Klarinet Archive - Posting 000366.txt from 1999/05

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Music Ed v. Performance (Long Flame Bait)
Date: Mon, 10 May 1999 13:16:30 -0400

This issue comes up every now and then--a student gets to college, really
loves playing, finds their Ed classes dull (and perhaps not on point) and
thinks that they'll switch and play for a living.

Well, don't--unless you really, truly believe that there is no way in $#=%
that you would become a teacher. In most states, you NEED the education
degree to get a job as a public school music teacher--it's the price of
admission. Having to go back later to get certified would be a serious
waste of your money. If you really love playing, get both an Ed and a
performance degree--many, many Ed people I know have. My wife, for example.
You get to have longer lessons and you have to play a couple of
recitals--other than that, the extra work isn't usually that much. Of
course, if you have just realized that teaching is not for you, I would urge
you to quit the program and find something else to do. As I explain below,
however, that probably should not be performance.

BUT--if you're making the switch because you really, truly want to play
clarinet for a living--as opposed to teaching it, either in public school or
at the post-secondary level--you need a dose of reality. If you are not
already in a major conservatory and beating out your compatriots for all of
the cool gigs because you blow them away, you are probably not good enough
to play for a living. It sucks, but it's true.

The truth is that very, very, very few people make their living playing
clarinet. A lot more do by doubling on all the woodwinds--but even then,
(a) few do and (b) the pay is usually meager at best. The competition for
jobs is fierce, and the level of playing extremely high for those who make
the finals in the auditions. So if you are not an extraordinary
virtuoso--at the caliber of Ricardo Morales--you'd be better off spending
your education dollars in an area in which you can eat.

(Donning fire-proof suit)

Finally, if you ARE a Ricardo-like virtuoso, why waste your time with a
performance degree? Charlie Neidich didn't--he was an Anthropology major at
Yale. Kenny Gorelick (Kenny G to you) wasn't a music major; he's a CPA.
Many symphony musicians don't have performance degrees (because they dropped
out of college when they got their gig). If you need a grad degree in
music, your undergrad degree doesn't usually have to be in music as long as
you have fulfilled basic requirements. And, if you're that great a player,
the conservatory teacher will get rules bent to get you in the studio.
Plus, as discussed, you can be free to get a degree in something that will
make you some money.

My advice--write code. That's "software" code. You would be amazed how
many musicians there are who do that--apparently it's a intuitive switch. I
work at a relatively large software company that is simply chock-full of
musicians. If you want, you can do it part time and still play gigs--but
you'll have a much nicer lifestyle.

kjf

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