Klarinet Archive - Posting 000843.txt from 1999/12

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] A little dilemma
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 20:56:40 -0500

> I don't know what I am really hoping to get out of this,
> but I am writing
> to ask you guys' opinion about graduate school. I am an international
> student from Malaysia, and a senior at Luther College majoring in both
> computer science and music performance. The dilemma I've been
> having since
> the beginning of the year is whether I should try out for grad school in
> music performance or not. I mean, I like to be realistic, knowing that my
> parents would be really happy if I were to just go out and work in the
> computer science field. But something inside me tells me that I owe it to
> myself to give grad school a shot. But what can grad school in music lead
> my life to?

A lot of debt and very little income.... (Sorry, couldn't resist). But
seriously, I was in a similar situation when I left Eastman. I did
specialized training in High School and College in music performance. I
also picked up a love of recording. My question was do I go to school and
learn to record or do I continue with my clarinet studies?

I decided to go on to grad school in Clarinet Performance. I doubt I will
get a big job as a clarinetist, but going to school to further my playing
career was probably the best thing I could have done for myself. I picked
up a large amount of debt, but it is worth it.

My suggestion is: if you *truly* love playing, go as far as you can with it.
Shoot to go to the best possible grad school you can make. Try out for the
big ones, you can always turn them down later (after you make it). When you
go to grad school, continue your study of computers on your own. You have
your degree, you can always get a job. Just make sure to stay on top of the
technology. If you stop your clarinet studies, don't count on picking it
back up later and making a career out of it. Sure, you'll be able to play,
but probably not at the level you'd be able to if you kept it up.

I still play quite a bit. I do recitals and chamber music performances and
I play in some local semi-pro ensembles. But, I earn the majority of my
money as a recording engineer. I wouldn't be as good of an engineer if I
hadn't studied my clarinet in grad school, though. I also wouldn't be the
player that I am right now either.

As for money. Apply and worry about it later. I know at USC (where I just
recently graduated), the foreign students in the clarinet studio do quite
well in the money dep't. They generally get a lot more than the American
students. I am sure other schools have similar programs to help
international students.

Hope this helps a bit.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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