Posted by Gus Pratt on September 21, 2003 at 11:03:58:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Red Lehr in Chicago posted by TubaDude on September 20, 2003 at 06:24:07:
Yes indeed I consider Red Lehr a prefessional tubaist. What I meant was that the typical "professional tubaist" plays a 5 valve CC, has had 6-8 years of college, studied with top ranked teachers, etc. Red Lehr does not fit the mold of the typical "professional tubaist". Those things that everyone says you need to do to become a prefessional tubaist Red Lehr has bypassed and has still gained the respect of tubaist and managed to be a professional tubaist. My statement was intended to rag on the stereotypes that we've set for professional tubaists.
Just as a side note: I doubt that I would say that anyone who gets paid to play is a professional. Although I played in a dixieland band for a year and had about 20 to 25 gigs, I never considered myself a professional tubaist. I considered myself an amateur was just so happened to get paid for playing.