Comments on: This Crazy Business Part 2 – Full-Time Loyalty at Part-Time Rates

By: Caspar

Caspar — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:37:03 +0000

Great post…if you’re from the jazz-world just substitute musical director with bandleader and an 5-week engagement with 1 gig and you have the predicament most freelance jazzplayers are in….(-;

By: This Crazy Business Part 5: Driving for Dollars – life as a classical music bottom feeder

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:03:34 +0000

[...] Part 2 – Full-Time Loyalty at Part-Time Rates [...]

By: Gerry

Gerry — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:55:00 +0000

In the same vein, one of the not-so-funny truths I’ve found about freelancing:

How well you’re treated by the director/management of a group seems always to be inversely related to the amount of money you’re being paid.

It’s a funny thing, and a mindset I’ve simply NEVER understood. You’d think that the person who’s hoping to pay you $200 for 4 rehearsals and a concert would keep in mind the pittance he’s paying and consequently try to make the experience as easy and satisfying as possible for the musicians involved. Inevitably though, it’s the gigs that pay next to nothing that treat their musicians the worst.

By: Bill Harrison

Bill Harrison — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:32:00 +0000

Jason,

This is a brilliant and accurate assessment. All you have to do is substitute “band leader” for “artistic director” or “contractor” and these truths are evident in the pop/dance orchestra part of the business as well. The only difference, from what I see and hear from the classical side of the tracks, is that there is s LOT fiercer competition for orchestra jobs than for “jobbing” bands. Also, I’m fortunate to be on the call list for primarily union work, which does help. Hmmm, this may require an article…

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 14:27:00 +0000

Great blog as always.
It made me think of a quote I once read by the author, Peter Drucker:
“So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work.”