 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: suavkue
Date: 2010-12-20 12:48
What happened this time? I switched my major (Clarinet Performance to Theory).
I never did think this would happen, and it did - what happened during my jury examination was that my lower lip was moving like crazy (a problem I've had for a while yet failed to control - it's only happened while I'm under high pressure), which basically made my intonation go all over the place (along with my tone - ugh - that tone that came out was just despicable). In short, I didn't get admitted to Performance, and I switched majors. If I wanted to, I could re-audition at a later time, but there are reasons that I am not allowed to say here that have basically led me to not try to re-audition.
So now I'm a Theory major. I always did have Theory in the back of my mind, should I consider switching my music major. It seems as if the Theory degree here (UW-Eau Claire) covers a much more broad field than the Performance. Plus, it seems like the Theory degree will complement my Mathematics (Actuarial Science) degree very well - a Theory professor and a Math professor have done research together here, and my adviser (the Theory professor) suggested that I spend a summer doing this collaborative research.
Now that's all happened - I guess what I'm wondering is, what should I expect to do while I'm in this degree plan and afterward? Thanks everyone.
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My current equipment:
Ridenour Lyrique 576BC, Rico Reserve 4, Ridenour Hand Finished Mouthpiece, Luyben Ligature
Post Edited (2010-12-20 12:50)
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Author: William
Date: 2010-12-20 14:25
"there are reasons that I am not allowed to say here"
Hmmmm......??
As for pursuing theory as a major, expect lots of analysis of past compositional practices--by composer, region and religious inspiration. Also, critical to all of this will be your aural ability to analyise insane chordal sequences easily. Without this, you will be bogged down with tedious visual and keyboard tinkering while you "find the correct set of pitches". I recall my old college advanced theory professor, Dr Hilmar Luckhardt, who could instantly identify any cluster of notes and totally analyise hundreds of our student theory assignments offering the appropriate corrections for all of our errors in his famous red pencil notations. He was a tough as nails with us and not always well liked, but he was a musical genious and helped all of us become better musicians and teachers. If you are not this "kind of person", then I suggest you return to the easier pursuit of performance--which is no "bed of roses" either.
Then, there is also you ability in math to fall back on--and perhaps be much more happy with.......
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Author: suavkue
Date: 2010-12-20 14:43
Hi, William - contact me by e-mail if you want to know about the first part.
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My current equipment:
Ridenour Lyrique 576BC, Rico Reserve 4, Ridenour Hand Finished Mouthpiece, Luyben Ligature
Post Edited (2010-12-20 14:45)
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2010-12-20 14:51
Theory isn't a bad option to go to. I've been looking in jobs in higher education, and have noticed very little performance based jobs (other than piano and voice), but mostly theory, music education and history along with a major instrument (Music ed being the highest amount out of those).
Theory is a very tedious field, but if you're also getting a math degree, you might like it. I love theory, even though I haven't been given the opportunity to teach it.
The next thing I would bank on is Music Ed. I've seen a lot of band director jobs open, and if you get higher degrees, you will be able to teach on the collegiate level with a music ed degree. Good luck!
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2010-12-20 23:09
Do you ever write any music? There's a lot of overlap between theory and composition majors, there's very little a theory major does that a comp doesn't, and there's greater variety in what to do with comp major experience, both in school and out. A theory major preps you for a college theory teaching position, and that's it.
Especially as a theory major, you'd probably spend a lot of time going deep into pitch-class theory, which, in my humble opinion, is a royal waste of time with a big "and this gets you what?" at the end of it. (I can go on lengthy tirades in this area)
Of course, I wouldn't go into any sort of music because you think it'll get you a job, save perhaps music ed if you want to teach K-12.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: suavkue
Date: 2010-12-20 23:45
Hi, Alex - yes, I do write my own music. I've written two pieces for high school wind ensembles and basically compose whenever I have time and whenever I'm given the opportunity. I find Theory most interesting when I can apply it - if I don't apply it, I feel like I'm just memorizing facts that I will never use. The Theory degree here requires 6 semesters of Applied Piano and 2 of another instrument, 4 semesters of Composition, a lot of Counterpoint/Theory stuff, the usual Ensemble requirement, and some History.
I might switch to Comp. - but something makes me think that I'll be staying with the Theory major. Looks like we'll see. A change to Comp. right now, though, would delay me graduating for about a year because of a Spring-only course.
I've heard of this pitch-class theory - but I honestly don't know too much about it. I know that it's associated with 20th century music (twelve tone music comes to mind), but not too much more than that. A friend of mine, who is a Comp. major, will be doing research with my Theory professor on this. Perhaps I'll be doing this for my senior thesis?
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My current equipment:
Ridenour Lyrique 576BC, Rico Reserve 4, Ridenour Hand Finished Mouthpiece, Luyben Ligature
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2010-12-21 00:05
My comp major delayed my graduation by a couple years. I'd do it again.
I dunno, maybe you'll dig pitch class theory. It seems to me that its only usefulness is in figuring out how someone else wrote a piece if that person also was really into pitch class theory. Effectively, it's theory that was invented for theory's sake without doing much else. Offers very little into exploring/explaining why something sounds like it does, which traditional theory is all about.
I snoozed through it in my undergrad because it smacked of "some music theorist sat through the first 2 days of a linear algebra course and decided to plug numbers 0-11 into it, assign to pitches, and see what happens." Three years of college math and algorithms courses under my belt, I called BS. A fine way to construct a piece, and a delightful curiosity into how some people put together atonal music, but hardly anything worth creating a field of theory around.
In essence, traditional theory explains why any piece of music sounds the way it does, regardless of how it was put together, regardless of whether the composer knew squat about music theory. Pitch class theory explains what Bob was doing when he made a piece using pitch class theory.
Now if you get really deep into intonation and the harmonic series, THAT's some fascinating stuff!
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2010-12-21 02:46
As others have pointed out, you really have to love theory to major in it. William mentioned aural ability, and this is a very important skill for a theorist to have (this was never one of my strong points).
At the same time, theory might not be a bad degree choice. If you really love it, you could go on to get advanced degrees in it (or even comp). I assume that you'll be continuing the clarinet lessons, and a performance degree in the future could still be possible. The piano/keyboard training is always useful.
Here's something else to think about. If you go on to earn a PhD in theory and teach in a university, you'll spend a good deal of time reading and submitting articles to theory journals. Check out some of them (there are several online), such as http://mto.societymusictheory.org/ Can you see yourself doing this?
By they way, how do you like your Lyrique?
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Author: suavkue
Date: 2010-12-21 03:11
The Lyrique is amazing. It plays much better than my previous Leblanc Soloist (and sounds better). I prefer its response to the R13s I've tried from other students.
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My current equipment:
Ridenour Lyrique 576BC, Rico Reserve 4, Ridenour Hand Finished Mouthpiece, Luyben Ligature
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