<p>Like musicprnt, my posts were focused on the medical/injury aspects of playing in pit orchestra.</p>
<p>I think the OP muddied the water with her (righteous) indignation about insulting treatment. That’s a different issue. Since Mozart’s time and before, musicians have been treated like servants, dressed in livery, made to eat in the servants’ quarters, etc. You may think, based on the celebratization of a few performers that musicians are valued in our society more than they are-- but the reality is that, for purposes of survival most musicians take on a variety of work, some of which is quite far from ego-affirming. It’s something to get used to sooner than later. </p>
<p>On the other hand, it’s important to behave like a professional and to treat others in a professional way, always. That means keeping commitments (drop out of pit orchestra <em>after</em> the show, unless too injured to perform.) </p>
<p>I stand by what I wrote before: all musical “opportunities” are not equal. There are many factors. Don’t take work, even paid work, if it’s going to put you in danger of a career-jeapordizing injury. That sounds like simple common sense, but when you are in the trenches it is sometimes hard to tell what to do, when an opportunity comes in. And as you know, work begets work. Once you have a reputation for professionalism, more opportunities will roll in, and the timing is not always healthy, especially with a student schedule that includes many hours of playing and practicing. An injury will put all that on hold-- and my necessitate a leave of absence, or worse, from conservatory. It’s not worth it.</p>
<p>I suspect that some of the parents posting here, and I recognize their generosity and strong ethical intent, may not be completely aware of the potential for serious injury to a string player by sustained, repetitive playing. I know many (too many) young string players, several years into conservatory training, following a huge investment of time, energy and their family finances, who are struggling to recover from tendinitis, nerve damage, and other injuries brought on by overuse.</p>