just ask Douglas Yeo, who busted his butt for a while as a band director and a competitve auditionee. Now Bass trombonist, Boston Symphony....not too shabby. Or heck - Sean Chisham, who had a career in IT (if I remember correctly) but just couldn't shake the tuba bug. Now, he's playing in a premier service band. I realize that you meant something different (you're talking about "professional students", if you will), but words have a power that you don't mean sometimes and I'd hate to see you put such arbitrary boundaries on yourself.

2. Good jobs don't always mean good players...
the same way that good players don't always have good playing jobs. Be careful - if your concept of how good of a player you are is based more on your extrinsic achievements rather than your own internal goals of how you want to sound, then you're in for a long, hard road. My ambition ruined what could have been a really rewarding educational experience while I was at MSU, because I was always wrapped up more in what I WASN'T getting or what I WASN'T doing than what I WAS. When I graduated, it felt very empty rather than joyful. I got to do some really cool stuff - I got to play "Sensemaya", my quartet were semi-finalists at ITEC 2000....you get the idea. But still, my mind was on what I DIDN'T do. The players who were happiest were the ones that just worked on being great players and let the stuff come to them. I still hate them...;) (Not really).

In short, be kind to yourself and do your best - the rest will come.

Daryl


Follow Ups: