How has everyone been?
I just finished 3 weeks of gigs (more on this later), and I am looking forward to some time off to regain my musical "sense" (I have a few weeks possibly).
Since April, I have continued to work multiple jobs at a public school, while teaching dance and music. In May I played with YOLA (Youth Orchestra of Lewiston/Auburn) at an old mansion house in Auburn-- that was fun. They told me that I was officially on the board-- O.k.!
I finished more BHP training, along with CPR, began a summer class on my graduate thesis, and finished a spring semester at USM.
At the end of May I played a barn raising at Norlands Living History Center. Two weeks later I played at the Civil War reenactment with a student. The people are what make this place "living" still, and I am glad to part of everything. In July I will be playing lute at a dinner party there.
At the beginning of June I began playing for "Full Monty" at MSMT. I somewhat signed my life away, and began 3 weeks of visiting Brunswick on a daily basis, moving students around, getting out of the public school job early, and adjusting my sound to fit with what the music director wanted. The pay was better than community theatre, but the schedule and bureaucracy was not worth it.
Let me explain...
I had to get a substitute guitar player for my last show. I alerted everyone that I had to do this, sent out emails and asked around for possible candidates (2 weeks prior to the date the sub was needed). I found someone and sent them the sheet music, a recording of the show, and met them after a few days to go over any issues with the music. The person was sure of many parts of the music, and had trouble with others, but they promised to practice until they would meet me to watch me play the show (and mimic me) twice before the day they would sub. They did just that, and I met with the person the Thursday before the Saturday I would miss. After the show, the music director mentioned their apprehension with having this person sub for me and asked me who else I had in mind (so late to the game?). The music director found a way to play my parts on the piano, and eventually they did this for the last show. Over the span of the two days before I left, I received a phone call from the executive music director threatening me with reprimands and legal issues due to breach of contract (although I followed the rules for getting the sub-- it was not my problem that he was not accepted-- bad first impression?). I have still not heard anything about what reprimand I am to received, but the theatre owes me one last hefty check, and I will be doing the math to see what fee I have incurred for following their rules. I played almost 30 shows and missed one, that I planned for properly, but egos attempt to rule out. Too bad my expertise is in organizational psychology...
You can't get away having double standards.
The Saturday that I missed the play, I was with EOS playing a wedding in Newry, Maine. It was well-received, and we sounded great. https://www.facebook.com/EveryOtherSunday?fref=ts
I now have a few weeks off before I play again at the Norlands, possibly another Jeroba Jump gig, a wedding, a community theatre play, and then the fall season of weddings and plays all over again (I am booked up through December with plays).
Now, if you excuse me, I have a lawn (forest) to mow.
Take care!
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