A Symphony of Choices

CHAPTER 4CHOOSING YOUR PORTFOLIO PROCESSES

I wanted to bang my head on my desk. The roster database was a mess: missing addresses, phone numbers that needed updating, old email addresses that bounced. The list went on. I needed to figure out who would be returning and get the contracts signed.

I did decide that I could speed up the process by creating a PDF document that would accept electronic signatures. That way I wouldn't have to wait for contracts in the mail. My challenge was getting updated emails and getting musicians to buy in. Those who weren't as tech‐savvy were resistant, even though, to me, the process seemed simple. I needed to call those from whom I could not get a contract back right away, and at least get a verbal commitment that they would be returning.

I was kicking myself that I hadn't started the process sooner. I could have talked to the musicians and gotten some contracts signed at the last concert. The problem was that I had to wait for the final raise amounts and structure my rates.

First‐chair players received more money than the rest of their section. Those who played more than one instrument, such as the flute/piccolo player, also got a higher rate. It seemed like a simple process, but it wasn't. Mileage was also a factor. If someone lived more than 50 miles away, they got a pay bump to cover gas. Some of the specialty instruments, like the bass clarinet, only played a couple of concerts per season but often demanded higher pay.

I decided to put ...