My natural disposition is always to help people out when I can. I don’t mind if it’s a bit of a challenge – I love problem solving making something happen against the odds… I know about choirs and I can get you a choir for your event and at this time of year I am totally ready for these kinds of phone calls…
But… I have my limits.
Twice in the last 24 hours I’ve been approached but different people involved in the BBC music events happening in Birmingham this week.
Both asking if I can supply a choir at 2/3 days notice. And both without a budget.
I have a problem with both for different reasons and have said no twice (which is against my general instinct of saying yes and being helpful). I’ll tell you why:
The first call was to supply a 30 piece choir for the BBC Music Awards Show to mime (yes mime!!) to someone else’s music.
- Problem no 1 – Miming. Really? I can imagine the conversations now. ‘Clare I saw your choir on the telly the other night… They don’t usually sound like that – it was great!’ … ‘Erm, it wasn’t us… We were just miming’. No just no. You could ask anyone off the street.
- Problem no 2 – 3 days notice and the choir were needed for a morning rehearsal on a weekday and an early evening recording of the show. I simply couldn’t get amateur singers out of work at this sort of notice!
- Problem no 3 – No budget. If amateur singers are going to be at work when the job needs doing I would need to find professionals. They need paying. End of conversation.
The second call was for a gospel choir at two days notice to sing on Thursday lunchtime at a drinks reception.
- Problem no 1 – 2 days notice and the same as above applies if you want an amateur group they will be at work at lunchtime on Thursday and if you want professionals I’ve got a lot of ringing around to do!
- Problem no 2 – No budget. If I’m going to put aside this afternoons paid work to ring around all my gospel colleagues I need to be paid. It is what I do for a living. And the singers need paying! I’m not ringing people and asking them to sing for free at a drinks reception at the Genting Arena where I’m quite sure they’ll be paying for the drinks being served!!
The quote of quotes though is that the second caller said ‘well we have the money off the BBC for this and we have to be careful what we spend BBC money on so we can only offer expenses’. When was it appropriate for BBC money to fund a drinks reception but not the artists that perform at it??
I’m a very helpful person. I love getting people out of a fix. But if you’ve left it until 2 days before to call and don’t have a budget, or anything in fact, to offer the musicians. Don’t ask me to help.
I post this not to upset the BBC as I have many helpful and lovely relationships with the BBC but out of principle… I’m genuinely upset I couldn’t help and just wish they hadn’t even asked!
Clare Edwards 