Hello World!

Alright, here we go! I am Katie Chambers a Cellist with Kinship Music Studios providing amazing music for any occasion as well as quality cello, piano and violin instruction. I want to use this space to provide the reader with my thoughts on how to find live musicians in the Washington DC area, working as a professional musician, finding a quality teacher in DC, and the etiquette surrounding performing and teaching. Not to mention all of the crazy situation that only Cellist, Katie Chambers gets her self into!

For example, I made my first small business "no-no": accidentally booking myself for two weddings on the same day! I am on GigMasters (www.gigmasters.com; a great source for hiring live music for literally any occasion). But, I guess GigMasters allows the performers to book two gigs on the same day. My first client didn't pay the $20 booking fee to GigMasters, but my second couple did. Hopefully, the second couple can get that booking fee back. God knows that I don't see any of that booking fee.

Quick note for all of you couples using GigMasters. Here's the deal. The only reason that the booking fee is good for is to give the performer a hiring rating. If you look at my rating is kind of low, but I'm always getting gigs. My clients and I just go around GigMasters' booking fee and we use a contract that I wrote. But don't worry. GigMasters.com is still getting money. I pay them to let me post on their site, and I'm happy to do so.

So, ask the performer first before going ahead the paying that fee to GigMasters. Please let me say, I am so grateful for the service that GigMasters provide. And, I feel very privileged to that the problem of double booking myself. The the big picture for my career, its a good feeling!