 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jeff Forman
Date: 2003-06-14 14:41
After reading the last thread of "where did you get your degree?" I am curious about a person who majors in clarinet. Since I did not take music in college, I don't know what the typical school day/week is like. Do you have one on one lessons/classes with a professor? Do you basically have pieces of music that you practice ad infinitum? And what about exams....are they essentially critiqued playing of a piece?
I suspect it is rewarding and stressfull at the same time. And I'm sure many of us who simply take lessons from a teacher while we go about our 9-5 lives would be interested in hearing how the music major lived (or lives) the music curriculum.
Thanks.
Jeff
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-14 15:01
It is my opinion that one can become just as good a clarinetist by studying privately (and practicing diligently) as by going to college and coping with the additional stress of the other academic challeges they do require. College provides a more rounded mental training, but if all you want to do is play professional clarinet, it is really all about "how good" you play, not how much you know. IMH (experianced)O, a performance degree is a waste of time and money that could be better spent in practicing your art while studying with the best private teachers NYC has to offer.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-06-14 18:32
Make friends with the night custodian, for you will be spending many late hours in the practice rooms...GBK
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Author: clarinet mom
Date: 2003-06-14 20:14
Jeff - At a major conservatory, you have weekly one-on-one lessons with a clarinet professor, approximately 15 lessons a semester. In general, you do not practice pieces "ad infinitum," there is not enough time. You are also practicing orchestra music, chamber music, and doing other coursework. You are practicing 2-5 hours a day, rehearsing, and going to other music and non-music classes. In the first 1-2 years, you are expected to perfect your technique to the point that you can learn new pieces on your own. You have juries at the end of each year where the members of the department (your teacher and others) listen to you play some of the solo pieces you have been working on. You get written critiques and a grade for the jury, but no credit.
Just pulled my kid's transcript off the refrigerator to give you an idea of what it's like. Let's just say that he studies clarinet performance at one of the major conservatories. Would give you the requirements from the catalog, but I don't have it, and it's not on the net. My son's coursework may not be typical because he entered with advanced standing in 2 areas (ear training and piano) - and he takes performance courses beyond requirements because he's "a kid in a candy store.'
Again - these are not the requirements, this is what the transcript has on it.
Year 1
Clarinet Lessons - 5 credits each semester
Symphony - 2 credits each semester
Orchestra Repertoire - 2 credits each semester
Contemporary Music performance group - 2 credits each semester
Chamber Music - 2 credits each semester
Ear training II - 2 credits each semester
Colloquium- 1 credit, first semester only
Humanities course-3 credits each semester
Literature and Materials I- 4 credits each semeser
Music History Intro- 1 credit, first semester only
Annual Jury Exam at the end of the first year - grade, but no credits
Year 2
Clarinet Lessons - 5 credits each semester
Symphony - 2 credits each semester
Orchestra Repertoire - 2 credits each semester
Contemporary Music performance group - 1 credit, first semester
Chamber Music - 2 credits each semester
Language Course- 3 credits each semester
Humanities course-3 credits each semester
Literature and Materials II- 4 credits each semeser
Annual Jury Exam at the end of the second year - grade, but no credits
Year 3
Clarinet Lessons - 5 credits each semester
Symphony - 2 credits each semester
Contemporary Music performance group - 1 credit, first semester
Chamber Music - 4 credits first semester, 2 credits second semester
Language Course- 3 credits each semester
Literature and Materials III- 3 credits each semeser
Music History Survey - 3 credits each semester
Annual Jury Exam at the end of the third year - grade, but no credits
In years 2 and 3, the kid also took a non-credit course where he's a guinea pig for conducting students. He gets paid for participating.
Year 4
I'm not sure what happens in year 4, but this is my best guess --
Clarinet Lessons - 5 credits each semester
Symphony - 2 credits each semester
Chamber Music - Requirements are probably met - but kid will probably do it
Literature and Materials IV- 3 credits each semeser
Music History Survey - 3 credits each semester
Music electives-????
Annual Jury Exam at the end of the fourth year - grade, but no credits
Required recital in the fourth year - grade, but no credits??
As you suspect, the program is extremely rewarding and stressful.
I disagree with Poster #2, UNLESS you come from a family of musicians (such as the Bach family, the Mozart family) or are in some similar circumstance (marooned with great musicians on a desert island for several years). In general, music school is not about learning specific pieces. It's about learning enough technique, theory, and history to enable you to approach anything that may come your way.
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Author: Jeff Forman
Date: 2003-06-14 20:33
Thanks, Clarinet Mom. I was really just curious what a performance major's world is like. I wasn't making a value judgment. I'm not sure what the other responses were about.
Jeff
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Author: Brandon
Date: 2003-06-14 21:57
Sorry clarinet mom. I have seen too many great players major in something else. Many fine players I know have majored in chemistry, physics, or even English! The problem with many universities that I have been around is the stress on academia rather than perfromance. Yes, it is good to get a well rounded education, but that is not what most perfromance degree kids are looking for. Many performance majors I know just hate to take those classes, as it takes time away from the practice room.
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Author: Andy
Date: 2003-06-15 12:07
As another example of the course I just graduated with B Music Performance from a course in Australia here is the run down:
First Year:
You have two hours of aural classes, four hours of history/harmony classes, chamber music ( minimum one group per half year, most however do more, usually two or three of which you will recieve a minimum four hours of tutorials for each work you prepare throughout the year) which is about two hours a week, orchestral repertoire class where you read through rep with a full brass and wind section which equals about an hour week, and two hour clarinet class where all students from all years attend (this class is taken by the professor in clarinet) and then a one hour lesson with the professor in clarinet (called a senior lecturer in Australia mainly). On top of this we were expected to be doing about 3-4 hours a day private practice, listening and reading.
Two technical exams (15 minutes each consisting of scales, studies, orch excerpts, and one piece of repertoire in the final tech exam)
One 20-25 minute recital
Second year is about the same except everything but lessons increase in time
Two technical exams, same time and requirements as first year, only a higher standard is required)
One 30 minute recital
Third year:
Academic subjects are lighter now, only two hours a week and no aural classes any more. You now have two one hour lessons a week and are expected to do more performances, both internally and externally
Two tech exams, same as previously, only harder stuff
One 40-45 minute recital
Fourth year:
Two lessons a week
Chamber music
A 10,000 thesis if you are doing the honours year (as I did)
One 45 minute recital
One concerto performance with piano
ONe 60-70 minute recital
That is about it. By the end of degree most students are doing between 4-6 hours practice a day, playing in many groups and spending most of their spare time listening and reading about the field of study. They were in my case anyway.... Orchestral programs run in week long blocks where everything is cancelled for the week and the orchestra run like a pro group working six hours a day for four or five days and then doing a big concert at the end of the week. Senior students get priority for seating although younger students also get their chance, depending on repertoire. There are four or five of these weeks every year. Private lessons equal 32 lessons a year in 1st and 2nd year and 64 in 3rd and 4th year.
Cheers,
Andy
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Author: allencole
Date: 2003-06-16 05:38
I agree that there are some terrific musicians studying in all fields, but I don't know if a player with professional ambitions should be pinning all his/her education on one teacher.
There is more to being a musician than just manipulating the instrument. Ear training, theory and counterpoint may be annoying distractions at times, but they do contribute to the musician as a whole.
Even in college, I don't think that performance majors get but so well-rounded an education. But going with just a private teacher IMO would make them even LESS well-rounded.
Allen Cole
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2003-06-16 12:16
Andy - Sounds fantastic, where'd you go? I'm at VCA, your course sounds similar but much much MORE work!
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Author: dfh
Date: 2003-06-16 17:23
I was a performance major at both a BIG university and at a conservatory. I liked taking my "non performance' classes because there is more to life than practicing! A comment on poster #2. Yes, you can become a great individual player w/o being a music major, but you MUST get the ensemble practice somewhere! So what if you can play every solo peice under the sun, but if you havn't ever learned to blend with your section, where does that get you as an orchestral musician (which is what most performance majors do). As to the origingal post, life as a performance major is ALOT of practice!!!!! ;-) and not so much time in class as say, an engineering major. It's really interesting to learn what other progams have you do!
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Author: Andy
Date: 2003-06-17 04:40
Morrigan,
The answer to where I went is the Canberra School of Music, studying with the amazing Alan Vivian. In my oppinion it is THE best undergraduate course in the country. For contact time, quality of staff, performance opps and course content I am yet to see a better course (IMO) in Australia. Alan Vivian also just happens to be a genius player and teacher. If you want more info, just email me, or get my number from someone at VCA (I went through VCASS and most people in the ww dept have my number. As it happens I am back living in Melbourne at the moment, maybe we should meet up some time!)
Cheers,
Andy
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-06-17 05:22
I must agree that performance majors do a lot of practicing... my first year of college was spent at Okla. City Univ. as a performance major and I probably practiced 2 or 3 hours a day on weeknights and 5 or 6 on saturday and sunday (not having a job at that time made that amount of practice actually realistic...).
I have since changed majors (now criminology/sociology), but still take privately and entertain the thought of pursuing professional clarinetting to some extent. I do agree that not playing in ensembles can hurt your ensemble playing/blending, but who says you must be a music major to play in a collegiate ensemble? Lots of students play in the ensembles for scholarships without majoring in music, but I'm getting of topic...
The best way I can describe majoring in performance is music, music, music... if you're not practicing, you're working on ear training or sight singing or working on piano (which all music majors are required to take at least 4 semesters or the equivalent), and even when you're not doing music, you're usually hanging out with other music majors talking about music... it's fun, but I found in that year that burnout was a real problem for a lot of people...
Don
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: rbell96
Date: 2003-06-17 19:04
Can't really speak for UK music colleges yet. I start in september and can't wait!!
Perhaps Jez or Peter Cigleris could comment since I know they have both studied at UK Conservatoires?
Regards,
Rob
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Author: Laurie
Date: 2003-06-17 22:38
3 Credits of Clarinet Studio
0 Credits for Band
1 Credit for Piano
1 Credit for Voice
0 Credits for Clarinet Choir
4 Credits for English
3 Credits for Psychology
3 Credits for Intro to Lit and Theory
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15 Credits 1st Sesmister + Jury
3 Credits for Clarinet Studio
0 Credits for Band
.5 Credit for Flute
.5 Credit for Saxophone
1 Credit for Piano
1 Credit for Aural Skills
3 Credits for Theory
3 Credits for Principlas of Music Education
3 Credits for Statistics
4 Credits for American History
0 Credits for Clarinet Choir
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19 Credits 2nd Sesmister +Jury ( Chickened out of my level.. lol )
This was the break down of my 1st sesmister of college ~ Lots and Lots of practicing also ! That's what took most of my time - any questions feel free to ask.
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