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Hi all,

What I would like to know is:

What is the best opportunity to play a GIANT gig, that you did NOT do for one are another reason?
I'll give an example: You were asked to replace Paul Halwax in the vienna philharmonic, but you did not go because your cat was sick. Or similar.

I would like to know how bad you felt about not doing it. Do you still regret it after 40 years, or were you over it after one day already?

In my case, I could do the 'All England Masters' brass band contest in May, in the championship division as second euphonium.
I can sadly not do it, because I simply have no time left in my diary. (doing construction works in my house) Bad luck.

How about you all?

bye (wondering alongside a strong belgian beer)

Nothing hugely dramatic. I was asked to play Elgar Dream of Gerontius, a work I would really LOVE to play last May, but had to turn down because I was already booked to play the Gregson Tuba Concerto that same evening.

Sometimes I am just too busy with too many gig opportunities (I know a nice situation to be in ) - I think the most has been asked to play in four gigs the same evening!

Jonathan "who hopes Gerontius will come around another time"

This pains me EVERY time I think about it. In the past year or so, I have had to turn down 8 of 9 calls to play with the MAJOR symphony orchestra located just an hour south of where I live in Ohio. Unfortunately, Uncle Sam is not always flexible and he pays my health insurance. Needless to say, my phone has stopped ringing from the personnel manager

The only thing that makes me feel a little better about this is when I can make my mortgage payment each month, without worry. At least my current gig is steady. Unpredictable, but steady...

There is a story about a tubist with a top 10 orchestra who was sick and needed a sub for a recording session. Seems the first person on the list had a date that night that lasted until the next morning (if you get the drift). The next person on the list got the gig. Of course this was before cell phones.

Not the most exciting tuba part, but it would have been a good paying gig:

Nutcracker Ballet

I couldn't do it because the orchestra demanded attendance at every rehearsal and at every one of the eight performances--in December, when there are so many other gigs and performances going on (and already booked). That was just too much schedule adjustment to make it possible.

Fortunately, or perhaps UNfortunately, I can almost always accomodate the truly great gigs I get called on.

I'm equally grateful that one particular booker only called me for a gig after I'd booked something else that day. In a way, I really wish I could have done one of them, because they were legendarily bad. Since that man is now dead, I won't have the chance.

What I really hate is having to turn down a last minute paying job due to a commitment to a non-paying community orchestra or band. I wouldn't call those great, since they are last minute, but still...

This is more in terms of a steady gig than a one nighter. Back when the symphony here was a per-service job, I was invited to audition. Of course, in those days, it only paid 3-4 k a year, and I told the manager I just couldn't work for that, my naive self unaware that I would have gotten numerous students, session and live work. My chops weren't in the best condition at the time - doing mostly bass work, but then, you never know. Long story short, Gil Long had just come back into town and, of course, got the gig, which he still has. The symphony just won an arm load of Grammies last year. Still, I gotta wonder.

Ike