I am curious as to how the difficulty of getting a position as a substitute with a big orchestra compares to the difficulty of getting a position as a section or principal player in a big orchestra. I know they are both very hard, but exactly how much easier is it to get a sub job? Also, how often do most big orchestras hire subs? On average, are they filled on a pre-scheduled time-consistent basis or an as-needed basis? Thanks.
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Double Bass sub jobs
- Thread starter awesomeness
- Start date
I would say sub jobs are only a little easier to snag.
Each orchestra has its own policies with subs. Some have advertised sub auditions. Sometimes all you need to do is have a lesson with the principal and he/she will put you on the list. Sometimes orchestras get subs from people who advanced in section auditions. And sometimes all you have to do is study with the principal in school to sub, no matter how good or bad you may sound. :-/
Each orchestra has its own policies with subs. Some have advertised sub auditions. Sometimes all you need to do is have a lesson with the principal and he/she will put you on the list. Sometimes orchestras get subs from people who advanced in section auditions. And sometimes all you have to do is study with the principal in school to sub, no matter how good or bad you may sound. :-/
In some ways, getting a sub gig is more difficult than actually winning a job. At least with a real job, the path to employment is relatively clear: have a cattle call and the last one standing has the best chance of being offered a job. With subbing, even though an audition may be involved, many other variables come into play (brown-nosing, connections, nepotism, leveraging, payola, just to name a few). You can "win" a sub audition and never get a call while someone else can waltz in to sub even if they choked at their sub audition, never auditioned at all, or is some career freelancer going nowhere. Don't settle for being a sub. Even if you do get sub work, the title itself says it all. "Sub" also means subordinate. If you sub, be prepared to buy the principal a drink on occasion and bring cookies for the section.
Response to ILIA
".....some career freelancer going nowhere."
You obviously have no clue whatsoever about what it takes to make a living as a freelancer.
" 'Sub' also means subordinate."
No. It means "substitute".
Most orchestras, especially opera orchestras, have "associate musicians". Regular players get sick, go on vacation, etc. Being a sub is a real challenge in that you may get called at the last minute to work, and end up with a piece of music in front of you that you've never seen before. You also have to figure out on the spot how the section plays, whether it's a bass section or a rhythm section and do it FAST. You have to make everyone forget you're subbing. To be a sub (or a freelancer), you need to be a pro-level player, a better-than-pro-level sightreader, a quick study when presented with a style that's new to you, and easy to work with.
you threw out some terms-here are my responses:
brown-nosing: being professional and displaying good manners; not arguing with the leader or principal
connections: networking
nepotism: haven't seen it
leveraging: I have no idea what this means
payola: never in my 30+ years experience
In many ways, freelancing is like playing an audition every time you show up to work; it's not a career for everybody, and certainly not for the faint of heart.
".....some career freelancer going nowhere."
You obviously have no clue whatsoever about what it takes to make a living as a freelancer.
" 'Sub' also means subordinate."
No. It means "substitute".
Most orchestras, especially opera orchestras, have "associate musicians". Regular players get sick, go on vacation, etc. Being a sub is a real challenge in that you may get called at the last minute to work, and end up with a piece of music in front of you that you've never seen before. You also have to figure out on the spot how the section plays, whether it's a bass section or a rhythm section and do it FAST. You have to make everyone forget you're subbing. To be a sub (or a freelancer), you need to be a pro-level player, a better-than-pro-level sightreader, a quick study when presented with a style that's new to you, and easy to work with.
you threw out some terms-here are my responses:
brown-nosing: being professional and displaying good manners; not arguing with the leader or principal
connections: networking
nepotism: haven't seen it
leveraging: I have no idea what this means
payola: never in my 30+ years experience
In many ways, freelancing is like playing an audition every time you show up to work; it's not a career for everybody, and certainly not for the faint of heart.
Well, I make a living out of being a sub. I sub in orchestras and other ensembles and in between I sub as a teacher, mostly teaching music but I've had everything from kindergarten crafts to grade 12 girl's gym (but that's a completely different thread in another forum!).
There are pros and cons to any profession and being a sub has them as well.
Cons: 1) you are only as good as your last performance. If you are going through a difficulty in your life and find it hard to concentrate and slip on a note, you are known forever as someone who can never concentrate and always slip up.
2) You are often on the road. This create wear-and-tear on the car and your relationships. Sure there are tax advantages but a tax deduction is still an expense you have to pay at the time.
3) Probably the hardest part is creating an income stream and a life just so that you can be available to sub. It's pretty rare to be called for 8 services per week, every week to create a good steady income to support a family and make the bank happy. This might be possible if you are single in a large city but in a small city like mine, it is unlikely.
If you have a full-time 9-5, employers don't look too kindly to you saying, "Um, can I have Thursday and Friday off from mopping the floors (teaching kids, selling clothes, processing credit card reports, etc.) so I can be on stage with Christopher Plummer? He'll be reciting Shakespeare while I play music by Mendelssohn and Prokofiev!" (While thinking, "It's really important to me and I'll make $50/hour doing something I love instead of $10/hour at something I hate.") They'll at you like you are a freak and say, "No, stop living in a fantasy and get back to work."
This can be very challenging financially. It creates a roller coaster of money that makes life difficult to manage and plan for.
So, my niche of supporting income is supply teaching and teaching a couple of guitar students at home. I also played in a couple of slice-above-community orchestras where I was the big fish. The schedules were getting in the way of pro orchestra gigs so I'm dropping them as well.
A friend of mine in Montreal is a landlord and plays with the MSO and other Montreal ensembles. Other friends teach their own or other instruments from home or at a music establishment (this creates scheduling problems as well).
4) Music work is often on the weekend and/or at night so it cuts into family time.
Pros:
1) You get to play with various ensembles with various conductors in different halls and venues.
Since there are so few of us, often the bassist will be the only one who gets paid!
2) You get to play interesting music that you may not get to play if you are tenured in a particular genre ensemble. If you are the principal bassist of the Johan Strauss Jr. Waltz orchestra in period dress performing 8 shows a week in Vienna, you are pretty much stuck doing that. Several musicians I know who played in Phantom of the Opera orchestra almost went crazy from doing the show over 6000 times! (Although I know of one who paid cash for a house in Toronto from doing that.)
You might even be the only bassist available who gets called 20 minutes before the show and you end up sight reading in front of the audience. You get looked at as the hero musician who "saved the show!" (true story)
Since the bass can play just about any genre of music (as compared to, say, oboe or viola), you can be called to do just about anything. I've played Polish polka shows, Middle Eastern gigs, Celtic kitchen parties, Jazz in clubs, the 12 Haydn symphonies with period instruments, standard Classical concerts, Film music, bombastic Romantic symphonies, Broadway type musicals, Opera, various Church gigs, Last night at the Proms fundraisers, backed up Rock bands, Chamber music, Baroque ensembles, Educational shows and so on. (On the down side you need to know how to play in the style of each of these genre as well. Fortunately, we can get away a lot of the times by playing the root and fifth on beats 1 and 3!
)
3) You can often have time off to yourself when others are grinding away at a 9-5 job.
4) There are tax advantages to running your own business.
5) If the people you work with at a particular gig are jerks, you are not stuck with them.
I'm sure there are others but I've written enough for now.
There are pros and cons to any profession and being a sub has them as well.
Cons: 1) you are only as good as your last performance. If you are going through a difficulty in your life and find it hard to concentrate and slip on a note, you are known forever as someone who can never concentrate and always slip up.
2) You are often on the road. This create wear-and-tear on the car and your relationships. Sure there are tax advantages but a tax deduction is still an expense you have to pay at the time.
3) Probably the hardest part is creating an income stream and a life just so that you can be available to sub. It's pretty rare to be called for 8 services per week, every week to create a good steady income to support a family and make the bank happy. This might be possible if you are single in a large city but in a small city like mine, it is unlikely.
If you have a full-time 9-5, employers don't look too kindly to you saying, "Um, can I have Thursday and Friday off from mopping the floors (teaching kids, selling clothes, processing credit card reports, etc.) so I can be on stage with Christopher Plummer? He'll be reciting Shakespeare while I play music by Mendelssohn and Prokofiev!" (While thinking, "It's really important to me and I'll make $50/hour doing something I love instead of $10/hour at something I hate.") They'll at you like you are a freak and say, "No, stop living in a fantasy and get back to work."
This can be very challenging financially. It creates a roller coaster of money that makes life difficult to manage and plan for.
So, my niche of supporting income is supply teaching and teaching a couple of guitar students at home. I also played in a couple of slice-above-community orchestras where I was the big fish. The schedules were getting in the way of pro orchestra gigs so I'm dropping them as well.
A friend of mine in Montreal is a landlord and plays with the MSO and other Montreal ensembles. Other friends teach their own or other instruments from home or at a music establishment (this creates scheduling problems as well).
4) Music work is often on the weekend and/or at night so it cuts into family time.
Pros:
1) You get to play with various ensembles with various conductors in different halls and venues.
Since there are so few of us, often the bassist will be the only one who gets paid!
2) You get to play interesting music that you may not get to play if you are tenured in a particular genre ensemble. If you are the principal bassist of the Johan Strauss Jr. Waltz orchestra in period dress performing 8 shows a week in Vienna, you are pretty much stuck doing that. Several musicians I know who played in Phantom of the Opera orchestra almost went crazy from doing the show over 6000 times! (Although I know of one who paid cash for a house in Toronto from doing that.)
You might even be the only bassist available who gets called 20 minutes before the show and you end up sight reading in front of the audience. You get looked at as the hero musician who "saved the show!" (true story)
Since the bass can play just about any genre of music (as compared to, say, oboe or viola), you can be called to do just about anything. I've played Polish polka shows, Middle Eastern gigs, Celtic kitchen parties, Jazz in clubs, the 12 Haydn symphonies with period instruments, standard Classical concerts, Film music, bombastic Romantic symphonies, Broadway type musicals, Opera, various Church gigs, Last night at the Proms fundraisers, backed up Rock bands, Chamber music, Baroque ensembles, Educational shows and so on. (On the down side you need to know how to play in the style of each of these genre as well. Fortunately, we can get away a lot of the times by playing the root and fifth on beats 1 and 3!
)3) You can often have time off to yourself when others are grinding away at a 9-5 job.
4) There are tax advantages to running your own business.
5) If the people you work with at a particular gig are jerks, you are not stuck with them.
I'm sure there are others but I've written enough for now.
