Reasonable to command me to practice a set of pieces without payment?

[jollisg]

Hi! I'm 17 years old and am currently practicing to apply to a college (music) in my country (Sweden). I'm also studying natural science on full time. Sometimes on the weekends, I play (for free) at a local theatre, before livestreamings of operas from metropolitan etc. I play my current repertoire, because that is what I'm able to play at the moment.

Yesterday I played there (They asked me to) for a total of 1,5 hours (as I said, for free). After I finished, the people who works there complained about my repertoire. They said I'm only supposed to play 100% calm pieces (not even ONE spot of forte). Right now I'm working on braugtening my repertoire to more "different" styles (like prokofiev). My question is:
Is it reasonable for them to command me to practice a set of pieces, that I probably won't play again, without paying? In Sweden it's against the law to work without payment.

Of course I can practice simple pieces that are calm, but it's still like tossing away my time, because that is not what I need to practice at the moment! And yes, it is They who asks me to play there...

Any thoughts?

[outin]

Is it reasonable for them to command me to practice a set of pieces, that I probably won't play again, without paying? In Sweden it's against the law to work without payment.

Of course I can practice simple pieces that are calm, but it's still like tossing away my time, because that is not what I need to practice at the moment! And yes, it is They who asks me to play there...

If you are not paid, you are not considered a worker legally and have no rights as such. That's how it goes.

No, of course it is not reasonable at all from them. Have you asked yourself why you do it? To get practice in performing, to be able to play the instrument there, to get name and connections or just because you are such a nice girl/guy?

If the reason you have to do it is not strong enough to make you do extra work for free, I think you should tell them that as long as you do it for free you play what you want to, but if they want to to play something else they can always pay you. Then name the price you feel is reasonable considering the work it takes to learn new pieces.

[jollisg]

Thank you for your answer! I play there to play my repertoire in a small arrangement, before I perform on concerts. They asked me because they thought it was too quiet without any music. They know one of my piano teachers.

Also, I really like to play for people, to make people happy with music. But if it is so annoying to listen to "regular" classical music (not just the fully calm pieces) I don't know if that's the right arrangement for me. I tone all the pieces down (play mf instead of ff) and keep the lit shut.

I can learn some small simple pieces (like chopin op28 no6), but if they want me to have a 1,5 hour repertoire of calm pieces, i think I will ask them to pay. I will see how it goes. They will talk to my teacher as well. I don't think my teacher would like The idea to learn a completely new repertoire just for that, not now when I have a college application in just a little more than one year.

[j_menz]

Who pays the piper calls the tune. Who doesn't, doesn't.