And your reply should be, too. You should check with the New York AFM office regarding the provisions established for such practices, the compensation that may be negotiated between the union and any public radio networks, limitations of usage, and the like. These provisions were worked out for your benefit. Learn how to take advantage of them. Unlike other professions, musicians don't have conventions.
Festivals are our conventions.
It's the one place where we get an opportunity to meet with our peers, play music with our friends and our heroes, experiment with unlikely combinations, and share new ideas. Many musicians feel uncomfortable once they get beyond their own carefully honed stage shows. This is understandable, and yet still workable. These seemingly spontaneous moments of magic can be urged along with a little preparation as well. I often scan the roster of a festival I'm attending well in advance of my arrival.