I very rarely play a public recital or concert. Maybe two per year in a busy year. It's not that I don't want to, but the opportunities just aren't there. And when I do play it's usually for very little money. A couple of times I've thought about just securing some space and then taking donations, but when I mentioned it to my friends they looked at me like I was going to break into their homes. Music, it seems, should be free. Especially if it's played by a friend.
I do get to play quite a bit though. Usually weddings or other private functions. I like most of the music that I play but occasionally I'm asked to play something that I don't really care for. But that doesn't matter because the folks who hire me like it and that's what counts. Some think that a "gig" is not a very artistic outlet for me. But I feel that gigs are as artistic as I want them to be.
I used to get a little criticism from some other musicians about playing gigs. In their view this is a lesser activity. A few years ago I volunteered to teach at a prestigious guitar festival. Although it was a three day event I could only stay for less than 24 hours before I had to leave to play at a wedding in another part of the state. When someone made a snarky comment I thought "Yeah, but I'm the only musician here with a paying job." In recent years I've been asked by those same musicians to help them find gigs. It's funny how poverty can affect attitude.
I place part of the blame on college programs. And I have to include myself in this criticism. We teach these kids how to play their instruments and we expose them to all sorts of new (to them) repertoire. This is a good thing. It's what we should do. But we don't quite get around to teaching them how to make a living doing it. Even future band directors are given very little instruction about classroom management. It's almost as if money or other "worldly" concerns taint the purity.
The artists "world" at the college or university is an alternate reality. And, for most, it doesn't exist off-campus. Artistic identities will need to be formed that are not necessarily reflections of their professors. Artistic compromises, particularly in the beginning, will be required. Even the Beatles played cover tunes initially.
I won't let the music or other musicians define my artistry. I try to play every song with respect. Some pieces I've played hundreds of times. Others only once - thankfully. But I always try to play the best I know how. I learned the guitar (and continue to learn) so I could serve the music, the audience, the client, and the art itself. Not to be served. In the world of working musicians that just makes me normal.