SUCCESS

By Jerome Kessler

I am pleased to announce that I am now a Success.

In the freelance music business, you start out by doing auditions, then getting sub work, taking every gig you can get, and networking, always networking.

But now, after 59 years in the business, I am an overnight Success.

Last week, a cellist colleague had to get out of an orchestra gig. He proposed me as a sub. The contractor turned me down. She said I was over-qualified.

Look Ma, I’ve made it!

A friend asked me, what does it mean to be over-qualified? I think there’s one of three reasons:

1. They want to see younger faces in the orchestra;

2. They don’t want a conductor sitting there, glaring up at their younger, less-experienced conductor;

3. Both of the above.

How could I prove I’m not over-qualified? By playing the gig and screwing it up. But I can’t do that,

because I didn’t get the gig, because I’m over-qualified.

No matter. I’ll take it. I’m a Success!

Now I could rest on my laurels, but laurels have thorns that would bruise my buns. So I’ll just have to takethis standing up: I’ll get new business cards, to announce my new appellation:

JEROME KESSLER

CELLO

Over-Qualified