Cellist Saves Up Enough Exposure to Put a Down Payment on a House
Toronto-based cellist Mason Price has finally saved up enough exposure to place a down payment on a house.
“I’ve been out of school and performing in exchange for exposure for five years now,” said Price, who holds a Bachelor’s from the University of Toronto, Master’s from the Paris Conservatory, and an Artist Diploma from Juilliard. “Playing at restaurants, galas, weddings, full concerts, and even national tv broadcasts. I’ve been practicing 4-7 hours a day since I was a teenager, and outside of the practice room, you’ll usually find me rehearsing with various chamber ensembles. Or programming and sometimes arranging the music for those collaborations. But it was all worth it, because now I’ve acquired a ton of exposure.”
Price says he’s grateful to his first employers for setting him on the right track.
“I was told that my services weren’t worth being paid in money because I’m early in my career, I enjoy what I do, and I can do it for free,” he recalled while rosining his $2300 bow. “I mean, you can’t argue with that.”
Once he had accumulated the necessary exposure, Price’s next steps on the journey to homeownership were simple.
“When my husband and I took it to our mortgage broker, she was really impressed,” said Price. “She said we’d have no problem getting approved, and she was right. We move in tomorrow.”
Though he has faced criticism for years from within Toronto’s musical community, the cellist continues to perform undaunted.
“Some of my colleagues have strongly advised me against working for exposure alone,” shared Price. “They say it devalues my work, and drags down the entire music industry as a whole. Well, guess who’s not getting invited to our house-warming party.”
Price and his husband will not be paying their mortgage broker, who agreed to work for free if they share her business cards with all of their friends.