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Thank you for your input. I agree. But as you know everything is subjective. This is not something someone hiring you would say or even a booking agent would tell you. You can be told anything. “Oh, I am so sorry, the customer has decided to go in a different direction” or some other excuse. No one in their right mind would actually come out and say something that rude for fear of some kind of retribution. After all it is their money, their celebration and their guests and venue.
In my case this was actually told to me by a booking agent with whom I had a great relations with. His response to this out of town client from the British Isle who was looking to book a harpist in the Detroit market after he said that he wanted a blonde, blue eyed, pretty girl, was “We can not descriminate like that. We can only find you the best harpist available.
The other matter that I address was my own research in comparing in different markets through out the USA, who was being booked, for how much, and the number of bookings compared to those of color or even gender. it was jaw dropping.
I know we have to do the best with our own set of circumstances. But it certainly was an eye opener. My original forum entry was just as George Carlin said was to vet by “Brain Droppings” and try and make sense of the things I could not control so as to have a better understanding as to how to rise above it.
Thank you so very much for your insights. Over the week I had thought about the number of times when I have referred male harpists, how some clients have seemed a little reticent to use them. I have had to really, really play up their credentials so that the client would see that I was referring a performing artist that would enhance their reception, retirement party, or pastorial celebration.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your generosity of spirit. You certainly have, as they say, “have made my day”. Thank you also for sharing your experiences, because this helps me in realizing that we all have something that we have learn is our reality that we accept, learn from, and keep moving forward.
Thank you so very, very much for your words of encouragement. I am so glad this forum was here so I could express what I was feeling to an understanding audience, but had just decided to keep it to myself. In light of what is really important, like what is going on with harpists, like Basal, it was something that had been eating away at me and I just needed tools to deal with as others have. Thank you all for sharing. “Onward and Upward, now.
Thank you also for your observations. I believe one of things I was commenting on was the deep, deep under cutting that some harpists are engaged in and those clients who are hiring them. Those that hirer, these harpists, take this as the price norm that the rest of we harpists should be happy to accept no matter what their professional expertise. We might think in terms of the way you phrased it, but a $175 for a VIP reception for the governor of Michigan is almost medieval. I do not believe that I said anything about about having something both ways. Thank you anyway for your insights.
Thank you for response. I should have mentioned that all I have to work with is an Ipad 2, which I just love. So I was looking for a free app that I could, through it’s settings, somehow get it to do what I need as far as putting clients information down and just have it at my fingertips. Not having been raised with computers, your first sentence kind of lost me because I do not know how to rig anything. This is a foreign language to me.
Onita
Sorry to hear about what happen. Welcome to the world of a jobbing harpist. There are many things going on here. The first thing is you were dealing with a person who is in a position to hire and fire as they see fit. Nothing personal. Just business. She cares little about how she has deeply wounded a fellow human being who depended upon her good will and honorable intentions. You are probably correct in assuming that she got some one cheaper. Maybe they are a relative. The bottom line is she did not have the backbone to deal with it one on one. Maybe she booked this individual long ago and forgot about it and doubled booked.
The second thing is “closure”. It is the not knowing why they did this? Why did they not answer or even return my calls. It is the big WHY. What did I do wrong? You did nothing wrong. They did in how they handled the situation. I once was working a couple of nights a week at a very scale restaurant. Just loving the job. One evening the maître d and I happen to be in be cloak room and he said to me “what’s that thing on the floor”. It was my termination notice. He also did not have the backbone to hand it to me or even tell me. Instead I was suppose to find it on the floor.
Just as the late George Carlin says here are some “brain droppings. Try to make at least you second or third contact with an individual, a phone call. Now that you have had this experience, your next thought should be about having a written contract. I am finding that the IRS is requiring the signing of a W-9. If that has not happened, be suspicious. Finally, I have the rule of two. If after two “reach outs”, there is no return phone call, emails, or any type of response, I drop all means of communication.
Believe it or not they feel you are stalking them, even though all you want is clarification. It’s not about right or wrong, it is just business. The big picture is you can still play your instrument and live on to bring Joy to others, mainly because you have proven that you have reason above this and become a more thoughtful and considerate person. All though having the job and the money would have been much better.Thank you so much for your remarks. All of us on the harp column site are very, very fortunate indeed to have your wonderful and generous as well as excellent thoughts.
There use to be a time when just purchasing the harp was my concern. Now we have to market ourselves, stay on top of the latest technology, and use it to our best advantage. Unless this was part of your educational background, or take the free classes at the library, or have children or relatives who know ths stuff, it can be overwhelming. It took me 8 years just to get an Ipad. I can not tell you how much this has meant to me to step into the 21st century. I do not mind paying for apps. Just wanted to make sure I was buying the right ones that will enhance what I am doing as well as what I need to do effectively.Mia I also greatly appreciate your insights.
Onita
The camscanner is.a free app. They do have a paid version with no ads on it. This what I mean when all you have to work with is an ipad 2 and no computer, you look for free apps and listen to computer related talk shows to get ideas. According to the reviews the camscanner has worked for me when I needed something to scan right away. I took the picture of it, sized it, brighten it up, and emailed it on the spot. The ideas that were mentioned so far have been great. I am sure they will help others, who in this Internet age must be on top of the business end of things and have to learn this on their own.
Onita
Everthing you both have said is new to me. My eyes just glaze over when I google for apps and get things which just completely miss the mark. I try a little bit each night on my ipad searching or I go to sites lie Dotto Tech, Kim Komando , even youtube. Many times I do not know what to ask or how to ask it. I did discover CamScanner which allows you to take a picture of say your contract for individual jobs. It will reshape, lighten it up and make it pretty good.
Onita
Thank you so much for the information. Just got Drop Box and am still learning how to use it. Just thought it was for my eyes only did not know you old share it with others like that.
Onita
At first, I was not going to offer any comments, until I realized, how important this subject is. In my van I bring with me at least three sets of repertoire. They are religious ,
folk and classical, and contemporary. I come to the event with a certain mind set of Sunday brunch, upbeat and jazzy, inspirational, or perhaps more classical and/ or folk.If it is a two hr job, play one hr solid with all memorized music. Take a 10 min break and start again with several selections memorized. At this point, I feel I can now introduce new music either classical , etc. pulled from my choices from above and conclude the set with memorized music..
I have played as long as an eight hour job ( Auto Shows, Mothers’ Day Brunch), so I have had to repeat. By hour three and four I most definitely will repeat. But, I will play it with a completely different arrangement. Perhaps as a waltz, next time with a swing feel, maybe even a la Mozart style.
Some times if I know I will be playing for a very, very long time, I will divide my music selections into groups. For example, all musical broadway shows ( My Fair Lady, Phantom of the Opera, even Show Boat). Maybe the next set would consist of a Michael LeGran medley or music all from the fifties or Stevie Wonder or perhaps an all jazz set. Even an all folk set. Yes there are lots of mind trips one can use to make it through. As the day gets longer so do the length of the breaks. I am also helped by the fact that I have a CD of my own recorded music which I use during break times. This gives the feel of non-stop music.
Do I repeat music? You bet I do. Do I play from memory only? Depends on the length of time. But I also use music. Even Pavoratti, used music on nationally televised events. There is nothing sacred about not using music on a casual reception, cocktail hr., or even wedding ceremony. I too, have had it said,” Oh, you played the whole time without using music”, knowing the comment came from someone who missed the time I did use it.
In general I play for the audience and what would be appropriate for the situation. I take myself out of the picture. So if they listen great. I remember seeing an old Candid Camera episode whose premise was,” Does anyone really listen to a cocktail pianist in a piano bar”? The pianist was playing beautifully, Misty. Everyone was talking loud and really into their conversations not paying any attention to the pianist. Suddenly the pianist begun playing every other melody note wrong. The patron nearest the pianist who was smoking and drinking and clearly the loudest, began to wince at every wrong note he payed. That image has stayed in my mind when I play a casual. So I make each rendition as if I am playing a recital.
So I guess what I am saying, the bottom line in these situations, if you can play from memory with out repeating yourself that is commendable. But, on the other hand using music and repeating selections, is just as great and can help one use valuable time in learning new music and judging the public’s reaction. After all, it is great being payed to practice for a change (SMILE AND GO FORTH).
Onita Samders
