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Q. : Do the musicians in the OSM work only 20 hours a week? Q. : What type of schedule do you have? Q. : What kind of training is necessary to become a musician? Q. : How much do you spend on your instruments? Q. : What is the salary of an OSM musician? Q. : What is life like when the OSM goes on tour? Q. : How do you prepare for a concert at Carnegie Hall? Q. : How is a musician chosen to become a member of the OSM?

Welcome to our forum for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). We would like to take this opportunity to answer some questions you may have about being a musician in the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM). Q. : Do the musicians in the OSM work only 20 hours a week? No. The musicians charge the OSM for 20 hours of work. These 20 hours are devoted exclusively to rehearsals and concerts and are the norm in the symphonic world. However, they represent only a portion of a week’s workload. In addition to these 20 hours, a musician practices approximately 15 non- remunerated hours to prepare the various works performed at OSM concerts, and to maintain the level of mastery of his or her instrument. As a comparative example, the law for employment insurance recognizes a 35-hour work week in orchestras where musicians work as employees. Q. : What type of schedule do you have? Our schedule is extremely variable. The musicians of the OSM are not given any regular fixed day off. Rehearsals and concerts can take place any morning, afternoon or evening of the week, making it almost impossible to participate in activities outside of work, such as following a course, being a member of a team sport, or accompanying children to their various scheduled events. Q. : What kind of training is necessary to become a musician? It takes many years to master an instrument. Music lessons begin at an early age; string players usually start at the age of 7 or 8, while wind and brass players begin studies when they are 10 to 15 years old. Private lessons are pursued in the evenings or on weekends, and students practice an average of two hours a day in addition to their regular schoolwork. Aspiring orchestral musicians continue their training at a university or music conservatory, earning a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Students at this level spend five to six hours a day practicing their instruments in addition to time devoted to their academic studies. During the summer months, musicians participate in master classes, orchestral training programs and music festivals where they acquire crucial experience towards a career as an orchestral player. In many cases, a musician will continue with post-graduate studies at an American university or European academy. Q. : How much do you spend on your instruments? According to a survey among OSM musicians, the value of the instruments owned and provided by the members of the orchestra amounts to approximately $7, 000, 000. The price range of string instruments varies enormously. For example, a violin, viola, cello or double bass built by a modern instrument maker can cost over $40, 000, while a great 18th century Italian instrument is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. As for woodwind instruments, their cost also varies considerably, starting around $5, 000 for a clarinet and $8, 000 for an oboe; these instruments have to be replaced after a period of five to ten years of use. Flutes are worth about $25, 000 and bassoons, $45, 000. In the brass section, trumpet players need to own at least six different instruments, which together add up to a value of around $30, 000. A french horn can cost up to $25, 000, a trombone or tuba $10, 000. In addition to the cost of purchasing an instrument (most of us own 2 instruments in case of emergencies), there are ongoing expenses incurred with insurance, maintenance, and repairs, which can add up to several thousand dollars per year. Q. : What is the salary of an OSM musician? Today, the base salary of an OSM musician is $61, 000; by way of comparison, the base salary at the National Arts’ Center Orchestra in Ottawa will be $75, 000 as of September 2005; and a musician in an American orchestra of the same caliber is earning over $100,000 US per year. Despite the fact that the OSM is recognized as a world-class orchestra, and represents our nation to great acclaim on the international stage, the musicians’ salaries have been in constant decline over the last 15 years. Even if we exclude European and South-American orchestras whose wages are higher, the OSM musicians now rank 34th in salary level among Canadian and American orchestras, whereas in 1990 they were ranked 15th. Q. : What is life like when the OSM goes on tour? Forget the private jet, red carpet and limousine, and imagine long bus rides, crowded quarters, hours of waiting in airports, lost luggage, jet- lag, insomnia, stress, meals at all hours, sandwiches on the run, etc. Traveling can be fun but it is something else entirely when part of a busy and stressful work schedule. Planning for a tour involves a complete reorganization of life at home. For example, imagine parents who are both members of the orchestra, or of a spouse who is left behind and suddenly has to take on the role of a single parent. Child care, which is a challenge at the best of times, becomes a nightmare for parents during a tour. The musicians of the OSM care a great deal about their orchestra’s excellent reputation. They must defend it at each concert. Keeping in shape on their instruments despite hours of travelling, and trying to stay healthy and alert in spite of jet-lag and few hours’ sleep, create a major challenge for the musicians, whether they are at the beginning or towards the end of their career. Q. : How do you prepare for a concert at Carnegie Hall? Individual practice to prepare for a concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City begins several weeks in advance. Thanks to its exceptional acoustics, this concert hall is known around the world as one of the most prestigious in North America. Each year, the world’s finest orchestras are invited to perform at Carnegie Hall, and the OSM has been performing there to sold out audiences for the past 20 years. There is a great amount of pressure on every musician each time we perform at Carnegie Hall. The New York audiences and critics are known to be very demanding and the musicians are well aware that their performance will be compared to those of other great orchestras. Q. : How is a musician chosen to become a member of the OSM? In order to fill a vacant position in the orchestra, a rigorous audition process takes place. National auditions are announced which are open to all Canadian musicians. If a candidate is not selected at this round, another set of auditions is held, this time at the international level. To ensure impartiality, candidates play behind a screen and draw numbers to determine the order in which they will play. During each round, the musicians must play the same predetermined excerpts from the orchestral repertoire, as well as solo pieces. The jury, made up of musicians of the OSM and its musical director, decides by secret ballot which candidates will be asked to go on to the next round. The finalist who receives the most votes during the final round wins the position, and is subject to a one-year probation period before becoming a permanent member.