Career entry as a jazz musician: "I am underpaid for life, that's the price of my job"

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Pascal Klewer: "Jazz is so free, that inspires me"

Photo: Florian Fries

The start into working life is exciting, exhausting - and often completely different than planned.

In the series

"My first year in the job"

young professionals tell how they experienced this time.

This time: Pascal Klewer, 23, finished his studies in spring 2020 and started his own business as a jazz musician with the first shutdown.

“I realized during my high school year in Texas that jazz music had to be my job.

A professional jazz saxophonist led our school big band there, and I was blown away by his energy.

Jazz is so free, that inspires me.

I already knew then that I would not get rich with it.

Still, I can't imagine doing anything else.

Even as a primary school student, I had trumpet lessons.

I practiced almost every day.

When the radio was on, I played along freely.

Today I know that it was a kind of jazz and improvisation.

At high school I played in the school big band, later also in the city big band and the state youth jazz orchestras of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, with whom I went on tours to Bolivia, Canada and China.

After the year in Texas, I started my first own jazz combo with friends.

Already had his own big band while studying

In 2015 I started my bachelor's degree in jazz trumpet with a minor in piano at the Cologne University of Music.

In addition to my studies, I played in jazz clubs, went on tours with ensembles and bands, and spontaneously jumped in as a trumpeter here and there for studio recordings or performances.

The daily rate fluctuated between 100 and 400 euros, depending on how successful the ensemble was.

I also gave trumpet lessons for 19 euros an hour.

I used the money to finance my own projects.

»Jazz is simply an art music.

Without funding, the scene would die. "

In 2017, in the fourth semester, I founded my own big band, with whom I still do experimental jazz today.

At first it sounds very chaotic, dissonant and unfamiliar.

This often only appeals to people who deal intensively with jazz and would find it difficult to finance themselves through concerts.

But I also want to stand behind my work artistically.

So I was ready to invest my own money.

I also quickly learned that most projects are funded, did my research, and started applying myself.

Jazz is just an art music.

Without funding, the scene would die.

I also financed the final project for my bachelor’s degree with funding: In March 2020 I organized a two-day festival at the LOFT jazz club in Cologne.

That was a lot of organizational effort, but I really wanted to practice it and draw attention to myself in the scene.

I was very lucky that the event could take place a week before the first shutdown.

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After graduating, I started my own business, there are hardly any permanent positions in jazz.

Actually, my first year at work should continue just like my work during my studies: tours, concerts and many projects.

But because of the corona pandemic, most of it was canceled or postponed indefinitely.

In 2019 I was in China with the band Mozah, for 2020 we had planned around 50 concerts.

I had already booked locations for a Japan tour with my trio and was just waiting for the last funding.

It is difficult for me to rehearse every day even though there are no concerts, even though a lot is canceled.

Before Corona I studied and practiced during the day and played concerts in the evenings and on weekends.

Everything was planned.

Now I have to think about what I could do every day.

Fortunately, in 2020 I received emergency aid for self-employed solo workers, a grant from GEMA to replace the failed concerts and a grant from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

I had around 900 euros available per month.

The money was just enough for rent and food, luckily I have hardly any other expenses at the moment.

The dream: catch up on the Japan tour

In February 2021 I led the rehearsals of the WDR Big Band for a week and composed for the subsequent concert recording, in which I also conducted and played as a soloist.

It used to be a relatively well paid job.

In the first half of 2021 I will also receive 1000 euros a month from the music fund to work on structural improvisation in a duo with saxophonist Viktor Fox and to develop ideas for the time after the pandemic.

If we want to publish our work, the scholarships help: A studio day costs around 750 euros plus 600 euros for mixing and 1500 euros for pressing the 100 LPs that we want to sell at future concerts.

I'm underpaid for life, that's the price of my job.

For this I can make music with inspiring people, give concerts and travel around the world.

My life is just 100 percent music.

My hope is that I can continue to work with at least small groups in 2021.

And that we can catch up on the Japan tour one day. "

Have you just started your career yourself and would like to tell us about it? Then write to us at

SPIEGEL-Start@spiegel.de

.