SOME PEOPLE!!!!

[Julietta Anne Rabens]

Sorry to hear about this, David, and it is frustrating. I think many people have little or no comprehension or empathy about what it is to be a professional musician. They don’t understand the investment, the high level of expertise involved, or what it means to depend on the income for your livelihood. It can be more true if the person has a little bit of musical experience on an amateur level and associates the experience with having fun and relaxing after work. I’m not sure what can be done to correct the problem.

I recently conducted a beginning harp workshop as a volunteer. It is a gig that takes up the better part of a day because all harps are provided for the participants which requires time to move and tune, etc. I do this to build a harp studio at a local community music school which I have been building from scratch for the past couple of years and to promote the local music store that sells harps and provides harp circles to promote the instrument. The music store is generous in donating the use of four harps for the workshop, and I bring three of my own. At the beginning a woman whom I don’t know enters and announces a local harp circle and that the participants “teach each other”. I should have asked if any have a doctorate and two master degrees in music as I have earned, if any donated the use of their instruments for this event, or if any helped me schlep seven harps all morning in ninety plus degree weather. She effectively recruited at least one for the “teach each other” model. I remained laid-back during the incident and it took a while for me to realize what was occurring in the moment, but I felt quite discouraged on the ride home. I don’t think the woman intended the nature of her action, but simply had no comprehension about it. I wrestled over whether to mention it here, but I think it is important for people to be aware and realize that they should think through how they promote their own services and if they are doing it in a context that is benefiting entirely from the extensive hard work and generosity of others who are trying to promote a service.

[joseph-pagani]

It happens so much more! I remember my first gig with my Harp Ensemble a woman actually leaned on my teacher’s soundboard, drink in hand, like it was just a chair! So my teacher gave her a quick elbow when she was playing so the woman left. I think that was the worst one, but some people just walk up and touch the strings or the column and it drives me crazy!

[carl-swanson]

Julietta- Go to her harp circle with a handout that lays out what you offer and the advantages of having a teacher. Don’t ask her for permission to do this. Just walk in and give them out and announce whatever you want. She may complain to you or she may steam in silence. If she complains, just tell her that she opened the door to this by showing up unannounced at your event without asking permission and did the same thing.

[Julietta Anne Rabens]

That sounds like a potentially effective strategy, Carl. I’ll put some thought to it, but will have to consider a few more aspects of context.

[kay-lister]

My thoughts here are to set the standards, don’t lower the bar.

[carl-swanson]

Julietta- You could try something else. Go to one or two of the harp circle meetings and play. When the people in the group see that you can play circles around them-and they will probably bombard you with questions during the meeting-tell them(with a big smile on your face) that you teach harp and would love to have any of them as a student.

[Julietta Anne Rabens]

Good thoughts Kay and Carl. I’m not a conflict oriented person, so I don’t think I’ll take an aggressive response, and I mostly posted to increase awareness, but I very much appreciate the input. The non-confrontational advice from Carl and Kay sounds especially helpful for me or anyone else trying to resolve this sort of issue.

Kay’s comments are important about not lowering behavior because the only person who would understand the context is the one who started the bad behavior. As far as everyone else is concerned, I would be initiating a problem, but I do appreciate the encouragement to solve a problem and be assertive. I do know this is how many problem behaviors begin. The woman who entered my program might have been reacting to something that happened to her and she was executing her own justice with me as the bystander. At the same time it does require a kind of assertiveness, that doesn’t perpetuate negativity. It is tough negotiating the hugely complex human interactions that result in a field that is unregulated by standards, and in which it takes tremendous effort to build up a livelihood.

[Misty Harrison]

Carl’s last post is what I would do even though I hate conflict and confrontation.

Just go happily and play once or twice without any intention of anything other than doing just that because it will show your level and the quality of what you have to offer.

Then you can also realize that birds of a feather flock together and any potential students who turn to her ring instead of you might not truly be students you would want to have anyway since it seems like they’re not willing to make the investment mentally or financially or the committment or something

[Misty Harrison]

whether the woman intentionally advertised or just felt she was sharing an opportunity is not really an issue

no matter what there is a question of ethics involved

and it might be good to stay clear of someone with ethics so questionable that they either thought they could get away with that or that they didn’t recognize it was inappropriate.

[Misty Harrison]

david’s post should be a category of it’s own now

coffee break

harps and accessories

some people!!!

professionals

teachers

[steven-amazeen]

I played regularly at a country club for 11 years and often had the children of the members come up to me with wide eyes and watch me play.

[shelby-m]

That’s too cute – little harp bodyguards!

I think that when performing in busy venues, it might be a good idea if we all had some of those velvet dividers to protect our harps from crazy idiots!

[Sarah Mullen]

Steve, that story is horrifying!

[steven-amazeen]

Very effective little bodyguards!

[steven-amazeen]

It

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