Klarinet Archive - Posting 000402.txt from 1999/05

From: Kratofil <kratofil@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: Music Ed. vs. Performance
Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 07:24:25 -0400

J Blake Arrington wrote:

> I am considering changing my major to Clarinet Performance instead of Music
> Ed. I would like to know if any of you have been adversely affected by
> having a performance degree instead of an Ed. degree.

I have 2 performance degrees, and personally have not be "adversely
affected." I did not want to teach classroom music. However, I am not
doing much professional playing, right now.

When my students ask this question, I make sure they realize what they
are getting into. IMHO, if you do not want to teach classroom music,
than don't go music ed, just to have something to fall back on. When I
met my clarinet teacher, just prior to college, he said: "You don't
want to be a band director?" I replied, "No, I don't think I would be
good at it." And he said, "Fine, there are enough bad ones out there
anyway." I don't like the idea of anyone teaching, just to have a job.
(And some classroom teaching jobs are demanding!! It wouldn't
necessarily be easy money! A good one earns their keep.)

I do an incredible amount of private teaching. I found that I am good
at it and enjoy it. I still play when I can, but I'm not going to be a
big symphony player. I don't regret my performance degrees. I had
wonderful private teachers and have learned about private teaching along
the way. I have also worked as a secretary to pay the bills. I think
to go performance you have to be either exceptionally talented and
disciplined OR be willing to do "what it takes"/make your own way.

Interestingly, a student of mine is looking at Music Performance at
Geneva College (small school, near Pittsburgh, PA). The degree
requirements are not quite like a conservatory performance degree.
There are required classes like conducting, class woodwinds (for a
woodwind major), and a few others that I wasn't expecting. Then it
dawned on me....they are preparing them for private teaching. Not such
a bad idea. I would have loved to have woodwind pedagogy at least. A
lot of the piano teachers I know had such a class.

You _can_ make a life with a Performance degree. It's a very personal
decision.

Aimee Kratofil
Greensburg, PA

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