This definition describes my husband & myself, as well as a number of our
musician friends, quite well, although the "particularily expert" part is
questionable, although we each have our strong points. I personally have
not made it a goal to make my living in music (unfortunately, I'm too
practical for that!) although I do occasionally audition for
"professional" choruses & am on the sub list for one that I auditioned
for last spring. We make music primarily for the love of music & in
thanks for the gift given to us by God. It is nice to get paid
occasionally, which I suppose technically makes us semi-professionals but
we don't try to make our living at it. The occasional money reminds me
that what I am pursuing has value. NOTHING is better than having someone
enthusiastically tell me that my performance has reached them in some
way!
I was taught concert etiquette in high school choir. I find it rather
discouraging when singing in choirs with adults that those same rules
have to be repeated b-4 every performance. This is amateurish behavior. A
professional attitude will allow you to be called for those paying
opportunities that come along when a group conducted by a voice teacher
or coach needs ringers, to be called when a singer is needed for a
funeral or a wedding or to get into those "amateur" choruses that are
being asked to make commercial recordings. There are others besides the
Robert Shaw Chorale & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir although their
"resumes" aren't likely to be as long!
To quote the old MGM films: "Art for art's sake!" & to paraphrase Chuck
Swindoll: "Rise above the level of mediocrity".
Pat Smith
Amateur Dramatic Soprano (who pulled off a Strauss piece at her
mom-in-law's memorial service this AM!)
On Sat, 23 Sep 2000 09:03:15 EDT dorisopran@a... writes:
>Do you mean "amateur"? It is possible to
> be
> amateur (literally, it means doing something for the love of it,
> rather
> than for money, and in centuries past, rather implied a
> particularly
> expert person who has devoted years to their subject: the shade of
> meaning has changed, rather as it has for "dilettante") and still
> take a
> professional attitude.
> --
> Linda Fox, Cambridge, UK
>
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