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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000094.txt from 2003/08

From: John & Trudy Phillips <johntrudy@-----.net>
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Student needs advice from professionals
Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 16:04:05 -0400

You also might try the approach many of us non-professionals did. Major
in something else you enjoy doing. Get a job in that area and play on the
side. Obviously you want to take advantage of as many music courses and
experiences in college as possible.

If you take this route, you won't have to live the life of a starving
musician. One retired friend earned chemistry degrees instead of clarinet
major. He taught at a small college and now plays with every local group
from jazz and swing to the local symphony. Yes, he does not play first
chair, but he is having a ball.

Just my $0.02.
Trudy

> --- EnglandWLa15@-----.com
wrote: > > 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
> >
>
>
> http://search.yahoo.com
>
>
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