Being There by Robert Rawlins
One man's experience renews his belief that dedicated musicians have a future in the business
Earlier in life I earned my living from music as a full-time performer, and it was not until I started regularly teaching college courses that I cut back on these activities. When I assumed my current position as music-department chairman, I limited my professional engagements even further by taking only jobs that I expected would be rewarding or (to be honest) easy.
I regularly turned down offers for extended shows, knowing these situations would be too time consuming, and it had been many years since I'd played a steady musical job involving an every-day commitment. So when a call came last spring from the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia asking if I was interested in playing Hello, Dolly!, I was ready to say no, as usual.
In fact, I did say no. But the contractor seemed to sense the hesitance in my voice and came back with, "It's only four weeks, and it's during the summer. You're not so busy at the college during the summer, are you?"
That was all it took, and before I knew it I was making my daily commute to the theater for eight shows a week. The experience resulted in something of a paradigm shift for me. Knowing what people do for a living is one thing, but to actually be there (or be there once again, as was the case for me) is something else. I learned or was reminded of many things during those four weeks, the most obvious one being: Musicians work hard.
Educators use the expression "time on task" to describe the amount of time that students actually spend doing something productive. When all the details of the day are taken into account — such as taking roll, passing out papers, giving instructions and a myriad of other activities — amazingly little time is left for actual learning.
The same can be said of the average workday. Since most of my present duties involve office work, I know this to be true. Accumulated minutes add up to hours that are spent looking up files, making telephone calls, answering questions and talking to coworkers. A much smaller percentage is spent writing, thinking, calculating and making decisions.
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The Walnut Street Theatre is America's oldest theater and Philadelphia's most popular theater company since 1809. Each season, from September through early July, the mainstage and two studio theaters present a mix of classic and new comedies, dramas and musicals. |
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At the same time, the experience of working regularly with the best musicians in the business is exhilarating. There is no describing the soaring feeling of being swept up in the collective sound of an orchestra that is impeccably in tune with rock-solid rhythmic accuracy. And the camaraderie is precious. Musicians seem to share a mutual language, similar experiences and a common view of society.
Musicians can sometimes become jaded about the state of the music business, but rarely about their professional commitment. It was impressive to see the orchestra members entering the pit an hour before show time, warming up thoroughly on their instruments and continuing to work on troublesome passages many weeks into the show. They believe passionately in what they are doing and are devoted to producing the best product they can.
I once read a story told by Artie Shaw describing a luncheon engagement he'd had with Benny Goodman. You would expect the conversation would revolve around the music business, the entertainment market, finances or recording contracts. Not so. Supposedly, all Benny wanted to talk about was reeds, mouthpieces and practicing the clarinet.
This is not unusual in the music business. Musicians talk incessantly about their craft, constantly experiment with equipment and never stop trying to improve. One member of the orchestra, after decades in the music business, had plans to begin lessons with a certain specialist on his instrument in an effort to take his playing to the next level.
Musicians are dedicated not only to the physical part of their profession, but to the artistic side as well. I was surprised to find members of the orchestra listening to music in the dressing room before the show.
Back in the 1930s, the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young was in the habit of asking fellow musicians whom he had not seen in a while, "Have you been listening? Are you keeping up?"
Seventy years later, the best musicians are still "keeping up" with the latest developments in their profession. They make an effort to seek out the best recordings being made today in various genres, whether or not they ever become popular enough to reach the general public. By doing so, they support the work of their peers.
As a music-department chairman, I often think about the futures of our nearly 200 music majors. Presumably, almost all will ultimately teach or perform music for a living, most likely a combination of both. What does the future hold for them? Will the profession still exist several decades from now?
Of course it will. There have been musicians throughout recorded history, and there will be musicians as long as civilization lasts on this earth. The reason I believe this to be true is that the performance is the product. Just as fans attend baseball games to see athletes toss and bat a ball around the field, so do audiences come to hear and watch musicians create music.
It was so reassuring to see members of the audience, some bringing their children, walk up to the orchestra pit during intermission or after the show to see how the music is created. Nobody in his right mind would want to walk to the pit and look down at electronic equipment playing prerecorded music.
As we within the university train musicians for the profession, it is wonderful to know that musicians are out there "in the trenches," carrying out their duties with skill and dedication. It is even more gratifying to know that they are appreciated and acknowledged by those who employ them, those who work alongside them and those who come to hear them.
All told, I have a renewed confidence in the future of our business.
Dr. Robert Rawlins is chairman of the music department at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. He is the author of A Simple and Direct Guide to Jazz Improvisation (Hal Leonard, 1995) and Intermediate Serial Duets for Two Flutes (Southern Music, 1990).
