[img]541|left|||no_popup[/img] I am done with playing the political game. It has gotten in the way of my clarity.
I have gone ahead and created this strange… thing. I don’t know what else to call it. I do know that I haven’t been excited about it, and that I haven’t been terribly successful in promoting it thus far.
I am a musician, and I am going to play a concert on Oct. 22. Only I haven’t been calling it that. Why? Because of a cover charge law on the books in Santa Ana.
Santa Ana isn’t the only city that has caused performers to either break the law, lie or belittle themselves to “asking for donations” in exchange for performing. The hip chamber music series Classical Underground (http://classicalunderground.blogspot.com/) mentions time and time again that the entrance fee is a “donation.”
How is it that I, a woman with a doctorate in classical chamber music, cannot present a concert in my home legally if I want to charge a reasonable $15 to help cover performer and refreshment costs?
My husband literally ended up in court 15 years ago over a similar issue with his coffee shop/performance spot.
I get that there used to be huge rave house parties that got out of control. I get that people abuse laws in general and that society has created a web of CYA policies to deal with misfits.
Still, really? A house concert for 40 people to play acoustic cello and piano music is that dangerous that there is no way to even pull a permit without spending hundreds of dollars and hours working on a zoning change?
The Deal
If you go on my website right now, you will see this link to pre-order a track… for $15. As a thank you for those who pre-order my music, the first 40 will be invited to a special “release party/concert” at my home on Oct. 22.
That’s my convoluted way of saying, “Hey, I want to play a concert, and I don’t want to have to spend $300 to $400 of my own funds to make it a nice event.”
Is that so wrong?
Ms. Dewberry, an accomplished cellist, completed her DMA in Chamber Music Performance from UCLA in December 2005. She received her MM in Cello Performance from UCLA in June 2002 and her B.M. in Cello Performance from Western Michigan University in April 1998. She also holds a B.A. in French with a minor in Women's Studies and Philosophy.
Her website is www.carterdewberry.com
She may be contacted at carter@carterdewberry.com
