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:loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:
We just got back about an hour ago, and we are beat!
I had breakfast with one of the other musicians...one who was very kind to us when we arrived in our miserable state. She said everybody else has been grumbling about the gig and promises that were made, but not kept. And none of them have received contracts, either.
In a rather long nutshell, for those who are wondering what happened: I was hired to play for the Tulsa Opera at the beginning of September. The contractor told me I'd be needed to act as concertmaster (lead violin) for six services that were spread out between September and October. He told me that the opera company would cover airfare, accomodations, and that I'd have a car. He assured me that they would pay to fly me between DC and OKC and back 3 times. When I asked if I could bring my son, at my expense, he said it would be fine, and he said he'd even sit with him if necessary, which I would never ask him to do.
As the days went by, more services were added to the initial six, and I couldn't commit to the revised schedule, so I was hired to play the September performances only. Then I had to haggle over the promised rental car with a different person, who was handling accomodations, etc., being told that it wasn't their policy to rent cars for people, but they would...and, by the way, I'd be sharing this car with someone I'd never met.
After a horrible flight experience yesterday (we missed our connection in Atlanta), I finally arrived in OKC, and found that the car which was reserved for me had not been paid for. So I called the schmeck I had dealt with, told him (or rather, his answering machine), that I was paying for the car, and I expected full compensation by the opera company. Then I drove to the hotel, opened the door, and found that I was sharing a suite with someone in addition to my son. It was the last straw, and I called the person who hired me, and left a message to call me, because at that point I was sorely tempted to just turn around and go home. So he called back about 5 minutes later and told me that I'd be moved out of the room I was in for the evening, and that I'd be on the first plane home that they could get me on.
The lesson here is ancient...yet I never bothered to learn it.
Always, ALWAYS get a written contract. If it isn't in writing, it isn't worth crap.
:loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya::loveya:
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