European Music Scene

administrator

I'm very interested to know what the European music scene is like. Especially the amateur / semi-pro scene. I live in a medium-sized city in the USA but there are almost no playing opportunities here for me. I am on the backup list for a local amateur orchestra and that's about it. The nearest professional orchestra is a minimum of 5 hours away, either north or south.

What's it like in Europe?

barliman2001

Very much depends on WHERE in Europe...

Trumpetb

It would be wrong of me to suggest that the prospects are anything but very poor,

barliman is quite correct it depends where you are.

I see musicians on the gigging circuit making nothing. I see some making a little. we are talking about local bands and bands on european tours.

I see busking musicians making nothing but a few dollars a week only, I see busking musicians not even covering their travel expenses.

A few months ago I got some work as a session musician for a local band who were cutting a track in the studio for an upcoming album and made almost nothing.

I have done some film work and that was disappointing and not worth my time, but we do this for networking and career opportunities, it aint just for money.

The scuttlebutt is that there is money to be made, but when I challenge the people who claim there is work they usually come up empty handed.

I have appeared on stage several times and never been paid anything for it.

I have sat in with several brass bands and that has always been disappointing.

I think you need to do some research, cultivate connections with bands, do some networking.

Lockdown killed everything and it still has not recovered.

My saddest moment was seeing a major star with an entourage with no gigs and looking lost. How the mighty have fallen during lockdown.

There are no real audiences around most of the time the audiences have dwindled away to almost nothing.

You need to be in an established band to get work whether that be brass, jazz, blues, ska, big band, or orchestra.

Small ensembles do get work for weddings and some promotions but I wouldnt hold out much hope there.

I would point you in the direction of jazz pop funk ska and motown bands. But often they have to travel widely to get work.

Get yourself to jazz/blues clubs and venues and make some contacts there. They often advertise the acts and genres in advance so you can plan which days to turn up. They often also do jam nights so you can sit in and be recognised.

Walk in holding your instrument that will be your calling card.

I am thinking that my comments so far will sound very familiar to you in your home town. Music is everywhere so the problems will be the same everywhere.

I was invited a few times to sit in with a couple of jazz bands based solely upon their seeing me carrying my instrument under my arm, but that is very rare.

Research the cities you will visit on the internet before you go and check out the websites of local music venues and bars, many have closed down, I recently visited a night spot for a jam night and they had closed down without pulling the adverts. Dont make that mistake.

Make some contacts and some arrangements.

We make our own success in this world but this will take a lot of effort. I wish you well with it.

As for travelling, I have travelled across europe and managed to take trumpets and cornets in the under seat storage in the aircraft cabin. Cornets fit in the smallest bags allowed in the cheapest airline cabins. And a good cornet will help you sound great when you get there.

If you are going to put yourself in the position of gigging you might as well sound great and a have a ball doing it.

ROWUK

There are wind town bands all over Germany, most with no chance to earn money. There is also a fair amount of freelance work, but a lot of that is being covered by professional musicians with music jobs. Getting a break means having the right teacher and playing well enough for them to want to take you instead of another pro that could also offer them gigs in return.

barliman2001

@administrator If you think of coing over and making a living off music - forget about it. The few paying jobs there are will usually go to the local guys, with the proper hive smell about them.
Covid-19 killed off many venues and chances for paid music, and now inflation is smothering the rest. Why are there currently so many good musical instruments for sale online? Yes, it's because professionals are selling their instruments or at least their backups just to eat and stay warm.
As for mere playing opportunities - if you don't want money for it, still plentiful. Many bands out there welcoming players for a sit-in. If you want to try this - welcome.

administrator

No, I mean opportunities to play. I'm not concerned about making a living but are there amateur orchestras and bands and how good are they, generally speaking?

barliman2001

@administrator There are amateur orchestras aplenty, with very different standards. And there are amateur orchestra projects that differ even more widely. On the top end, there are companies out there offering orchestra projects for amateurs to join, with top-class coaches and conductors (I've booked my next project already, in Sicily in April www.dacapo-travel.eu), in exciting locations, with warmth and good food thrown in (http://www.musicandoitaly.com/en/stageitaly.html). These are highl recommendable as they offer real musical class and the chance of being a member of a high quality orchestra (many of the people attending these are retired professionals). I've been attending such workshops for some years now, and have found new friends (amongst them the former Principal Trumpet of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra) and played in very special settings... pics to follow...

barliman2001

@barliman2001
Pistoia, 2022

With the Vienna Klezmer Orchestra in Lviv/Ukraine

Playing Repiano Cornet with the Vienna Boy Scouts' Band

Playing a large-scale ball in Munich, with my main big band (www.bbmf.de)

administrator

That's great, that's what I wanted to know!