Yeah. I wonder about that too. And I'm in TWO unions....
Me too, SAG-AFTRA. Since they combined, my dues went up 2.5x.
Grrrr.... maybe I'll move to Michigan & join the Detroit Symphony!
Bermuda
Yeah. I wonder about that too. And I'm in TWO unions....
What a diploma or a degree does guarantee is that they player is at least at a minimal technical standard. Hopefully that also equates to a musical standard, based on relatively objective marking criteria.
With playing, so much of it comes down to personality.... It's as much about interaction as how you can or can't move your fingers. You might be able to play Rachmaninov 3 as well as anybody else in the room but if the conductor thinks you're an unpleasant person to work with, you won't get hired unless there is an overriding reason to the contrary.
I'm not sure you can ever be 'over-educated'.
That doesn't mean that a degree is required.
I'm not saying people with degrees don't get gigs. I'm saying they don't get those gig opportunities based solely on the presence of a degree. If ANY of the orchestras advertising themselves to union members required a degree, they wouldn't hesitate to say so. Yet, not one of them did.
I've got an acquaintance in the L.A. Phil percussion section, and I'll ask him 1) if he has a degree in music, 2) what kind, 3) from where, and 4) did it carry any weight in the decision to allow him to audition, or to then hire him.
Bermuda
Just remembered my cousin is a long-time Detroit Symphony member, will ask him as well.
You can go right to the LA Phil website and see that all the percussion section have degrees. Juilliard, UCLA, Cleveland Inst. and the drumset player from a U CAL school.