Klarinet Archive - Posting 000763.txt from 1997/07

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Crummy clarinetist
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 11:11:52 -0400

On Wed, 23 Jul 1997 dsalveso@-----.net wrote:

> This coming academic year I'll be attending the Interlochen Arts Academy
> (I can't wait). My question is this: What should I do after that? I
> really want to major in performance but I'm not a "gifted" clarinetist by
> any means. At the present time is there work out there for less than
> perfect clarinetists? I don't relish the thought of living with my
> parents until I'm 30.

Your message indicates two assumptions, both of which are not correct.
The first is that being a full-time professional performer is the only way
to have a satisfying career in music, and the second is that the only
alternative to majoring in performance is to live with your parents until
you are 30.

There are many ways to have a career in music: performing, teaching
privately, teaching in a college or university, high school, middle
school, or elementary, being a music therapist, working in the retail
music products industry, being an arts administrator, orchestra manager,
artists' agent, recording engineer, instrument repair person, church
musician, and many, many more. Naturally, many combinations of the above
are also possible. For example, in my own instance, I am a university
teacher, I perform in an orchestra and many other settings, I sometimes
work as a church musician, and I have done several additional things
listed above at one time or another.

Through performing in their high school band, choir or orchestra, many
young musicians come to think of themselves as "performers," and it is
perhaps not too surprising that they come to the conclusion that the way
to succeed in music is continuing to perform. This problem is exacerbated
in those instances when the students are in school situations where their
music teachers are unhappy, frustrated, or unsuccessful. However, for
most, that is an entirely too restrictive way of looking at the music
profession.

In my view, every musician, no matter what their primary field of
endeavor, should become as accomplished a performer as possible. After
all, the love for music and for performing it is what leads most of us
into this field. However, that is not to say that we must earn most of
our living from performing professionally. I hope I have indicated that
there are many other options.

Assess your own abilities, strengths and weaknesses. I like to ask
students your age such questions as, "What are your good subjects in
school _besides_ music?" and "If you had to choose a career outside of
music, what might you choose?" Sometimes, the answers to these questions
can indicate some things about our interests and our affinities.

The Music Educators National Conference publishes a little brochure titled
"Careers in Music." I recommend that you get a copy and do a lot of
thinking about it. But remember, whenever you make a choice as to what
field you will study in college, this is not necessarily a life-long
committment. More than half of the students who enter college will change
their majors at least once. Every year, we have students who change from
music therapy to music/business, or from performance to music education,
etc. Then, some others will change from music to an entirely different
field, while others, who began with a major in something other than music
because they thought a major in music would be "impractical" will decide
to go ahead and do what they really wanted to, and will change from some
other field into music.

All this is part of the advising I do for prospective and incoming music
students, and as I have developed it over a period of more than 30 years,
to write it all here would make a very long message indeed. Please let us
know if you have additional specific questions.

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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