 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bb R13 greenline
Date: 2012-04-01 03:58
So I've always wanted to be a musician and do the whole orchestra thing and escape the odds of like 1 in 200 actually being able to get a decent paying job, but lately I've just been noticing more and more that classical and jazz music or anything that involves the clarinet for that part is very quickly dying. A prime example would be the philly orchestra filing chapter 11. Its a shame that classical music is being lost not because its better than another genre or anything but just because its another art form and diverse genre of music, but things evolve and so does music. anyway i guess my point would be that after being so classical, classical, classical, for a good 6 years that I'm realizing theres more out there and being a musician isn't really for me? So many people say all the time don't quit you'll regret it soooo much, you're soo good and your just gonna quit?, and without my instrument i really don't know what else id want to do with my life? but on the other side i honestly don't to want have to spend the majority of my life stuck in a practice room, or in a rehearsal straining my back and not talking to anyone. Id like to be able to hang out with my friends like a normal teen and and not constantly worry if i had broke in reeds last week for todays concert. Has anyone else ever felt like this?? I love my music, but i don't know maybe I'm just realizing its not really what i want? i don't know
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-04-01 04:06
I worked with a noted actor last year, and got to see him talk to a group of college students. He said that if anyone can talk you out of being an actor (or musician, or any other kind of artist), then you should go find something else to do. If you cannot be talked out of it, then you have the determination to make it. It doesn't guarantee you will, but without it you're sunk.
Sounds like you've just about talked yourself out of it.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bb R13 greenline
Date: 2012-04-01 04:19
thats the thing I've never been like this ever before, usually I've been the most dedicated person I've ever know when it comes to my music, i set aside 4 hours everyday and all of that. maybe I've just had to much recently??
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEBaum
Date: 2012-04-01 04:38
An alternative to Merlin's tact, but with similar effect:
Just quit. Then see if it pulls you back.
For me, the clarinet itself didn't pull me back, and never has. I could never play another sonata and be perfectly content with that. The same could be said for me with composition... I have no real compulsion to compose.
What has drawn me back, though, over and over, is some wild, crazy, weird or fun idea that I want to see or hear happen, and that nobody else seems to be doing. So it's on me to make it happen. Clarinet just happens to be the instrument I'm best at due to all those years, so I gravitate back toward it as the most appropriate tool.
See what angle, what take on the instrument or on the music or the experience or circumstances, if any, pulls you back in.
If nothing pulls you back in, consider it an opportunity to do other things in life. You're in high school, at a time of your life when the MOST doors are open to you. There are more awesome things you can do with your life than any human being could ever get good at, and as you get older, physical barriers show up as well (I don't have a chance of ever playing pro football, for example, and my window on parkour is closing). You won't have the opportunity to be a professional clarinetist AND a top microbiologist AND a touring ballet dancer AND a nuclear physicist AND a master linguist AND an astronaut AND a university groundskeeper AND a park ranger. Not because you're not good enough, but because there simply isn't time to do all those things to a reasonable degree of quality.
Look around and see which you like.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEBaum
Date: 2012-04-01 04:47
As for hanging out with friends like a normal teen, rather than being stuck in a practice room or in a no-talky rehearsal...
Have you considered popular music? Rock? Metal? Grunge? Noise? Punk? Folk? Electronica? Dubstep? Hip hop? Some other genre that hasn't been invented yet?
The reclusive non-social aspect of music is much more intense in the classical world.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2012-04-01 05:03
Yep, we've beat this topic around the bush for years.
And I only feel so bold as to contribute a thought I had today. I was watching a show about stock brokers and I realized that most of the highest paying jobs these days (real estate, Wall Street, I. Banking, Internet Sites, etc.) are in the intangibles.
Think about real estate - why can't a buyer sell directly to a seller? Someone got the bright idea that it would be better to have an intermediary. Thus, a new profession is born that really doesn't have any practical value in most locales (NYC, Chicago, cities in general may be an exception).
Or Wall Street. These guys get paid big bucks to trade an invisible object. A share - we don't even print these on paper anymore and they don't provide a product, it's just a bunch of electrons that make a company artificially expansive.
These require a modest amount of training and a seriously big set of cojones. This job market seems, for the most part, good.
Then there's the engineer. He actually designs a real product that is used in society. The factory worker who labors to build an item to go in a kitchen or living room. Or an architect who designs a building. On average, these people make fractions of the above but still a good living. These require a high level of education and a good grounding in the arts and sciences. The job market is very good, as the numbers pursuing this education are shrinking.
Finally there are those jobs that require a high level of education where the job market sucks. Music. Artists. English teachers (writers). Historians. Archaeologists...and the list goes on. These also provide a product, but sometimes an intangible article that feeds the senses. It's no surprise that the popularity of these degrees is constantly high - we want to do what we sense we love but, in reality, we need to leave this to being a hobby for all the reasons already listed in this thread and GBK's link.
For me, I'm a scientist who is a modestly good clarinetist that allows me opportunities in community wind groups and other ensembles. At 25, I'm financially stable, own a home, and have a steady job and, most importantly, am still able to pursue my passions of playing and writing music without the worries of winning an audition or fighting hundreds of other well-qualified clarinetists for the next big job to open up.
We all MUST be cognizant of reality.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2012-04-01 13:40
Merlin's advice is solid. The kind of dedication needed to succeed against tremendous odds and the likelihood of working hard, becoming accomplished and still being penniless is very real. If you don't have the passion and dedication, you'll flinch and reconsider constantly.
I flinched too (20 something years ago now) when I was advised that in addition to a degree in clarinet performance, I should also plan for a "back-up." When I started thinking about my back-ups (the counselor was clearly thinking Music Education), I realized that I had the talent and ability to pursue a different career entirely (business and economics). Soon, it was clear than clarinet would be my back-up....and that's the recipe for stopping as those more dedicated improve, and you become less and less competitive. Soon, I stopped entirely. I flinched.
In the 20 years since I made that decision, I stepped away from clarinet and built a pretty nice career (in business), family and life. I've always been a patron of the arts and an advocate for school music programs. Only recently have I begun practicing clarinet and playing again with a community band. You CAN come back to the instrument, but you get to come back on your own terms.
It's one of those monumental life decisions. Both ways have their benefits and risks. There's no wrong answer....there are just answers that are best for YOU.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-04-01 13:46
Bradford,
It's always interesting to me how many people want to choose music education as a backup to being a performer.
Having spent 15 years teaching middle school music, I can tell you that the last thing I wanted to hear most days after 6 hours of band classes was sound of any sort. I craved silence.
If someone wants a fallback, my recommendation is to try and find something non-musical. Skilled trades are in short supply. Heck, I wish I'd started out as a plumber or electrician. Good money, constant demand. Then you can enjoy your personal music making time without it seeming too much like your working life.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2012-04-01 14:49
You have confirmed what was my worst fear at the time -- that I would start to dislike music if I became a band director somewhere.
In contrast, having worked in another field away from music for a number of years (plumbing and electrical work would have been a good choice as well), as a returnee I'm finding that I enjoy playing more than ever (granted, the challenges of recapturing basics and technique are significant, but still fun) and that I have always enjoyed symphonic music as a listener and patron even when my days and nights were spent focusing on a family or a career in business.
Again, there are no wrong choices, only choices that are better or worse for the individual. Music (and clarinetting) can be amazing, and we all owe it to ourselves and the art to remain connected to it in whatever way will ultimately bring us (and others) the most joy.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2012-04-01 15:22
Happiness is doing what you like to do. I like to play music with my clarinets and saxophones, so I do it as often as I can without worrying about what else I could be doing. Sometimes I get paid, sometimes not--I don't really care. Playing music is my "fun".....it's as simple as that.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-04-01 16:53
I play professionally now. 100% of my income is from performing, writing or teaching private lessons.
When I got out of college, I took a job at a music retail store. I figured that if I couldn't start gigging full-time right away, I'd at least be working in the music business.
The connections were handy; the retail job led to me getting on the sub list for the school board, which then turned into a full time teaching job.
If I had it to do over, I would have pursued a trade or apprenticeship right after my music studies.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2012-04-01 18:00
Go to Trade school and become a plumber. The pay is good and so are the hours.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-04-01 19:17
Being a musician is and always was a love of your art first and being practical second. I don't know many musicians that thought they would become rich as a musician. The problem though is that you have to eat and pay your rent and as you get older you want a decent life for you and your family. It's always been difficult to get an orchestra job in America that pays a living wage but it's become much more difficult the last decade. The reasons are simple, far to many students want to be musicians, especially clarinet players, and fewer oppertunities to get jobs. As a matter off fact there are less professional orchestras doing well today then there were several years ago and many orchestra's are not filling openings presently and using subs to bring costs down. My Baltimore Sympnony is a prime example. We have a 96 piece contract when we're full but now use about 15-18 subs to fill vacancies. At the present time the clarinet section is the only wind-brass section that's has it's full complement, at least for now anyway.
Music is something that gets in your blood and you have to be incredibly talented and lucky to get a good full time job to make a decent living. I've always encourged my students to minor in something else or double major if you have the smarts. Many graduates make a living doing something else and play and teach on the side. Many learn other styles of music and double. Many join the military and play in one of the bands, several which are very good and some make a career of it. At least there are openings in the bands to audition for. I have some good pages on my website about jobs in America. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JHowell
Date: 2012-04-02 02:51
Things weren't always great even for the majors. In one of his master classes Marcellus talked about the days in the Cleveland Orchestra when players had summer jobs -- I think he talked about one of the string players driving a bus. But music has never, for most of us, been a sensible career choice.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEBaum
Date: 2012-04-02 04:35
"Art music" musicians have been either starving or supported by patrons for centuries. The main difference now is that Esterhazy has been replaced by Annenberg, and foundations go under more easily than empires.
When you look at all the colleges employing musicians on faculty, I'd wager there are more classical musicians gainfully employed now than at any time in history (give or take, subject to fluctuations in orchestra openings and closings).
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Furbo
Date: 2012-04-04 15:11
Hey,
If you wanna be a musician - you will be. Weather or not it's your primary vocation is a whole 'nuther matter.
In college in the 80's, I thought Id be a Band Director - but only got to college because of the Army. Owed them 4 yrs for my education and just kinda never left. BUT - have gotten opportunities to play all over the world, in all sorts of settings, and all kindsa music.
Todd
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2012-04-05 15:19
"You have confirmed what was my worst fear at the time -- that I would start to dislike music if I became a band director somewhere."
I have known many active and retired elementary, middle, and high school band directors in 30 years of playing in community bands. A high percentage of them (especially the retired directors) do not want to conduct the community band, but all of them still enjoying playing music with the band.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-04-05 15:39
I forgot to mention the most common job related problem (other than stress) afflicting the band teacher - hearing loss.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rtmyth
Date: 2012-04-05 16:09
Fortunately for me, in high school my friends Julius Karner and George Silfies had talent far beyond mine, so I became an engineer with a life-long hobby of playing clarinet, and they became noted professional musicians.
richard smith
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kimber
Date: 2012-04-06 00:15
A friend of mine was music all the way and came out with the music education degree (changed from performance junior year) in the end. He taught high school band for 4 years and gave it up and went back to school because he wasn't challenged enough intellectually and was already fed up with the school system beauracracy at age 27. Went to law school and couldn't be happier.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BflatNH
Date: 2012-04-07 12:57
If your life is in the dimensions where music exists
and you have talent there
but in no other places,
you will do well in music.
But if can see into other worlds
and have talent there as well,
your soul may require you to go there,
and perhaps stay there a while.
And when the fruit of that time is ripe,
you may come home to music
and share with the world
what you have seen and felt.
But now they can hear.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
