“In a word, no!,” says Adrienne Bridgewater

In a word, no! If the referring harpist is still working professionally in the area, this job is ethically hers. If she has moved to another city or changed careers and is no longer accepting gigs in your area, then it would be ethical to contact the church.

Even if the church were to contact you, the most ethical response would be to check with the referring harpist. When in doubt, it’s usually a good idea to approach a colleague and ask what her position is regarding the job.

Another helpful tact is to put yourself in her shoes. If you referred another harpist to sub for your annual church gig during an emergency (or for any other reason for that matter), would it be okay with you if the other harpist contacted the church to offer her services next year?

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I didn’t think so.

Would you ever like to receive a referral from her again? Then it’s really in your long-term best interest to behave in an ethical manner.

In every culture and every religion, there exists an ethical code that serves well those of us who live by it. It works really well for professional harpists too. The Judeo-Christian version is, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

—Adrienne Bridgewater, professional harpist and teacher, and president of the Phoenix Chapter of the American Harp Society.
Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Would you like it if someone did that to you?,” asks Charlene Conner

I do not think it is appropriate to contact a church—or any client—about a repeat job that another harpist had been doing in the past. Would you like it if someone did that to you? I think not. You were, after all, a last-minute sub, which, by the fact that you were able to fill in and cover the job, proves that you are more than competent—perhaps even a better harpist.

I do, however, feel at the time of the job it is appropriate to give your contact information in case their regular harpist is unavailable in the future. Perhaps they liked your playing or your personality better. If, therefore, they choose to call you again, you can with a clear conscience know that you did not steal a colleague’s job.

In the past I have lost jobs to colleagues that I had done for years because one time I wasn’t available and recommended someone else. Then the next year they just called the harpist they had used the previous year. Likewise, I have gained jobs the same way. Nevertheless, I think under no circumstances should you initiate trying to usurp a job someone else has done for years. We are all struggling to make a living playing in today’s economy, but our relationships with fellow harpists in our area are much more valuable in the long run.

—Charlene Conner, professional freelancer and Principal Harpist for the Symphony of the Americas
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

“Has this colleague died? If so, then yes,” says Lynne Abbey-Lee

Has this colleague died? If so, then yes.

If not, by all means, contact the church about hiring you. Just be sure you are comfortable with the following conditions:

You will lose this colleague as a friend, if she is one. Perhaps she thinks of you as a friend, but by even posing this question, you are not returning the favor.

You will never again be referred for any gig in your local harp community, and quite possibly, in another location you subsequently move to.

During your brief conversation with the church music director, you will detect a tone of voice you’ve heard before, but apparently haven’t yet learned to identify. This is a tone that conveys something along the lines of, “Really? This is how you repay a colleague who turned to you during a crisis?”

Or possibly, “I remember your playing, and if it were that many times better than our harpist, I would have figured out a way to call you by now.”

The collegial spirit that Harp Column and harp associations work to engender will be dealt another blow.

Someday, when you have grown a conscience, you will remember this and be ashamed. •

—Lynne Abbey-Lee, professional performer, teacher, and arranger
Denver, Colo.