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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The Clarinet BBoard
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