What do you think about...

[Michael Bush]

Wow. 37% is, relatively speaking, a *lot*. Far from "defunded." I'm surprised any state university in the country gets that much funding from taxpayers.

That's why I refer to the moral/ethical claim of the land grant acts. The taxpayers, through legislatures, in many states no longer provide enough funding to justify the level of influence they have on purely financial grounds. For most institutions, these decisions need to be made locally on the assumption that even "public" institutions are usually tuition driven, philanthropy supported schools. The state is a major donor whose gift is appreciated but not taken for granted.

[PMeuph]

Wow. 37% is, relatively speaking, a *lot*. Far from "defunded." I'm surprised any state university in the country gets that much funding from taxpayers.

It's funny how perspective can be different sometimes, because the least funded Canadian university gets 41% in transfer payments and the most 69%.

http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/educ47a-eng.htm

Despite all the funding, all the universities are calling for more money and cutting back as much as they can.(Indeed, were I currently study, they added an extra 800$ a year for lessons for performance studies. Music students now pay the total sum of the salary their studio teacher is being paid.)

University funding is one thing and so is university spending. It's usually easier to ask for the first than to cut back the later.

[toobagrowl]

Back when I was in college ("conservatory") most or all chamber ensemble and wind ensemble performances were free. But the symphony and opera performances cost money. We got comp tickets (usually two each) to give to friends or family. Students from any school could get in free if they showed valid i.d. from their school.
We (students) received no pay from the tickets sold at symphony and opera performances. The school kept the money from those tickets


Edit: I just checked my Alma mater and they are now charging for wind ensemble and various chamber ensemble performances. And these are student performances. There are only a few performances that are free at this school!
I was there from 2000 - 2004. Things (cost) have changed just in the last 7 years...

[sloan]

Do they charge for football performances?

[cjk]

Do they charge for football performances?

I don't like ball and stick sports. However, I really don't think that paying to go see a competition like football is comparable to paying to go see kids play wrong notes in a performance of 8 dead guys' greatest hits.

[TUBAD83]

Do they charge for football performances?

Excellent question and we all know the answer to that. In Texas, every college athletics program from the University of Texas (which made between 60-70 MILLION dollars last year) on down to the least known (and least successful) program is subsidized by taxpayer money--NO exceptions. When I was in school at the Univ. of Houston, all concerts were free--today they charge about 5 to 20 dollars per concert or you can purchase seasons tickets for around 100 bucks for the entire year--I spend 40-50 dollars just going to 1 football game. So if you have a problem with state university music departments charging for concerts, shouldn't you have an even BIGGER problem with athletic departments (especially those who generate MILLIONS of dollars) that do it? Quick question--which department you think has the bigger budget?

JJ

[PMeuph]

Quick question--which department you think has the bigger budget?

[toobagrowl]

Two weeks ahead plus four 2.5 hour rehearsals? That sounds pretty loose. Sign me up! If someone can't cut that without sweating it, they're not a "professional."

I would imagine that the top conservatory students are involved in more than one ensemble. They are not "professionals," but all can't be lumped into this "spoiled rich kid" category either.

+ 1

I agree. That seems like a pretty generous schedule.

My last year at college (conservatory), I was playing in five ensembles and had to get my recital and finals done. I felt pressured and tired the last few months doing all that.

After graduation, I played in a small "po-dunkish" orchestra for a few years and would get a call for an outside gig every now and then. I sight-read a couple gigs on the spot - one of them a wedding gig.

Recently, one of my brass quintets had one rehearsal for one hour including new music we have never seen before. The gig is this coming Sunday.

The quintet gigs tend to pay, but I don't make a living from it.

IMO, a true pro needs very little rehearsal for most gigs.

The L.A. studio tubaists are probably laughing at this thread.


too "most impressed by L.A. studio musicians" ba

[Biggs]

The L.A. studio tubaists are probably laughing at this thread.


too "most impressed by L.A. studio musicians" ba

Way WAY +1. This is a kind of playing/working that transcends 'natural' to become 'automatic.'

[tclements]

It's too bad it has come to this, but with rising budgets, and shrinking funding by the institution, it has become a harsh reality.