[TPIN] RE: Trumpet Player Wanted (One Position available)

[Glenn Bengry]

Bryan,

     You are right and gracefully state your reasons.   I am perhaps less 
graceful.


One would probably reach more innaccurate and presumptive conclusions about 
an anonymous, theoretical group as opposed to one which would avoid any 
innaccurate conclusions by explaining what the group is and what exactly is 
involved(in detail).

John's innaccurate and presumptive conclusions about trumpet players are 
both innaccurate and presumptive.   How would he know how or what any of us 
would think?   There is one way to avoid assumptions.


Glenn




>From: Bryan Edgett <bedgett1 at comcast.net>
>To: "John McGrath" <alexandriaroyal at hotmail.com>, tpin at tpin.okcu.edu
>Subject: [TPIN] RE: Trumpet Player Wanted (One Position available)
>Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 18:01:49 -0400
>
>I'm glad to see that John posted his perspective on his group. As a long 
>time veteran of this list and as a college trumpet professor, I'm always 
>interested in the opprtunities listed for trumpeters in my city to earn 
>money.
>
>Offers to earn money without a researchable group name always raise my 
>suspicion. Perhaps it is entirely as John mentions -- "it is an effort to 
>afford a good quality trumpet player the opportunity to consider the job 
>opportunity without drawing presumptive and inaccurate conclusions as to 
>what this might be, and thus failing to apply for the job." But the 
>hiddenness of the name, while perhaps lugitimate or at least innocuous, 
>raises a red flag in my mind."
>
>I do not remember the advertisement word for word, but I do not remember 
>any hard information about fee per job or the average amount that a player 
>has earned in a year (say, over the past 5 years.) I don't remember whether 
>John posted whether rehearsals are paid or not. An unpaid weekly rehearsal 
>seems to me to be a bad thing for a professional player. If players agree 
>to rehearse for free, those hiring them will insist that they do so.
>
>As a side note, I recently raised my wedding fee in order to support my 
>colleagues who earn more of thier living from playing than what I do. I 
>earn a reasonable salary as a professor and do not need my gig money to 
>support my family. But I have many friends in the Philadelphia area who 
>draw the very great majority of their livelihood from their playing. When I 
>learned what they were charging, I matched their fee even though I know 
>good players nearby who charge less. I have lost some gigs because of my 
>fee. But I feel very good about supporting my colleagues.
>
>The small amount of information presented in the advertisement and the 
>conspicuous absence of information about money may be calculated business 
>decisions. It is in the interest of trumpeters, and the membership of this 
>list, to know about the available musical jobs. For that, I thank John. But 
>much is missing that I do not think that I should have to call someone, or 
>tell my students, who haven't been around as long as I have been and would 
>be much easier for an unscrupulous person to take advantage of, to call to 
>find out.
>
>When I get called for a gig, I always try to find out who the leader or 
>conductor is and who is on the gig. There are 2 players in the city that, 
>if I find out that they're on the gig, I turn it down. If it is more than a 
>one-ime gig (an orchestra or a quintet, etc.) I try to learn something 
>about the leader to discover if s/he is fair or not, easy to work for or 
>otherwise, etc.
>
>Regardless of what Gin's playing ability is, she played the gig, at least 
>once, and as such, it seems to me that her perspective is valuable. In 
>answer to John's question, I have heard of people who have been fired 
>bad-mouthing the boss afterward. But I also know of bosses who have only 
>their wallets at their singular redeeming characteristic. I have turned 
>down jobs because I didn't want to work for the leader. (And there are 
>enough people on this list who have heard me play to know that I don't 
>stink.)
>
>I suspect that the following information would quell the very great 
>majority of suspicions raised here about the advertisement:
>
>Group name
>Reason for such frequent advertising (why such turnover for a "good gig")
>Are rehearsals paid? How much for how long?
>Do you pay transportation outside of the Philadelphia metro area?
>How much per gig?
>How many gigs per year over the past 5 years?
>
>Unless I am mistaken, I think that employers must post salary or per gig 
>pay in order to advertise in the International Musician. Given all that is 
>excluded from the job advertisement, the speculation seems reasonable to me 
>even if it is not entirely correct.
>
>Cordially,
>
>Bryan Edgett
>(Philly trumpet player and professor)
>
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