Klarinet Archive - Posting 000744.txt from 1997/07

From: "Michael D. Moors" <mdmoors@-----.us>
Subj: Re: Major decisions
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 1997 23:48:02 -0400

Sarah,

Here are some questions I ask my own clarinet students: 1. Do you like to
play? 2. Are you thinking of getting a teaching degree because you like
to play? 3. Is teaching something persue to "fall back on". If you
answered yes to 2 and 3 I would give some real thought to whether teaching
is for you. It is too demanding to "fall back on" and students deserve
someone who loves teaching. The extra hours make it difficult to maintain
your clarinet playing. Worthy of thought: I have a former student playing
professionally that has a degree in library science. Why? Because there is
a library in every major city. Nursing would be another marketable skill.
If playing makes you want to become a music major; take music history,
theory classes and study with the best clarinetist you can find. A
performance degree means little. How you play means everything. It is
important to learn the composers and musical time periods.

If you love kids and playing both do what I did. Become a music Ed major
and work! work! work! I was offered my present position the day I was
schedule to go to Washington to take an audition with a military band. I
didn't know how I was going to answer the phone call. I chose teaching.
Never regretting it. I still play well but am not often am I in the shape
to play up to my potential. It is a good compromise for me.

I hope I gave you something to think about.

Mike Moors

>----------
>> From: Sarah B. Horney <benevolent1@-----.com>
>> To: klarinet@-----.us
>> Subject: Major decisions
>> Date: Wednesday, July 23, 1997 7:51 PM
>>
>> I want to apologize for the quantity (not to mention the quality)
>> of my mail to this list. If you can stand it, I have another question.
>
>> I want to be a high school band director when I get out of
>> school, and have some questions regarding not only specific major
>> options, but also general decisions. I have received many suggestions
>of
>> what my major should be. My Music Theory (and choir) teacher says that
>> "Performance is the way to go." My own band directors seem to have
>> differences of opinion- some say performance, some others say music
>> education (another says that I should forget music altogether and go for
>> the political science degree, only half-jokingly). I was just wondering
>> if anyone had any suggestions. Also, if there are specific schools that
>> you would recommend, I would be open to anything. I live near Fort
>> Worth, Texas, so University of North Texas is sounding nice, but I am
>> just so confused now.
>> Thank you so much for your time.
>>
>> Have fun!
>>
>> Sarah
>> benevolent1@-----.com
>
>

| | |
____|\__|_________|\___|___________|___|____________|\_|____________|__|__
____|/__|________=__|__|____O______|___|___=________|__|___|________|__|__
___/|___|___|________|__|___|______=____|__|____=____|__|___|_______=___|__
__|_/_\_|___|_______=___|___|___________|__|___|____=___|___|___________|__
___|/__|___|___________|___|___________|__|___|________|__O____________|__
/ O |
Michael D. Moors
http://edcen.ehhs.cmich.edu/~mmoors/