Professional Violinist Career: Salary, Education, What It's Really Like
Watch/Listen to this Episode Professional Violinist Career: Salary, Education, What It's Really Like
Professional Violinist Career: What It Is Really Like Performing Music For A Living
Many musicians dream about making a living doing what they love, but few understand what a professional music career actually looks like beyond the concert stage. While audiences see polished performances, they rarely see the countless hours of practice, networking, rehearsals, business development, and teaching that often make a career in music possible.
In this episode of Time We Discuss, host Dan sits down with professional violinist Wendy Provencher to explore the realities of working as a full time musician. Wendy shares how she built a career performing throughout the Mid Atlantic region while also teaching students of every age and skill level. Their conversation provides an honest look at what aspiring musicians should know before pursuing this career path.
A Career Built On More Than Performing
One of the biggest misconceptions about professional musicians is that their careers revolve entirely around concerts. Wendy explains that every day is different, which is one of the reasons she enjoys the profession so much. Practice remains a constant because musicians must continually improve their technical ability and maintain their repertoire. Along with individual practice come rehearsals, performances, administrative work, networking, and teaching students.
Teaching is an important part of many professional music careers. In addition to providing another source of income, it allows experienced musicians to help develop the next generation of performers. Rather than viewing teaching as separate from performing, Wendy sees both as complementary parts of a lifelong musical journey.
Unlike many traditional careers that follow a predictable schedule, professional musicians often balance multiple responsibilities throughout the week. A single day may include private lessons during the afternoon, rehearsals in the evening, and performances on weekends. That variety keeps the profession exciting while also requiring excellent organization and time management.
Practice Never Stops
One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is the importance of continual improvement. Wendy emphasizes that becoming a professional musician is not simply about reaching a certain level of skill. The best performers continue learning throughout their careers, taking lessons, studying new techniques, and challenging themselves with increasingly difficult music.
She compares musicians to professionals in other industries. Just as surgeons stay current with medical advances and educators continually refine their teaching methods, successful musicians never stop developing their craft. That commitment to improvement often separates professionals from hobbyists.
Wendy also believes that surrounding yourself with exceptional musicians accelerates growth. Performing alongside talented colleagues pushes everyone to improve because each rehearsal becomes an opportunity to learn from others. These relationships often become just as valuable as formal instruction.
There Are More Performance Opportunities Than Many People Realize
When many people imagine a professional violinist, they picture someone performing with a major symphony orchestra. While orchestras certainly provide career opportunities, they represent only one part of today's music industry.
Wendy explains that musicians can perform with community orchestras, regional symphonies, theater productions, chamber ensembles, choirs, wedding groups, private events, corporate functions, charitable fundraisers, and many other live performances. Every type of event creates another opportunity for skilled musicians to build experience while expanding their professional network.
This diversity makes music careers more accessible than many aspiring performers realize. Rather than relying on one prestigious position, many musicians combine several different types of work that together create a rewarding and sustainable career.
Networking Is Essential To Building A Music Career
Technical ability may help musicians win auditions, but Wendy explains that relationships often lead to future opportunities. Every rehearsal introduces musicians to colleagues who may later recommend them for another performance. Event planners, venues, wedding coordinators, and fellow performers all become valuable professional contacts.
Rather than relying exclusively on job postings, musicians frequently receive calls because someone remembers a previous performance. A strong reputation for professionalism, preparation, and reliability encourages others to recommend them whenever a new opportunity becomes available.
That does not mean newcomers are excluded from the profession. Wendy points out that orchestras regularly hold auditions, allowing talented musicians to earn positions based on their abilities. Networking simply helps create additional opportunities throughout a musician's career.
Marketing Yourself Is Just As Important As Playing Well
Many people assume that exceptional musicians naturally attract clients, but Wendy explains that building a successful music business requires consistent marketing. She regularly reaches out to event venues, wedding planners, and other professionals who organize special events. Those relationships often become the source of future bookings.
Venues are typically very receptive to hearing from musicians because they want trusted professionals they can recommend to their clients. Rather than simply adding another name to a list, Wendy focuses on building genuine relationships. When venue managers know the quality of her performances and her professionalism, they are far more likely to recommend her ensemble with confidence.
Social media also plays a role, although Wendy believes it functions more as a portfolio than as a primary source of bookings. Prospective clients often visit social media pages to watch videos, hear performances, and see how musicians present themselves before making a hiring decision. Once a referral has been made, those online examples help build trust with potential customers.
Do You Need A Music Degree?
One of the most encouraging parts of the discussion centers around education. Wendy stresses that earning a music degree can certainly provide tremendous value, and many outstanding musicians hold degrees in music performance. However, she also explains that a formal degree is not the only path into the profession.
What matters most is receiving high quality instruction, developing excellent technique, and maintaining a lifelong commitment to learning. Wendy herself has studied music since early childhood and continues taking lessons today because she believes every musician should continue improving regardless of experience.
For aspiring performers, this means choosing great teachers may be just as important as choosing the right college. Quality instruction, disciplined practice, and dedication ultimately determine how far someone can progress as a musician.
The Value Of Learning From Great Teachers
Excellent teachers do much more than correct technique. They inspire students to grow, challenge them to reach higher levels of performance, and introduce new ideas throughout every stage of development. Wendy believes the strongest teachers continue learning themselves, constantly refining their own knowledge instead of relying on methods they learned years earlier.
She also points out that fellow musicians become teachers in their own way. Performing alongside highly skilled professionals exposes musicians to different interpretations, rehearsal techniques, and performance styles. Those experiences encourage continual growth while strengthening valuable professional relationships.
Learning Multiple Instruments Creates More Opportunities
Another way musicians can increase their marketability is by learning related instruments or additional performance styles. Wendy performs on both violin and viola, allowing her to qualify for a wider variety of performances than if she specialized in only one instrument.
She compares this flexibility to being bilingual in another profession. Every additional skill creates more opportunities to accept work. Woodwind musicians frequently perform on several instruments, while guitarists may develop expertise in classical, acoustic, and electric styles. Even mastering multiple genres on the same instrument can make a performer more attractive to prospective clients.
Whether someone specializes in classical music, jazz, contemporary worship, or popular music, expanding those skills allows musicians to adapt to changing client needs throughout their careers.
Preparing For Every Performance
Professional performances require much more preparation than simply arriving with an instrument. Wendy explains that musicians are expected to know their music before rehearsals begin. Rehearsal time is used to refine interpretation, timing, balance, and ensemble coordination rather than learning individual parts.
Unexpected situations also require preparation. Professional musicians typically carry extra strings, spare bows, and other essential equipment to performances. Because live events cannot simply stop when something breaks, planning for emergencies helps ensure every performance continues smoothly even when equipment problems arise.
This level of preparation reflects the professionalism clients expect when hiring experienced performers for important occasions such as weddings, corporate events, and formal celebrations.
Busy Seasons And Year Round Work
Like many careers connected to live events, music follows seasonal patterns. Wendy says the months from October through December are especially busy because of weddings, holiday performances, and seasonal events. During those months many musicians find themselves performing almost nonstop.
Despite these seasonal peaks, Wendy has found enough opportunities throughout the year to remain consistently busy. Living in a region that values live music has helped create steady work, allowing her to balance performances, teaching, and business responsibilities throughout every season.
This variety also provides financial stability. Instead of relying on one employer, professional musicians often combine several income sources including performances, teaching, arranging music, coaching ensembles, and other related opportunities.
Building Two Successful Music Businesses
Wendy has expanded her career beyond performing by developing two businesses that complement one another. Through Allegro Event Music, she coordinates live music for weddings, corporate gatherings, fundraisers, birthday celebrations, and many other special events throughout the Mid Atlantic region. Rather than limiting performances to a single ensemble, she works with a network of talented musicians, allowing clients to choose the instrumentation that best fits their event.
This collaborative approach allows clients to request everything from a solo violinist to a string quartet or other musical combinations. Wendy views her role not simply as a performer, but as someone who connects clients with trusted musicians capable of creating memorable experiences through live music.
Her second business, Learning Allegro, focuses on music education. The school offers lessons for students of virtually every age, from young beginners taking their very first lesson to adults pursuing lifelong musical goals. Instruction is available across numerous instruments with teachers who actively perform professionally, allowing students to learn from musicians who apply their skills every day.
Whether a student hopes to play a few favorite songs for personal enjoyment or dreams of pursuing music professionally, Wendy believes lessons should be tailored to each individual's goals. That personalized approach helps students remain motivated while developing lasting musical skills.
The Biggest Lesson From Running A Business
When reflecting on her entrepreneurial journey, Wendy shares one lesson that many business owners eventually discover. Early in her career, she often tried to accommodate every request in an effort to make clients happy. While that desire came from a genuine commitment to customer service, it sometimes created unrealistic expectations or commitments that were difficult to sustain.
Over time she learned that providing an outstanding customer experience also requires clear communication, well defined expectations, and healthy professional boundaries. By creating systems that work for both clients and the business, she can consistently deliver exceptional service without sacrificing quality or reliability.
This lesson extends beyond music. Professionals in nearly every industry benefit from balancing flexibility with clear expectations, allowing them to serve clients while maintaining a sustainable business.
Career Outlook For Professional Violinists
A career as a professional violinist can be both creatively rewarding and financially diverse. Income often comes from multiple sources including orchestra performances, weddings, private events, theater productions, teaching, recording sessions, and freelance opportunities. The ability to perform in different settings and build strong professional relationships can significantly increase long term career opportunities.
Aspiring musicians should understand that success rarely happens overnight. Years of training, disciplined practice, continual learning, and effective networking all contribute to building a sustainable career. Those willing to invest in their craft while developing strong business skills often discover that professional music offers far more opportunities than they initially imagined.
Professional Violinist Salary
Professional musician salaries vary considerably depending on experience, geographic location, performance opportunities, and whether income comes from one employer or multiple revenue streams. Event musicians, orchestra performers, private instructors, and freelance artists often earn very different incomes throughout their careers.
During the episode, Dan discusses publicly available salary information that suggests event musicians commonly earn between approximately fifty thousand and one hundred thousand dollars annually, while local gigging musicians may earn less depending on the number of performances they secure each year. Orchestra salaries can vary dramatically based on the organization, and private music instructors may substantially increase their income by maintaining an active teaching studio alongside regular performances.
As with many creative professions, income depends largely on experience, reputation, networking, geographic location, and the ability to diversify sources of work.
Final Thoughts
Wendy Provencher offers an honest and encouraging look at what it takes to build a successful career as a professional violinist. Her experience demonstrates that musical talent alone is only one part of the equation. Lifelong learning, meaningful relationships, business development, adaptability, and a genuine passion for music all contribute to long term success.
For anyone considering a career as a professional musician, this episode of Time We Discuss provides valuable insight into both the artistic and entrepreneurial sides of the profession. From continual practice and networking to teaching and managing multiple businesses, Wendy shows that a fulfilling career in music is built through dedication, professionalism, and a love of helping others experience live music.
How This Career Guide Was Created
Since 2022, Time We Discuss has interviewed professionals from dozens of industries to help students, career changers, and job seekers better understand what different occupations are really like.
Every career guide published on Time We Discuss begins with an interview featuring someone who works in the profession. During each interview we discuss the guest's education, daily responsibilities, career path, challenges, advice for newcomers, and industry insights.
After the interview, we supplement the discussion with publicly available information, including salary data, employment outlook, and additional career research from government agencies and established industry resources. The goal is to provide readers with both firsthand experience and independently researched information in a single resource.
About the Guest
From Wendy's Website, Learning Allegro, Retrieved in July of 2026
Wendy Provencher has been teaching and performing professionally on violin and viola for the past 25 years. She currently owns Learning Allegro Music School, leading a team of music educators who guide students on all instruments, and also owns Allegro Event Music, providing all types of music for weddings, private parties, and corporate events. Wendy performs with local theater companies, the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra, and string quartets throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Although classically trained, she loves performing Classical, Pops, Broadway, Holiday, and many other genres. Wendy enjoys sharing her joy of music with both her students and audiences alike.
Links from the Show
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Transcription
*Transcription was automatically generated and may contain errors.
(Music)
Dan: So you want to be a professional violin player or any professional musician. Do you need a music degree? Can anyone do this? Let's find out and see if this is the best career for you. Today on Time We Discuss, I want to welcome Wendy Provencher and it's time we discuss what it's like working as a professional violinist. Wendy, thank you for joining me today.
Wendy Provencher: Thank you so much for having me.
Dan: This is great. I gotta thank you again, because we did do this once before, but there were technical problems on my end, so I definitely appreciate you coming back to do this a second time, especially as you're fighting laryngitis. So thank you. Thank you.
Wendy: Of course. Anytime I get to talk about music is a good day for me.
Dan: I love that. So let's talk music. Okay. So you're a professional violinist. Let's start a typical day as a performer. What is a typical day like?
Wendy: Well, every day is different a little bit. And so that was, that's what makes it kind of fun and interesting for me. So a typical day might include practice, of course, it, you know, knowing your music, knowing your instrument, always working to get better. So a typical day always includes practice. There are rehearsals. There are of course the events I'm performing and like most of the professional musicians that I know, there are also lessons to teach as well. So we're all kind of helping to shape that next generation of professional musicians as well.
Dan: It's really interesting. The last time we spoke, I didn't think to ask this, but talking about practicing with other people, which is equally important as practicing by yourself. So how often does that happen? Where you get together with a specific ensemble? Is it more like the, a couple of days before the event, do you get together regularly? What is that like for you?
Wendy: I think mostly depending on size of the ensemble, the larger orchestras might be two or three rehearsals before the event. Smaller ensembles or, you know, choir accompaniments might just be one rehearsal or just show up a little bit earlier to the event, kind of, and have an earlier call time and rehearse. But we're really expected to know the music, of course, before we get there. And the rehearsal is more understanding the performance styles and the timing and getting to know the other musicians and making sure that the sound is blended to just the right way is really what the rehearsals are about.
Dan: That makes complete sense because like that you're all professionals. You're expected to know your, your, the music inside and out. That makes complete sense. Okay. So let's continue talking about ensembles. What opportunities are there for you? You talked about orchestra. I know you play as part of a small group, but what other opportunities are there for someone that wants to play professionally?
Wendy: Oh, there are so many opportunities. And I think last time we talked a lot about, and I want to bring it up again. The idea that there is a place for everybody at really different skill levels, which is what makes being a professional musician accessible to so many of us and a wonderful profession to have. So of course there are the, you know, the orchestras, everything from, you know, the Philadelphia Symphony to the local orchestras. And there are pit orchestras with theater companies. There are private events. There are quartet ensembles and chamber ensembles throughout the area. So there are a lot of different opportunities and just getting kind of the more opportunities you take advantage of, the more connections you make. And that's really what kind of keeps us going as professional musicians is making those connections and then getting a phone call because, you know, someone you've performed with before needs a violinist for a choir or a theater company. And so you kind of start to get those phone calls once you've started making those connections.
Dan: And is that how most of the time those jobs are acquired? So if someone wants to join an orchestra, is it more about knowing the right people as opposed to following a job posting somewhere? How does that typically happen?
Wendy: Not necessarily. For sure, knowing people helps. References in any profession help significantly. If there is someone in that orchestra who can say, oh, I know that person and they are phenomenal, obviously that's going to help. But it's not, I wouldn't say the music business is only about who knows who. You can still audition for orchestras and there are always new performers, you know, people graduating and coming up through the ranks. And so there are opportunities for them as well, even if you don't necessarily know everybody and haven't been in the business for a long time. You can still audition for the orchestras and kind of work through that process as somebody who's newer to the scene.
Dan: So when I spoke to different entrepreneurs, they talked about, you know, the Chamber of Commerce and different small local groups that are geared towards small businesses and professionals. Is there anything like that is geared specifically towards musicians locally, like different local musicians groups from an entrepreneurial side, from a business side? Does anything like that exist where it would be a good resource for someone to join or something like that?
Wendy: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there are unions for musicians and that's always a wonderful thing to be a part of. But there are also, it depends on what you do in the music industry because the profession of professional musician is so widespread and you can go in so many different directions. The networking groups are not as broad per se. So I'm a member of a Chester County weddings networking group. And so I, and that's how we met through Tara. Thanks, Tara. And so I'm a member of that and it's different vendors for weddings and private events and things like that. So it's not necessarily just other musicians that I'm networking with, although that is an important part of it. But I'm also networking with event planners and event venues and other professions that are associated with different events because I'm a musician who works more smaller event type performances as opposed to large scale symphony performances.
Dan: So go on with that for a second. How common is this where you can go to a specific venue and say, hey, if someone is coming and they're looking for a string quartet, for instance, here's my business card. Can you recommend me? Are they receptive to that or not so much? What is that like?
Wendy: No, they're very receptive. And I reach out to many, many, many venues and event planners multiple times a year. There is work involved in that networking. And the number of times that a venue will respond with either thank you so much or even more surprising, thank you so much. We don't know any string quartets. That answer always surprises me because being so kind of deep into the string quartet business side of things, I know so many different string quartets. And so it's always surprising to hear. And I'm sure every profession probably comes and says to you, the amount of advertising we put out and then somebody has no idea we exist. It's there for musicians as well. We have to work at advertising ourselves. But the venue seems very receptive because it's all about, you know, what can we offer our clients, not just as musicians, but as event planners, venues, things like that. What are the resources that we have that can aid our clients in creating the best event for their needs? And so very often that includes some live music, which is wonderful for me. And so venues are very receptive to having that as our event planners.
Dan: That's really good to know regarding the different venues, how receptive, because I know different places it's kind of like, oh, thank you, but no, thank you. We got this. So that's kind of neat to hear that they're very receptive to that. Sticking with advertising for a second. So you say like you just said some businesses, they put out a lot of marketing materials and they get nothing back. People still don't know about them. So question for you, and I love to ask this one. What form of marketing or advertising have you put out there that is like paid back in dividends? So for instance, doing a big push on Facebook, for instance, you get a lot of return or is it going to these like those, I don't know what they're called, but you have like those wedding events where people go, you have like a bunch of DJs and event planners. And what has been most successful for you in converting clients?
Wendy: I think the social media aspect has its place because clients, once they hear about you, then they want to see, do you have videos? You know, what does it look like when you show up? Am I in a baseball hat and blue jeans or have I dressed for their black tie wedding sort of situation? And I don't find that social media is the place that drives the bookings coming in. Though the open houses at event venues definitely do a little bit, but honestly, it's that networking. It's the marketing. The marketing to event venues and to event planners that drives the business. I think the first thing most people think of when they want to host an event is where am I going to host this event? And so they get the when and the where crossed off their list first. And then once they have the where, the venue, the venue very often has all of the rest of the who will be there for them. And so getting on those preferred lists is important and doing a good job at those venues and having that personal relationship. So it's not just here's my name and put me on your list. It's creating a relationship with those venues so that they know me. They know Wendy. It's not just here's a violinist, but oh, Wendy does a great job. You should hire Wendy. Her group is amazing. So having that personal relationship with the venues is important.
Dan: And that makes complete sense, especially this day and age when there's so many businesses out there, you know, having that personal touch to go along with that is wonderful. Okay, let's let's shift a little bit. Let's talk about education. When it comes to education, I know I know we said last time, you know, you don't have a music performance degree, which I think is awesome. But talk to me a little bit more about that for those that are hearing this for the first time. So when it comes to education, being in music performance, what kind of education do you need?
Wendy: There is a spot for those with music degrees. I absolutely do not want to imply that that having a music degree is useless or that you don't necessarily need one because my musicians who have degrees are phenomenal that I perform with. There's a difference between kind of going for a music degree and being a trained musician. So I have been in music lessons since I was a toddler. And I've had some really phenomenal teachers. And I am still in lessons and still learning and still working on my craft, as are many, many of the musicians that I perform with regularly. So having training, of course, I mean, you're asking a violinist to come play at some of your most special moments. You want somebody who sounds good. You want someone who sounds really phenomenal. And so that training is crucial. And not being done with the training, I think is really the key, is the people who are the best, the teachers who are the best teachers are the ones coming up with new ideas and new lesson plans. And the surgeons who are the best surgeons are the ones who are reading the newest material and learning the newest kind of cutting edge medical information. The musicians who are the best musicians are the ones who are actively trying to improve every single day. And so that I think is important and having that drive to want to always be better than I was yesterday, you know, and see what tomorrow will bring. And hopefully tomorrow I will be a better musician than I am today. And so that's the training that really matters. It's that kind of internal drive and desire to be better, more so than, you know, I have a degree in music isn't necessarily, you don't have to have it. It's wonderful. You don't have to.
Dan: Wendy, I absolutely love that. When I was speaking with Bryan, I forget his last name, and this is going back, I think back in season one. This might be like episode 60 or something like that. I'll put a link in the description for anyone that's checking this out. But he said very similar things that it boils down to having the right teachers and putting yourself staying connected with those right teachers. And by going to a music school or a school, to get a music degree, you might get connected with those great people, but not all those great people are there. So it's more about those finding those right teachers that can really push you. And then you're saying a lot of the same things, which I think is really, really awesome.
Wendy: Well, and I think also, if I can add, having playing with musicians who are from, I love to play music. Obviously, it really does. I have a job where it does not feel like work to me because I get to go make music with my friends who are phenomenal. And being around musicians of that caliber makes me want to be better. And I think they all have that experience. We all have a moment where we're performing with somebody who is so fantastic. It makes us want to be a better musician. And so not only having those teacher relationships, but having those music relationships, performing with other people who are so good, it makes you want to be better. I feel lucky every day that I get to call that my work.
Dan: That is awesome. You said something that, so I'm a big Seinfeld fan, the series, just great 90s. I love it. And something you said reminded me of this one episode where there's a drummer and he talks about his hands being his livelihood, which leads me to this question. I heard before that you can like, ensure your hands, for instance, is that a thing? What is that like?
Wendy: It is mine are not insured. I think that you can. I think most people I know don't have specific things. We have our instruments insured. We all carry insurance for liability insurance for events and things like that. But I think the people who have, you know, like their hands insured are maybe like six or seven tiers of musician above where I am. You're talking about the soloists who are performing in front of symphonies around the world. They might have their hands insured. Wendy for venture on violin does not have her hands insured. But I do get really nervous if I have to pry something with a screwdriver, you know, when you're working on something. And I do want to put my hands further away.
Dan: What about when you're actually going to performance? Do you tend to take an extra violin with you or you just have extra strings? What kind of emergency things do you have with you? Should something go wrong with your equipment?
Wendy: We do. We have extra strings with us. I actually performed a wedding where the cellist's bow just fell apart in the middle of the wedding. Luckily enough, we were with the whole quartet and we had, you know, we have spare bows with us. And so we were able to kind of shuffle things around and make it work. But yes, many of us have a spare bow in our case and we have a spare set of strings with us. We do not have a spare instrument most of the time with us. But many of us double. Like I had another event where somebody had a violin and a viola. We needed her to grab the violin from her car instead of the viola. Like we have many of us play multiple instruments and tend to just have a carload full of gear. And so we can make almost anything work pretty well.
Dan: And how important do you think is that to learn an instrument that's kind of related? So when I was when I was younger, I played the trumpet and I also learned to play the flugelhorn, which is the same. It's played the exact same way. It just sounds different. And viola, you know, all the string, well, if they're strung the same way, it's going to be the same, generally speaking. So how important is that for someone to pick up, say, which I believe viola is strung differently, how important is it to learn an extra instrument that is kind of related to give you a little more, a little more of an edge when it comes to finding work?
Wendy: I think a lot of us do know additional instruments. I equate it to being bilingual makes you more marketable. So the fact that I can play viola as well as violin makes me more marketable. Do I think that everybody needs to play a second instrument? No. I know a lot of woodwind players will play multiple instruments because they have to for the pit orchestra opportunities and guitars. I mean, there is a big difference between kind of finger picking classical guitar and you know, electric guitar solo and strumming acoustic guitar. Those are all different. It's the same instrument, but it's very different playing styles. And so even on the same instrument, knowing how to play it in different ways. I mean, if I was a jazz violinist, I would have, I'm not. I'm amazed by people who are. I would have more opportunities for different kinds of performance opportunities. So not only knowing multiple instruments, but knowing multiple performance styles, even on the same instrument can really help in this profession.
Dan: That is really good to know. OK, let's talk about the gigs themselves. Does it tend to be? I mean, to some extent, especially with the orchestral setting, it might be seasonal. Even with weddings, you know, it's going to be generally kind of seasonal. But what's that like for you? Is it is it, you know, you put in a hard nine months and then three months are just a little laid back a little more. You have enough work to go around year round. Where it doesn't really make that much of a difference. Talk to me about that.
Wendy: For sure, there are busier times of year, but I have been fortunate enough to to really not have downtime. It's not, you know, many, many gigs. And then in December, I mean, any musician you talk to from October through December is pulling their hair out, probably sleeping in their car on the way to the next gig because it is a very busy time of year. But that doesn't mean we have nothing come January. There there's always something to do, which is wonderful. I think the area I live in is just has a lot of opportunities for live music and values live music. And so I have not found a lot of downtime. I keep saying to my husband, well, when this month comes, then I'll have a little more free time. And it just seems to always be that next month and that next month that just never comes with any free time. But I think that's I feel lucky for that instead of overwhelmed. I like to choose to feel blessed by that, that I have enough work for to just always be busy.
Dan: That's funny. Reminds me when the kids were young, I used to think it would be easier when they're just a little bit older. It would be easier when it would be easier when and then I learned very quickly. It just gets different. It doesn't get easy. It's different. So let's talk about you have I believe there are two distinct businesses. Maybe I guess one is the performing and one is the teaching. So let's talk about one. I'll make it your choice. Which one do you want to talk about first?
Wendy: Well, the performing is Allegro event music. We are based outside of Philadelphia, but we perform throughout the Mid-Atlantic and we're a network of musicians. So there are about 40 of us that play together on a regular basis, kind of depending on ensemble size and instrument makeup for all sorts of events, from weddings to birthday parties, corporate events, private parties, fundraisers, you name it. We want to put live music behind it. And so that's kind of my performance side is performing all around the area for smaller events.
Dan: And is that almost like a booking agency where someone will contact you essentially? We'll say you and they say, well, we're looking for, you know, a five piece brass quartet for this event. And you'll say, hey, everyone available for this. And you kind of is it basically kind of like a booking agency almost?
Wendy: Almost. It's growing. So that's kind of where it's evolving even now as we speak, it's evolving. So if somebody calls and they say, I want a violinist, I want a string quartet, it's me. I get to go. If they call and they say, I want classical guitar, then it's not me. But, you know, I know some amazing guitar players or if they want a jazz trio, I have some amazing musicians that I know personally and perform really well that I can use. So it's not kind of anybody, anybody, but but it's not always me. So in that way, it's a little bit of a booking agency. But if they want violin or string string quartet or duet trio, then I get to go. So I guess I'm a booking agency, but I don't think of myself as that way. I think of myself as just a friend, you know, someone who has a friend who plays beautiful piano or someone who has a friend who plays beautiful guitar that I can I can call in for these.
Dan: I love it. That's awesome. It kind of reminds me every once in a while when I do these these interviews, I get someone that's really nervous and I say, don't be nervous. It's just two friends having a conversation. You know, I love that. You know, two friends and friends connecting people with great music. I love that. So talk to me about your about teaching music, learning Allegro, I believe is the website. Talk to us about that.
Wendy: Yeah, absolutely. So I kind of mentioned in the beginning, most of the professional musicians I know teach a little bit on the side as well. My teach a little bit has has grown wildly into learning the like our music school. We're based in Chester County, Pennsylvania, but we do have virtual lessons available and we have there are about 15 teachers here. And so it's not just violin lessons. It's all the instruments, all the ages and all the levels. So the teachers here are all professional musicians. So we love to start with little beginners. We just have a new student just start they're three and a half on piano. And we have students who are 76 on violin. So some are beginners, some are very advanced, but we can get them to wherever they'd like to go in their music journey. So even if it's just I'd like to learn a couple of guitar songs to, you know, play out on the deck when we have a fire pit, that's amazing. And if they say, you know, I want to go to school for music and major in piano performance, we can also help those students kind of along that musical journey. So we have amazing teachers who can kind of what's the word I'm looking for? Tailor the lessons to kind of what the student would like to do with music. And as that changes, we can change with them.
Dan: That's really, really good information. One other question I have for you, I want you to think about when you first started your businesses and carrying them forward. And I want you to think about a lesson that you learned. And if you had learned this so much earlier on, it would have been it would have made things a lot easier. What would one of those lessons be?
Wendy: I have a real desire to please people and give them what they want. And that has sometimes backfired a little bit on me and figuring out how to create either in lessons or on the event business and the kind of the professional music business, how to create a really positive experience for students, families, live music clients within a structure that makes sense for running a business as well. And not just saying yes or bending and bending and bending and bending until it's too far and it's not something that I can really offer them and figuring out how to kind of manage all those expectations in a way that makes everybody happy and gets everybody the result that they want. That is kind of my biggest lesson is learn how to shape those expectations.
Dan: That is awesome. Wendy, I am the same way. And that is a hard lesson to learn. So I completely understand where you're coming from. Much like last time, I feel like we could talk about this for much, much longer. I love talking about music. I could really dive deep, but unfortunately we are running out of time. Before I hit the floor over you, I want to take a second to thank Tara Thistlethwaite for introducing us. Tara was in episode 140 as an event planner. So everyone, please go check out that episode. Link is in the description. And Wendy, just like last time, this is the part of the show where I like to offer my guests the opportunity to talk about a project they're working on, a cause they believe in, more about either one of your businesses. So if there's something specific you'd like to discuss, the floor is yours.
Wendy: Oh, my goodness. I feel like I've talked about it so much. I don't know that I have anything.
Dan: Wendy, that's OK. I'll plug it one more time. We have Learning Allegro and Allegro Event Music. I'll make sure I put the links in the description. They'll be on the website. They'll be all over the place. So when people are trying to find more information about your businesses, they can easily do that. Wendy, it's been absolutely awesome having you on Time We Discuss and we learned what it's like being a professional violinist.
Wendy: Thanks so much for having me.
Dan: So let's check out some of the highlights from the conversation with Wendy. OK, first things first, biggest barrier to entry is you need to be playing for a while. You need to really know your instrument. You need to be good at it in order to be competitive. So this isn't something that can easily switch to midlife if you haven't already been doing this your entire life. Now, on the other end is that you don't necessarily need any kind of formal education. You need to get education in some capacity, obviously, but you don't necessarily need a four year degree in performance music or something like that. So that's pretty cool. Once you get past that hurdle, the next thing is where can you play? And it's really cool that Wendy says that there are all kinds of opportunities. You know, you have orchestras, pin orchestras. She didn't mention this, but you could be a studio musician. You can play at weddings, you can play at private parties. There are all kinds of great opportunities out there where you can actually play music and get paid for it. Now, depending on what your primary instrument is, it could be a challenge getting work. Wendy said the violins are very common. So she ended up picking up viola to kind of differentiate herself a little bit so she can pick up extra gigs with that instrument as well. So depending on what your instrument is, you might have more of a challenge breaking into the industry. Going along with that, remember how she talked about networking. It's so important that you meet other people and make those connections so that when someone is looking for a musician and you happen to be that instrument, that you're able to take advantage of that gig. Wendy also talked about how important it was to continue to learn aside from practicing, getting better and learning new things. So for you, that might be expanding different genres that you play. Maybe you will decide to look into blues or jazz or fusion or something like that. So it's important that you continue to learn. You're not just going to hit a ceiling and all of a sudden be the best. You have to keep on working at it. So that's something to keep in mind, too. So I did a little research on salaries for professional musicians. And it turns out there is a wide range and this is going to be contingent on your skill level as well as where you're located geographically speaking. So in a large city, for instance, you could probably command a higher salary than if you're in a very desolate area, for instance. So that being said, if you are an event musician, it's not uncommon to be in the range of somewhere between 50,000 and $100,000 a year. If you are a local gigging musician, 20,000 to 60,000 is probably more on par, again, depending on your location and your skill level. Orchestra musicians varies wildly. And I only am slightly comfortable giving this figure out because of where the source is. But generally speaking, if you are an orchestral musician, you can expect somewhere between 30,000 and $200,000 a year. So I'm assuming 30,000, maybe even less. If you're a part of a local community theater, for instance, that might be more on the 30,000 range or even less than I don't know. And if you're making like 200,000, that might be up more like Broadway or something. I don't know. But again, that was the range and the source isn't all that great. So I'm just going to say that number might be a little foggy, but that is something that I found. So do your own research on that. And if you decide that along with playing, you also want to teach. It's also not uncommon for private teachers to make as much as $90,000 a year. Again, that's going to be contingent on skill level, location, all that good stuff. So what do you think? Some good things, some bad things? Is this the best job for you? Let's keep exploring. And I'll see you next time on Time We Discuss.
