Brittany,
Sir James Galway is relatively accessible. If you ever get to attend one of his live concerts, try to get in to see him either at the intermission or after. He enjoys meeting people.
You can go to Galway's site and become part of his forum (galway-flute-chat) at: http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/page1.htm
He responds to members under the name, "zawagreen" when he has the time.


The difficult things about being a musician that people have to understand is that for the most part, you are self-employed. You are hired mainly based upon your abilities and your reputation. This includes your performance skill, which you'd expect but also your sense of professionalism, and your personality. Some things such as getting to the job on time and playing well with other musicians. Show respect where it is deserved. Develop a personality that people can get along with. This personality can easily be interpreted in your playing style as well as how you act with others. Be polite with others and have some manners. There are some musicians that i know that I would not want to hire in spite of their good playing ability. I just simply can't stand to work with them and I won't ever recommend them to others.

Some common problems:
-Big egos.-yes you are great and wonderful. So what? Just play the notes well.

-Promptness or Attend the job and be on time. Make sure that you know what time the job and where it's going to be. Better to be a half hour early that two seconds late.

-Attire issues. If the gig requires a black outfit. have it clean and have your shoes shined. Your hair neat?

-Another issue-sometimes the younger musicians feel that they can take on a job for a gig like a musical and then farm it out to another because they have a conflict with some other job. If I were the director and I hired a musician, I'd want that musician to play the gig. Not some unknown.

-Attitude or personality. If you get hired for a gig, it may be better to keep quiet, listen and learn than try to talk to everyone.

You have to promote yourself in looking for jobs. With freelance work such as playing for weddings, you have to act promptly and courteously with the people that are looking for musicians and help them in every way possible. Most importantly, always be professional.

Get proper training. These days, it may not be so much which college but which flute teacher that you learend from. So, going to Blahsworth State College because it has a great reputation for their music school may be good but studying from some great and famous flute teacher at podunk U. may be better because that teacher has a reputation for turning out great players who get all the top jobs.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

well said Bilbo, could not agree more with you, that is solid advice for the young people on this forum

Allow me to add some gig don'ts:

DON'T show up late, and if so, don't make lame excuses, be there early and bring a book, etc

DON'T tell other people how to play, only chime in if you are asked

DON'T be rude, shut up and play, even if the conductor is an idiot and you know everything he is doing is wrong

DON'T tell others they are out of tune, be diplomatic about it

DON'T show up unprepared, know your part and also know the score if possible

DON'T show up without a pencil and music stand and repair kit, or extra flute

and be a nice guy, be a member of the team, don't alienate people

Yes Patrick,
These are also such good suggestions. The reason why one has to always be professional is that the musical community is a small one. Even in a place like N.Y. If a person acts unprofessional, it gets passed around fairly quickly. You never know who talks to who in the business and you may not know where your next recomendation comes from. You may get one or two chances at best and then it's pretty much done.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

I would say very often one chance, because there are so many people lined up for the opportunity, I have worked several violinists who I will never contract again because of their behavior, musicians don't like it when someone takes out a tuner and starts walking around standing over shoulders when one is trying to tune

St. Olaf in Northfield, MN. That is a great college because it has a strong music program, terrific arts facility and almost all of the students travel abroad. I myself have not gone anywhere "fun" yet, but it's such a great school!!!

I have met Mr. Galway (not bragging) and he seems to be a polite, friendly guy. He was at a music conference close to where I lived, so my director and I went and my director ended up surprising me by taking me out to where Galway was in this convention and got me his autograph. Mr. Galway smiled and was very nice and, even though we only talked for a minute or two (there were a lot of people around us) it was a great experience! My director was the nicest! (He left... if you don't know the story, I have had a different director every year of my musical career. It gets old.)

Right now, I am taking college classes to become a music educator. I don't know if you were talking about being a pro. musician or finding work in something music related, but, getting a degree in music ed. is tough and expensive! The pay is alright, I suppose, for a music teacher... I don't really know much more about $$$. Money is a hinderence, I think...

I hope this answers a few of your questions. Feel free to contact me if you have anything else!



<Added>

Sorry, Patrick and Bilbo! Didn't mean to cut your conversation! I guess I didn't see the second page before I posted!!! Opps, sorry! :)

(And, Patrick, I agree with you! A musician with a bad attitude is like a thorn in your side! I don't like it when they single you out and make a production that you are the one out of tune when they themselves are the problem! I have not met too many poor sports, though, in the professional world. Am I just lucky so far?)

Thank you everyone! The information was really helped, and it was interesting too. About Sir James Galway, I don't know if I'll have the chance to really meet him because I don't know when he'll be in Kansas next...but if he is I'll snatch up the chance to go. If you happen to hear about him going this way let me know please!

Even though I am only a 16-year-old musician, I do happen to agree with all of the issues regarding mannerisms, and being on time, I am normally never late for anything. I myself happen to think that I have good manners. I always try to be nice to people and play well. My only problem is a lack of confidence when I play, or so my tutor says. I'll get over that eventually! I'm not sure if I'll become a professional musician or just in some music related area...but I have a couple years to figure that out don't I!? Haha.

Thank you all again! Feel free to tell me more, I will be back soon!

~Brittany

When you said Sir James responds to "zawagreen" did you mean that that is his username or the person talking to him has to have that name? And where exactly do I find him to talk, are there a lot of forums? I'm lost...sorry!

- Brittany

Btittany,
Here is the link to the talk forum that Galways posts on:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Galway-Flute-Chat/

You do have to register, but it is pretty easy. Yes, Sir James posts under the username of Zawagreen.

He does not accept private emails, but if you wish to talk to him just address him in the header of a post.

Thank you very much! I need a new username now..oops, haha! I'll check in later!

-Brittany

You are welcome.

Hello,

When you graduate college is it good to go to one or two music schools afterwards? And how do you start your job as a free-lance musician? Or is working for a company more beneficial? I don't imagine that it's easy! If so, where do you play? Weddings, maybe restaurants? I don't know! Is it possible to travel that way or not? It would cost a lot I assume...Have any of you gone to Juilliard? I imagine that it's very hard to do. I don't know if I would ever be good enough to try, I have a lot of practicing to do! Any more tips for practicing, playing, etc? Anything that can help would be awesome!

I'll be back

- Brittany

Brittany, play wherever you can whenever you can, even if the money is not so good. Same with teaching, you need to establish yourself as a player as well as private teacher and you will need experience. Too many young musicians make the mistake of waiting for that big gig or audition or competition while not getting valuable experience.

School is important, especially for making contacts, but the value of where you graduated from is sometimes overrated. If you get into Julliard you will have the advantage of being accepted into an audition but that is where it ends, you are merely a # in any audition.

Brittany, play wherever you can whenever you can, even if the money is not so good. Same with teaching, you need to establish yourself as a player as well as private teacher and you will need experience. Too many young musicians make the mistake of waiting for that big gig or audition or competition while not getting valuable experience.

School is important, especially for making contacts, but the value of where you graduated from is sometimes overrated. If you get into Julliard you will have the advantage of being accepted into an audition but that is where it ends, you are merely a # in any audition.

Just to add my two cents...
Most of the professional musicians I know (a few) don't just have "A job", but work at several, even some of the ones in major orchestras. For example, one keyboard player I know, has a jazz combo, a rock band, a show/cover band he plays with at (corporate) parties, and has also played in the pit in a musical. A harpsichordist friend teaches at university, tours with a baroque ensemble, played opera, has toured solo and organises workshops. Others have recordings out, but also play in restaurants for a meal and a some cash (even tips). Session work, backing bands, parties, it all pays the bills. Major orchestra players may also be a part of that orchestra's chamber music orchestra if it has one (by audition) or have combo's with colleagues from the same orchestra. Summer tours around various small festivals (take the family) are also nice work if you can get it. And these are all trained profesional musicians.
I guess the message is that it's very hard work with not much security, and definitely not 9to5. (Having said that, I still envy all those people who love what they do for a living!)

You are so right, most musicians piece together a career, worth it to wake up each day to get paid to do what you love, but not always easy, especially when you have a family