On the other hand, this can make things incredibly difficult for
professionals in the nebulous middle between amateur and big-name
status. I have turned down offers simply because the fee wouldn't even
cover travel expenses. Then I look at the series and see that they have
a mix of big name acts with some local players on there. I know about
how much the Names make and it is exponentially more than what I get
offered.
I wish these organizations might budget for something between their
"legitimate" and "no name" fees that would make touring at least
feasible for people who have not reached the top tier yet.
Chris
Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com
__________________________________________________________________
From: William Samson <[email protected]>
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, August 9, 2013 6:44 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: general public Lute awareness
The point I am making about fees is that any society around here at
that time (Dundee, Scotland, 1980) has a fixed budget for performers.
The usual practice (even now, I believe) is to use local amateur
performers to fill most of the slots at minimal expense so
that the money can be husbanded to pay for a few big names, each
year, who usually have to travel a considerable distance (from
London,
for example) to perform. As for equal fees, I think not - Is Bill
Samson worth as much as Nigel North for a gig of equal duration? Of
course not. The annual budget is fixed, so the bulk of it should go
to
the best performers. Do support bands earn as much as headline bands
.
. .? I think you'll agree that this is quite different from selling
a
photograph for publication (which I have also done) at the standard
rate set by the publisher.
As with your own situation, there were no professional early
musicians
living nearby who's gigs we were stealing - Even so, the fun was the
thing, and if by saving money the organisers were able to attract
somebody really outstanding at another time in the season, so much
the
better for all concerned.
Bill
From: Geoff Gaherty <[1][email protected]>
To: William Samson <[2][email protected]>
Sent: Friday, 9 August 2013, 22:53
Subject: Re: [LUTE] Re: general public Lute awareness
On 09/08/13 4:55 PM, William Samson wrote:
> As amateurs we only accepted travelling expenses and any
hospitality
> that was on offer, but we politely declined any fee. I am of the
> opinion that for an amateur musician accept a fee is to take what
is
> due to those who depend on performing fees to make a living.
As well as being an amateur lutenist, I am also an amateur
photographer.
One of my photography teachers made the point that anyone who sells
a
photograph for publication, amateur or professional, should expect
the
same fee. By allowing our photographs to sell for less, we are
undercutting the professionals, and depriving them of a livelihood.
If
it's good enough to publish, it's worth the same fee, no matter who
took it.
I myself do a lot of performing for free, but I do it because it's
fun.
Besides, there are no professional early musicians in my community,
so
I'm not stealing anyone's gigs, and I am (hopefully) increasing the
audience for early music.
Geoff
--
Geoff Gaherty
Foxmead Observatory
Coldwater, Ontario, Canada
[1][3]http://www.gaherty.ca/
[2][4]http://starrynightskyevents.blogspot.com/
--
References
1. [5]http://www.gaherty.ca/
2. [6]http://starrynightskyevents.blogspot.com/
To get on or off this list see list information at
[7]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1. mailto:[email protected]
2. mailto:[email protected]
3. http://www.gaherty.ca/
4. http://starrynightskyevents.blogspot.com/
5. http://www.gaherty.ca/
6. http://starrynightskyevents.blogspot.com/
7. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
