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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000093.txt from 2003/08
From: rcramey <rcramey@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [DR-L] Student needs advice from professionals
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 15:54:30 -0400
Jacqui:
Try visiting the MENC website:
http://www.menc.org/information/infoserv/MusicCareers.html
It lists much information about careers in music, including employment that
you may not
have thought of. You could do your "day job" in an area that interests you
and still have
time to pursue professional playing.
--Richard Ramey
Professor of Bassoon
University of Arkansas
member, The Ramey Trio
>===== Original Message From EnglandWLa15@-----.com ====
>I am in my second year of school, receiving my bachelors in music education
>and bassoon performance. I went into college thinking that I wanted to be a
>high school music teacher and no one could tell me any different. Now, having
>done camps, and lessons and what not, I'm starting to see the other end. It
was a
>lot of fun being a high school music STUDENT, but being the teacher isn't
>what I thought it would be, and I haven't even gotten the full expierience
yet. I
>am wondering if I'll be able to go from practicing as much as I do, and
>playing the awesome music my college orchestra plays, and being surrounded by
>people with such a high musical understanding, back to high school. I've been
back
>to visit my high school several times and I see the way that some students
>treat my director, and just don't know if I could do it. Also, it's so
>frusterating musically. Sometimes the kids just don't understand things that
I find so
>simple.
>
>On the other hand, my high school music teacher changed my life, and the
>oppertunity to do that for kids and have music really effect them, is what
made me
>want to teach music in the first place. I'm just wondering, if the
>frusteration, time away from your family, and putting up with students who
just don't
>care about what you're trying to do for them, is worth the gratification of
>seeing a students who truely loves what they're doing, and appriciates you.
>
>Also, I am a pretty serious bassoonist. I don't want to give up playing. I
>don't see the point in putting SO much effort into playing well and learning
so
>much about my instrument in college, just to turn around and have no time to
>play because I'm doing marching band, and jazz band and going on trips every
>weekend. I've considered two things, and this is the purpose of the e-mail,
to
>get professional opinions on my ideas.
>
>1.) Apply to graduate schools, go through my masters and doctorate degrees
>and find a university to teach bassoon at.
>
>2.) Go directly to teaching HS and then, when it's time to get my masters
>(schools require you to after a period of time) just get my masters and my
>docterate and then teach at a university and see which I prefer. The problem
with
>this is that teaching for the I believe 4 years that it is before I'd have to
>get my masters would mean 4 years of a lot less time to practice, and the
type
>of grad schools I want to go to (I want to study with Frank Morelli) require
a
>very high level of musicality. That would be 4 years out of playing with an
>orchestra, and without the constant help of an instructor (I actually live
with
>her right now). When I graduate undergrad school, I will be at the peak level
>of musicianship and I just don't have the money to audition to the schools I
>want to go to multiple times.
>
>The reason I am asking now for advice is, I need to decide by next year what
>I am going to do, because I will obviousy need to start preparing for
>auditions, but also you have to apply to graduate schools earlier then I am
allowed to
>do my student teaching. Otherwise, I would just student teach, see how I
>liked it, and then decide, but I'll have to decide before I get that
expierience.
>
>Overall, I have a very strong love for music, and love for my instrument, but
>most of all, a very strong love for the power of music education, and I'm
>very confused about what I want my life to be (I suppose just like any other
19
>year old) and any advice that could be offered by someone who's already been
>through this is greatly appriciated. My apologies about the length.
>
>Sincerly,
>Jacqui Gorski
>Eastern Washington University
