 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: missclarinetist
Date: 2005-08-18 08:29
Just some thoughts I have been pondering about ..
Does it really matter how prestige your degree is from? Where you got your degree? Where you're from? Lets say you come from an unknown college in the unknown music world, is there a chance of getting to the top? I believe that most people will agree/disagree with me that it is not a matter of where you get your degree from but a matter of how good of a player you are. It is based solely on talent and experience. If that is the case, why would people pay to study at such prestigious conservatories in order to get pro jobs in an orchestra? Considering the fact that if a degree in music doesn't really matter, why do people pursue it to get recognized? What about a non-prestige degree?
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-08-18 08:38
I am sorry to read that you think the only purpose of a degree is to ensure you get a good job.
Some people find that studying for a degree is a worthwhile activity in itself. They want to study alongside like-minded people. I chose to study at a prestigious university because I believed that to be the best way of ensuring access to the finest teaching and the most intelligent and interesting fellow students.
Mind you, that was in England in the 1970s. We had a real crazy system back then: the government paid for your education, and entry to university was on merit, not on ability to pay.
Mark and GBK would probably remove the rest of this post for being too political.......
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2005-08-18 09:06
And they'll post a link to other threads.
Some of the best institutions offer the best experience, which is WHY they're 'prestige'. Money = more opportunity. Unfortunately, in this day and age, you've gotta pay for what you want.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-08-18 10:37
Hello,
At the US Naval Academy Band for auditions, we get resumes in advance for all applicants--sometimes we are impressed by teachers/schools/former jobs, etc., then we sit behind a screen and hire the best player that day (if the best player is good enough).
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: elmo lewis
Date: 2005-08-19 20:31
If you can really, really play it doesn't matter very much where you went to school, for example Mark Nuccio got his undergrad degree at Northern Colorado U. in Greeley. Ever hear of it ? Now he's in the NY Phil. On the other hand, at a well-known school you can meet lots of people who are going on to careers as pro musicians and this network of people can help you get to get jobs later on in life.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-08-19 22:09
I agree wholeheartedly with David Peachem. While a degree certainly would facilitate getting a job in a field, I would think that you'd want that degree because you are interested in the subject. Otherwise, the resulting job that it trains you to get would end up driving you nuts if you didn't enjoy it.
And AFAIK, it's the quality of playing that ultimately lands you the job. Did you play the way they wanted you to play, and better than the rest there.
Although some jobs may require a certain degree, I don't ever remember seeing a job application stating that it had to be from certain schools.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: vin
Date: 2005-08-20 00:05
Yes, however, after undergrad in Colorado Mark Nuccio sought out one the best and well-known teachers in the country at the time, Robert Marcellus, at one of the best music schools in the country. The best talent most often seeks out the best teachers. The by-product of this is that almost every successful professional clarinetist has studied with a "top-gun" teacher.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-08-20 00:58
If you are pursuing a degree in order to get to the top of the clarinet performance world..... well, have fun with that.
As with much of the music world, it's very heavily a "who" aspect. Who you study with determines very much of your playing. Who you know determines very much of your employment.
Studying at a university with a great teacher is likely to give you this, among other things:
- Lessons with a great teacher
- Performance opportunities
- Background in other musical and non-musical stuff
- A **degree** that can facilitate non-clarinet-performance jobs (i.e. office job rather than burger flipping perhaps) and sounds better if it's from a bigger name.
Prestigious universities just are often more likely to give you more of the above. You can quite likely find a "no-name" school that is quite excellent. Still, without the "Lessons with a great teacher" it will be quite difficult to go far as a clarinetist, so it's wise to either enroll at somewhere that gives you such lessons, or take them on the side.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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