Who do you play for?

[tbn.al]

As today's society becomes more and more in tune with electronic media I am finding it less likely to participate as a musician or a patron in a live musical performance. Just wondering what kind of audiences, if any, you guys play for on a regular basis. Do they buy tickets? Do you accept donations? Also wondering if anyone has experience with a music club where members pay dues to cover expenses, music, hall, conductor etc. and the only audience is the members themselves. If so, how is it handled from an administrative point of view.

[David Richoux]

I play regularly with several bands and groups - including a 6 piece Trad/Dixie/Jazz group to a 50-80 member "Marching Rock-n-Roll band" to a "Free-form Community Marching Band" that all play for paid admission or free festivals, "cover/no cover charge" restaurants or clubs, private parties, weddings, funerals, parades, civic & political events (and some really strange & unclassifiable events! Ever been to a Humming Toadfish Festival? )

Probably easier to say where we don't play much (in any of my bands) - Concert Halls, Schools, and Churches. (although the jazz band has done a few music history performances at local high schools.)

I don't expect to be paid for about half of my gigs (although the band may get some "appearance money" or equivalent - that goes to cover our expenses.) For unpaid events we usually will accept tips, depending on the situation.

We NEVER do "Pay to Play" performances (That is some low budget rock nightclubs do - make the bands sell tickets or pay a minimum fee to perform on their stage!)

[Chadtuba]

I posted for the school group mainly because I am the teacher and most of my "performances" are in that role in front of one of my bands or choirs. When I actually get the opportunity to actually play I usually play with community groups. The local community band I play is does not charge dues or anything like that, but does accept donations. The brass band I play in (once a year) does have a small fee but it is considered a workshop fee even though we all know it isn't a workshop. The fee helps to cover music costs and some of the administrative work need to get this group going each year.

[tofu]

Our audiences have never been bigger to the point that for some indoor concerts we have had to change to a bigger venue. Outdoor concerts the space has been stretched to capacity and is one of the reasons permanent seating for part of the space is being installed later this summer in order to increase capacity. While I'd like to attribute part of the surge to us reaching new musical heights I think some of it has to be the recession forcing folks to stay local vs traveling as well as looking for cheaper entertainment. To travel into the city to see the CSO, where even the cheap seats will set you back a few bucks, combined with parking, dinner etc. can easily set you back $400 for a family of four vs seeing a nice summer concert in the park with a picnic dinner on the lawn under the stars and the total cost for dinner is probably under $50. You also don't have the hassle of driving into the city or the worry of some crazy gangbanger taking a few pops at you downtown. It used to be they just shot each other, but now anybody seems to be fair game.

[Carroll]

I had a little difficulty deciding how to cast my vote. MOST of my playing (1-2 times per week) is with a jazz big band or combo playing for folks to dance. They do not really come to "listen" to us so their tickets are not to a "concert". We do get paid. I chose music club because we often play at dance clubs and that seemed close.

The other playing I do is mixed between patron tickets sales for the Brass Band and Wind Ensemble, free concerts with the Community Band, and playing at church (where the pay is greatest... but delayed).

[bort]

Community band and orchestra concerts. Some are free, some are not. Some are actual tickets, some are "suggested donations."

[suomi01]

I voted play for pay, the tuba euphonium ensemble usually performs at retirement communities in the area that have an activity budget for such groups. The brass band that I perform with plays 4 free concerts open to the public and we do accept donations at those events. That band does play one public performance for a fee on July 4, as that does require our members to be present on a public holiday.

[bearphonium]

The majority of my bands play for free in a community band setting. Two are dues supported, one is donation supported. The Tuba Ensemble gets paid for some of the gigs we do and also has dues. The Tuba Ensemble then turns the money into scholarships for local low brass students, either HS or university. The marching band does get paid for a gig occasionally. All paid gig $$ goes into the treasury to fund expenses.

[ppalan]

I play with a variety of groups from Brass Quintet to Symphony Orchestra. The group that books the most gigs however is German-style band.(We try to be more than an "Oom-pah" group.) We do between 30 and 40 gigs per year...all of them paid by the venue. (German Clubs, municipalities, private individuals, restaurants, etc.) Another group with which I work as musical director, is a community-type concert band made up mostly of alumni from my high school days. We play concerts in the park, Senior Citizen homes, hospitals, etc. The group charges a fee but no one is paid. The money goes to a scholarship fund for parochial high school students involved in the schools music department. (So far we've raised nearly $50,000) I play with a variety of community orchestras only one of which pays. The Brass Quintet plays mainly liturgical services which are typically paid from a church music fund.

[rodgeman]

I play with a church group which got me int playing tuba from bass trombone. I think I am going to play with a community college band or orchestra in the fall.

[MartyNeilan]

either myself,
God,
or a combination of the above.

If other people want to listen, and if they sometimes want to pay for the privilege, so much the better.