Gigging Opportunities Overseas

[goldenmoose]

Hey,

Does anyone know of any gigging opportunities overseas? I am just looking for a break/something new. I also wouldn't mind living overseas for a little while.

I appreciate any help. Thanks for your time!

[jtuba]

Join the Army, see the world?

[imperialbari]

Join the Army, see the world?

That would be something I would do if I could. Playing in a military band would get you to be able to play at different bases. I am pretty sure you can do something like that and not actually have to fight can't you?

Not being American this topic has still had my interest. The consensus of a number of brass lists appears to be, that the only US band exempted from real soldiering even in wartime is the DC Marine band The President’s Own.

Klaus

[tubatooter1940]

Back in my day, Marine Corps bandsmen served as stretcher bearers in combat.

[imperialbari]

Would you want the field band, you might be a member of, take you to an extended combat situation, where your medical needs could not be taken care of?

Klaus, who has a friend with a fine non-military career not damaged by his diabetes

[imperialbari]

In my vision the military are not bereaving you of any opportunities. Rather they are making sure that your health and survival isn’t put at risk in situations, where the loss of you wouldn’t bring any military gains anyway.

I am not revealing anything about my political thinking through the above observation, which is based on knowing several officers privately.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

Again without political under- or overtones:

During the build-up for the 1st Gulf war a US army field band was sent to what I would guess was northern Saudi Arabia for entertainment/spirit boosting purposes. It was very soon detected that the sand in the air would soon destroy the instruments, which were packed down, and the musicians were “re-purposed” as camp sentries. A function obviously prepared for by the education of the players. To my knowledge that band didn’t end in actual combat, but another fate of war could have lead to such situation. Provision of insuline and/or diet food would never have become a top army priority.

Why couldn’t such band just have left “you” behind a desk at their homebase? Because military thinks in units rather than in individuals., And had the band come to playing, it would have missed one of its basses.

Go get good enough for an orchestra or an upper level teaching position, and you won’t miss the army.

Klaus, who was ditched at the Session, the mandatory-for-males Danish draft test, due to a joint condition (they rather would have had me in due to my test scores)

[PMeuph]

Do you play bass trombone ? or electric bass ?

You could try looking into Cruise Ship gigs .

They're not overseas, but they're over the sea...lol

[David Richoux]

When I joined the US Navy in late 1968 they were not taking too many rated musicians - I did audition out of High School and did not qualify, but they were ever refusing many college grad players.

The few actual musicians I met in my years of service had some very interesting stories to tell, especially those who were assigned to Admirals who didn't like having a band in their command. They ended up pushing bombs on the flight decks of the aircraft carriers they were on, or doing even worse tasks.

Not a good gig!

[euphoniumist]

I thought the saying was join the Navy see the world? The Navy is a lot different than back in the day, its a good gig, I live in Hawaii, and have the opportunity to see many parts of the world during a yearly cruise. Plus we don't do much "military" stuff anyways. Good times!

[imperialbari]

Most interesting to read the site of the Pacific Fleet band:

http://www.cpf.navy.mil/band/home%20page.html

Very small ship’s band, but with a great variety of sub-formations. Also funny to see the instrumentation cut-corner of one formation, revealed in a photo, but not in the text.

Klaus

[PMeuph]

This may be a longshot but I rember that the "Cirque du Soleil" was looking for original musicians for one of their shows last year.

There might be some other circus looking for musicians.

http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/Cirquedus ... .htm?lg=en

[imperialbari]

I'd do what ever Kalus says!!! He know everything!! Ask if he'll send you a sound file of his playing!!! Bet it's real good!

If you wanna be a bug, then rather be a windshieldbug. At least he contributes knowledge beyond cult promotion like this:

search.php?author_id=2169&sr=posts

Klaus