Klarinet Archive - Posting 000434.txt from 1998/12

From: David Blumberg <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] re:Conducting Major
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 10:16:53 -0500

Date: Tue, 08 Dec 1998 21:26:09 -0800
From: dnaden <dnaden@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl] Thoughts About College Auditions
Chris--
This is just my $0.02, but I would suggest any undergraduate major in music
that
you are comfortable with (performance or music education IMHO) that would
prepare
you for graduate work in conducting. In my research of schools, most of the
better schools only offer conducting programs at the graduate level.
A double-major in performance and music education is also possible, and would
provide the best of both worlds.
David S. Naden, MMus
Cal State University Los Angeles
Maestro645@-----.com wrote:
> Hi everyone!
> After quite a bit of time "lurking" (I've been EXTREMELY busy - and that's
> putting it mildly!!!), I have two questions regarding college
> auditions/majors.
> The first one deals with majors. As I've said before, my career choice is to
> become a symphony maestro. I want to go all the way and get my Ph.D and
> obviously conductiong is the major to go for. However, it is only offered as
> a Master's degree on up at the colleges I'm interested in. What would be a
> more ideal bachelor's degree major, in your opinions, to start with?
> Performance, Theory, Education? I highly doubt Education because I was told
> it was more for teaching school, which I have no real desire to do. Or could
> I take a non-music major and then take some music classes and ensembles, and
> then do my Master's in Conducting?
> Second quesion: If I have a music major (say if Performance was the the
way to
> go), when I audition for scholarships, etc., do I need to stick to one
> instrument, or can I do several (I just made All-State Chorus, so I was
> wondering if I could use that to help me get scholarships.)?
> Thanks for your opinions!
> Chris Hoffman

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Chris, keep in mind that becoming a "Symphony Maestro" is like going to
Wharton School of Business, and expecting to be the CEO of General Motors
(or any other Major Corporation). The odds are tremendously against you, no
matter how good you may be at it. Play the lottery, the odds are similar,
and have a good back-up plan.
Try to get into a program like Tanglewood (conducting), and see how you
fare after you get some training. Even those conductors are facing a
greatly uphill battle, unless you would be satisfied conducting a church
choir, or conducting a school orchestra.

David Blumberg
David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com

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