Chicago Classical Music

This week’s guest blogger is June Matayoshi, an active free-lance oboist and English hornist in Chicago. She is a member of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra.

Over the last 20 years, I have traveled hundreds—no, THOUSANDS of miles to play in orchestras and other groups as a Chicago free-lance musician. The incredible expense that one takes on being a free-lance musician would probably baffle most full time working professionals.

For eighteen years, I traveled to play with the Northwest Indiana Symphony A typical concert week would cover a span of five days and would include four rehearsals and a concert totaling twelve hours of playing time. In addition, I would be in the car a total of 15 hours or more that week, putting an average of 400 miles on my car. A run like this would net me about $350-$400. This includes a mileage allowance. For over 10 years, I had been fortunate to be a member of three orchestras that each played one concert a month. Regional orchestras try to plan their schedules around each other since so many of the musicians play in multiple orchestras. Those of us who have not made it into one of the major orchestras jump in our cars almost every week to play in orchestras and other ensembles 25-100+miles away from Chicago. with rehearsals in Munster, and concerts in Merrillville, Indiana.

A professional free-lance musician is like any other self-employed person.We take care of our own health insurance, car expenses and maintenance, and a medley of usual living expenses. Saving for retirement would also be nice to add to the mix, although often it is not. When you add everything up, this is hardly a living wage for many who have spent a great deal of time and money developing their art.

The younger musicians getting out of college now are traveling even further distances. It is common for Chicago musicians go as far as Rockford, Springfield, Southwest Michigan, South Bend, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Dubuque and Madison to play in orchestras or chamber ensembles just to have a chance to perform. The pay scales are often even less than that of Northwest Indiana. The last time I was hired to go to South Bend, the going rate was $65 per service (note: a rehearsal and performances are counted as one service each). From Chicago, that’s a 200 mile round trip! And with the price of gas and tolls, not to mention one’s time, it is hardly worth it.

And yet, pursuing one’s art has been the same through the ages. We are passionate about what we do, no matter what the cost.

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• Classical Music
• Musicians
• Chicago Sinfonietta

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