 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-08-24 04:36
A performing career requires that you dedicate your entire life to just that.
There's literally zero chance of becoming an orchestral principal -- not when you're competing with monster players like Stanley Drucker, who stay on forever.
You'll need to play jazz and the infinite varieties of old and new pop. You'll need to build a reputation as an utterly reliable colleague and get along with everybody, even (especially) the a--holes.
If you have what it takes, you'll already be playing gigs, putting groups together and chatting up rich ladies, who will remember you and hire you.
Last but not least, you'll need a gigantic ego, able to shrug off rejection and disappointment and bob back up as if nothing had happened.
Check with John Moses, who has worked his tail off for over 50 years http://www.johnmosesclarinet.com/.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2015-08-24 05:43
Jason,
It's very smart and mature of you to have these thoughts, concerns and worries. Better now than later.
Unfortunately, only you can answer the single most important question you have: to continue on your current path or change paths? And the paths available to you are plural - in the music field and out of the music field.
Only you can know yourself. And you REALLY need to know yourself to come to any conclusion. And that conclusion may change at any given moment. It is a lot to ask of yourself at your age. Yes, it is a lot, but so what, you're talking about some very important issues in your current and future life. Think and feel hard.
You probably know what it takes to be a performer. You probably have been told and have read a lot about what it "takes." You may or may not have all that is required. Listening to your youtube video/audio can not give me or anyone else a definitive answer. It is dishonest to listen to that one audio sample and say, "Yeah! Go for it, you have what it takes." Or say, "Nah, you're not good enough."
You play well in that sample. Many, many other people play well, too. Playing well is the base requirement. As you know, there is a lot more to it than just playing something well.
To get advice about what to do: talk to others you know and trust; talk deeply and truthfully to your clarinet teacher and other teachers (not necessarily clarinet) you trust; talk to yourself. It's a lot to ask of yourself at your young age to be able to see into the future.
Only you can know what is most important to you: playing the clarinet and what type of playing? teaching or not? financial security - a real concern, and something you are smart to think about? freedom? and many more relevant questions.
So, you were looking for advice: Look, listen, search.
Good luck.
Tom Piercy
Post Edited (2015-08-24 16:27)
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2015-08-24 05:44
Jason, I want to congratulate you. You are a very wise person.
So many students graduate from college deeply in debt, and take years to pay it off. If you can get a social work degree for a very low cost, go for it. Just keep in mind that you might need a masters degree to work as a mental health counselor.
If you enjoy the clarinet, keep up the private lessons. You never know--you might get some nice performance opportunities in the future.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-08-24 09:57
Jason -
I'm sure you already know to not over-invest in answers from semi-anonymous strangers over the internet, even well-qualified ones. As has already been said, only you can determine what your priorities in life are likely to be over the decades to come, and the people that you already know personally and professionally are the most likely ones to give you the most meaningful feedback.
The standard advise that I was always given, and have in turn given myself to students is as follows: you should only become a performance major if you have another source of income or can't imagine yourself doing anything else with your professional life.
Are you willing to pass up on having a family to be a clarinetist? That's an extreme case - plenty of people do both - but it's a thought experiment that may help you to sort things out.
For me, how I spend my time on a day to day basis is pretty close to #1 on the list of things that bring me long-term satisfaction or lack thereof. It just so happens that I love teaching, both groups and individuals. For many years I liked it more than playing. Now I've come back to playing as my primary passion after a couple of decades of teaching both school and privately. I have no regrets, except that I wish I hadn't lost the passion for playing for so many years. (There are some real-life reasons for it, but still). I never did lose the drive (for more than a couple weeks at most) to 1) be deeply involved in music and 2) to help kids to change their lives for the better through music.
I could have been successful in several things, but music and teaching were are the only things I've ever done for money that kept me watching the clock to see how much more I might get done rather than how soon I could leave. That was an important clue that was there for me all along. I would likely be better off financially if I'd done something else, but I know I would have regretted not doing what I seem to have been meant to do.
As far as teaching school goes, unless you are just dead-set against it, I would recommend visiting some of the best regarded band programs in your area. You might be surprised at the level of discipline and dedication that groups of kids are capable of when given the right leadership. Granted there are dues to be paid and it takes several years for most teachers to develop those kinds of management skills, if they ever do. I would also spend some days shadowing a few good social workers and talking to them about the joys and challenges of their jobs before you make a final decision. How things sound from a job description and how they actually are often two very very different things. I do have a friend who switched from clarinet and teaching to social work mid-career and she seems happy with the change, although I haven't talked to her in awhile. She still gigs part-time.
I hope that helps! It's great to have options, just make sure that both your head and heart are going to be able to live with whatever choice you make.
One last thing, you might also keep in mind that an orchestra job is not the only option. In the last 20 years a growing number of successful performers have been starting successful careers in a more entrepreneurial manner, due both to necessity and new opportunities. ICE (International Contemporary Ensemble) is one example, and there are others.
Please let us know what you decide!
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Author: Wes
Date: 2015-08-24 11:58
You can have some great times as a part time player even though your day job would be as a social worker. I never regretted getting an engineering education despite a strong attraction to the clarinet. Now retired, I still play the clarinet a lot, as well as other woodwinds. The music business has changed a lot over the years but I believe that music employment is getting to be less and less with traffic getting to be more and more. Good luck!
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2015-08-25 00:42
Jason,
If if fits in with your religious background and you already have some keyboard skills, you might consider taking up the organ as a second instrument. Good paying positions for organists and organist/music directors are going unfilled generally across the country; this could provide a secure living in music and a valuable opportunity to build your leadership skills while you continue to establish yourself as a clarinetist. As a clarinetist, you'll have the added advantage of knowing what a well-articulated reed instrument should sound like and quickly be able to develop a touch for the same results at the organ keyboard. Just a thought.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-08-25 10:01
I've been thinking about this a bit more. Have you considered continuing your music studies in Europe? I'm told there are good schools there that cost little or no money, even for foreigners. Seems a shame to let your dream die or languish due to the (legitimate) fear of the debt to be accrued. When I was in school debt wasn't nearly the issue it is today. It was actually possible to work your way through school and not end up with a huge pile of debt at the end of it. It wasn't easy, but lots of people did it, even if it took an extra year or two. Seems like we've got to be near a breaking point with all this. Why not sidestep the issue and have an adventure for a couple of years while you're at it? Just another option to consider.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2015-08-26 18:09
I tought at the Pebody Conservatory, Towson Univeristy and the Eastern Music Festival. I have several players performing in major orchestras and many that have or still perform in our service bands that have studied with me at one time or another. This is the advise I always gave my students, even the most advanced. Once you're in college branch out as much as possible. Learn and practice Bass and Eb clarinet as well while you're in school. Double major in a subject you are interested in if possible. Learn different styles of music if you have the ability as well. Be dedicated and practice as much as possible, learn and memorize your excerpts. With that said know that getting a decent orchestra job in your life time is less that one in a hundred. I retired from the Baltimore Symphony after 50 years, a colleague just retired after 52 years, a other one after 38 years and a previous one after 51 year, all from our clarinet section. My point, there arent' many openings, we keep our jobs once we get a decent one.
Be willing to audition for the military service bands if you want to play and make a living, OR, the alternative is to transfer to the college you suggested, change your major and MINOR in clarinet and enjoy playing. I have many students that had to do something else after graduating college and perform in amature or semi professional groups and teach privately for enjoyment and extra income if possible to forfill out there lives.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2015-08-27 19:42
I still wish I could thank the guy who, courtesy of his Chevrolet Blazer and his impatience with stop signs, brought my professional playing career to a halt back in the early '70s.
I've had more fun and more gratification (and more financial security) teaching and playing after a 26-year absence than my friends, with VERY few exceptions, who followed the professional playing track.
No matter how good a player you might become, most (IMNSHO) of your success in striving for a full-time professional career will be based on luck, academic credentials (nowadays), and your contacts, not on your ability.
Are you willing to lose your love of playing because you have to deal with the rat race of developing a professional playing career? It's happened a lot, and it was starting to happen to me until that episode at the intersection of Route 6 and Deschler Road.
B.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-08-27 23:52
Wow, Bruce. I'm glad you survived your vehicle mishap all those decades ago with your musical interest and sense of perspective intact. But I imagine it took a few years to see it in a positive light.
Anything "fun" that becomes a profession is likely to lose much of its appeal. I wonder how enjoyable the 20th round of practice golf within a week is for a golf pro, especially after 5 or 10 years of 20+ rounds per week. (I am just guessing about the golf rounds- my number could be low or high.) Still though, he/she would probably rather be golfing than say, doing accounting or selling houses, or whatever else they might do to put food on the table. Or TEACHING golf could be a reasonable alternative, I think not as profitable as winning golf tournaments, depending on how good your game is.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: j8649
Date: 2015-09-01 05:21
I don't know any orchestra players, but I do know many freelance musicians who were performance majors. Many are successful because they play a wide range of music styles and gigs. The ones I know that don't make it as performers all have a few things in common:
1. They can't get along with other players.
2. They don't show up on time or at all (not reliable).
3. They are so self-absorbed with how good they are, they can't recognize anyone else's musical skills.
4. They thinks that being a great player is enough to make them successful.
5. They have a lack luster work ethic.
6. They want to start at the top and are unwilling to start at the bottom and work their way up.
Avoid these pitfalls, and you will have success. Good Luck!
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Author: KenJarczyk
Date: 2015-09-01 21:09
I see the original poster has deleted his questions. We're preaching to nobody.
Ken Jarczyk
Woodwinds Specialist
Eb, C, Bb, A & Bass Clarinets
Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-09-02 02:33
KenJarczyk wrote:
> I see the original poster has deleted his questions. We're
> preaching to nobody.
>
Always a bummer when that happens. No end to the story and no beginning either. Just a bunch of people giving their all to the middle. Such is life.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2015-09-02 08:10
Based on the date the OP deleted the original posting, he/she only missed the last three posts. If this is being read by someone concentrating on being a performance major, don't consider education as your backup position unless you also take the education classes. We recently had a performance major teaching (one year only) in a local high school. While he is a great player, he did not make a very good teacher. He could recognize when something was being played incorrectly, but he did not have the knowledge or experience to identify what it was or what section the problem was in. As a result, when something sounded wrong, he would just have them play it over and over in the hope that the problem would correct itself.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-09-02 21:04
BartHx wrote:
> We recently had a performance major
> teaching (one year only) in a local high school. While he is a
> great player, he did not make a very good teacher. He could
> recognize when something was being played incorrectly, but he
> did not have the knowledge or experience to identify what it
> was or what section the problem was in. As a result, when
> something sounded wrong, he would just have them play it over
> and over in the hope that the problem would correct itself.
Unfortunately, as a music administrator for my last 10 years before my retirement, I saw too much of this even among the music teachers with education certification and Mus. Ed. degrees. I think the only way to ensure against this is to audition prospective teacher applicants' diagnostic/prescriptive skills in as nearly realistic a setting as possible. Too many performers, especially young ones, have relied on their teachers' support as diagnosticians and haven't learned to listen, either to themselves or others.
Playing over and over (especially for extended time periods) is exactly the wrongheaded kind of process I was warning against in the "help in practice schedule" thread. Unfortunately, in too many cases, a B.Mus.Ed. degree doesn't signify any greater skill than anything else in this regard. It's a skill that must be learned. For the sake of one's prospective students, it's better learned at least rudimentally before a teacher faces his first ensemble, but it can be learned from experience if the teacher is open to it and not so sure of himself that he doesn't see the problem.
Karl
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2015-09-03 04:50
Karl:
That is not good news. I have been fortunate in having very good teachers through school and really outstanding directors in the community bands I play in.
Unfortunately, this individual believed he knew everything there was to know. I'm afraid, at least in our area, school band directors are like school administrators -- there are more jobs than certified (and/or qualified) individuals. We have a number of high school students in our community bands, but several of them have dropped out of their school programs for lack of leadership.
We all have to do whatever we are able to support music in the public schools. My thing is to purchase inexpensive clarinets off various auction sites, overhaul them, and donate them to schools.
As a retired high school science teacher, I am subbing in my retirement just because I need to get back in the class room from time to time. Awhile back, I subbed for a music teacher. The students were amazed when I showed up with my clarinet, had a metronome/tuning note generator in my pocket, a tuner in my clarinet case, and could conduct.
Bart
Post Edited (2015-09-03 04:59)
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