 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Lindsey
Date: 2002-08-11 18:50
I am entering college this year as a double major in music education and music performance. I love music and enjoy playing both solo and with an ensemble. I really would rather play professionally than teach but i'm not sure that i will be able to get a job doing that. I know it is really difficult to get a job with a major orchestra or playing group. I am almost concidering changing my major, or at least one of them so that I will have more job opportunities. My question is, do any of you know of other jobs that i might be able to get as solely a musician other than educator and how hard is it to get into a paying ensemble? I would really appreciate your input.
Thanks,
Lindsey
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-08-11 19:09
Lindsey...First off, I would say that if you are passionate about teaching music and truly want to inspire youngsters to feel the joy and satisfaction in what you've already experienced by playing clarinet, then get your teaching degree.
If, however, you are getting the music ed degree as something to just have "for emergencies" or to "fall back on" and your heart really isn't into teaching, then don't. There are already enough burned out, incompetant music teachers who merely go through the motions just to pick up a paycheck. The world certainly doesn't need any more of them.
I'm sure you are aware how difficult it is to obtain a full time professional playing job. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.
Many of us have achieved great satisfaction in playing in regional (pay per service) orchestras. Not enough to live on, but certainly rewarding in it's own way. Combining that with teaching (public school, private lessons, and playing gigs) and you should do fine.
The list of other options is only as limited as your imagination. The retail music business is wide open, and there are many avenues to explore.
You are doing the right thing in assessing your options. It is never too early to start planning. Good luck...GBK
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Author: S J
Date: 2002-08-11 20:08
Lindsey, An OVERWHELMING YES!!!! Music is a wonderful pastime. Change your major IMMEDIATELY and get in to a field with chances for advancement,security, social acceptance,and above all much more money.
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Author: Sarah
Date: 2002-08-11 20:36
S J, I hope you are being sarcastic.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-08-11 22:10
S J reminds me of ... a passing thought not worth persuing.
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Author: S J
Date: 2002-08-11 23:17
Not sarcastic,just realistic. You guys are either very young or living in a sugar-coated dreamland.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-08-11 23:58
She should major in whatever she wants. I majored in performance alone, thinking I would someday play principal in a major orchestra. You probably guessed that that didn't come true...
I do, however, play music I CHOOSE to play. At the age of 18, I had no idea I would someday resent the idea of playing music I hated just for the paycheck. So, now I work part-time selling cd's, and I teach private lessons two different places, and I also play in three groups (none of which really could pay any bills...).
Moral of the story: If I hadn't majored in performance, I would not be able to play competently the music I now adore. If I hadn't majored in performance, I don't think I'd enjoy teaching private lessons as much. (not that educators can't teach private lessons well...but they also can't focus as strongly on just one instrument...)
I would HATE my life if I had majored in business, science, or even English. Any jobs I could have gotten by pursuing any of the many other opportunities open to me would be not nearly as fulfilling as teaching and playing the stuff I want to play right now.
Money is good, but it isn't the only reason to pursue any career...
Katrina
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-08-12 00:24
I've said this before
Give up your dreams, take the road of safety, never take risks and never take chances because when you're old, you'll sit back and say ... damn, I knew I should have followed my heart and persued a musical career instead of listening to all those "fence sitters".
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-08-12 01:00
I play professionally as a Principal clarinetist with a symphony and feel that if you get good instruction,---- then going back for additional study to help you improve can get you on a playing track. Good clarinet players also take risks artistically and make music through daring to be be differnet, so I agree with Diz as well.
Don't hesitate to get hold of a good teacher and get what you can to develop(no matter how old your are or how fine you play now). The real trick is to hone your skills to perfection. Orchestral playing is quite difficult and you must be ready to play very complex music with ease. Good Luck!
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2002-08-12 01:38
I did make a living as a musician for many years, on guitar though. I taught privately and played in some bands, and classical ensembles (not so many concerts as lots of weddings for flute and guitar, as well as fancy dinners and playing at expensive restaurants solo.) I had to learn to be a self-starter, to be my own agent and make opportunities.
However, travel and the hours required for teaching or gigs made it a very bad bet after I had kids. I simply would have never seen my kids, as I would be working after school let out, and my free time (teaching and playing are done in the afternoon, or on evenings and weekends.)
I make more money with my late in life math degree, I enjoy playing with out the pressure to be so perfect.
I have told my sons, when music major is discussed, they will need to do business/marketing minor. I spent a lot of time doing my own marketing and publicity. One has decided to be a writer (and get an education degree.) The other is talking of a duel major in music and physics or math.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-08-12 02:51
Sometimes, I think that it depends upon where you are coming from as well as your level of desire to be a music performer. For me, living twelve years as a child on a primitive farm on an indian reservation in North Dakota was sufficiently difficult that I felt that I had to ensure that I could make a comfortable living since I also had no parental support or inherited assets to help me. Thus, I went to an inexpensive state university to became a career electrical engineer(a wonderful profession), also studying the clarinet with fine teachers as I went to school, always practicing and playing in many venues. No regrets. Good luck to you!
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-08-12 04:23
See "Busking-results" 2 threads down. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
I know a great many professional musicians, but very few of them make a living at it without teaching. I should add that I live outside of Atlantic City with its casino industry, but the sad truth is that canned music is taking over many of the shows.
One of the finest woodwind players here (clarinet, flute, all 4 saxes, oboe and english horn) makes his living managing an appliance store.
My son starts next week at Westchester U. as a clarinet major, but his interest lies in music ed, and hopefully he will do well.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-08-13 03:27
Just a comment reminding you of the two "most popular" Clarinetists of the last 50 years:
One has his "own" 400-seat theatre in a major hotel. That's Pete Fountain. Pete is no longer a young man.
Another has the best-selling clarinet recording of the second half of the twentieth century. It was of a fairly simple song he wrote for his daughter. He now calls it "My retirement plan." His name is Acker Bilk. And he doesn't always sound the way he did on "Stranger on the Shore"; he's also a popular jazz Clarinetist in England. He's now in his 70s. We occasionally poke fun at Acker, but I wouldn't mind having his popularity and money.
Money? Sure. Jazz? Why not. These guys will not be around forever.
Me? I'm so old now that by the time I become as good as I was 40 years ago, it'll be about time for me to croak, too. If I had kept on playing instead of all that other stuff I did, I might have had more fun, wouldn't have been periodically so frustrated, and just might have done very well. You'll never know unless you try. But any kind of artistry can be a personal dead end. Remember how many paintings Vincent van Gogh sold in his lifetime.
Regards,
John
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Author: Larry Liberson
Date: 2002-08-13 03:48
"But any kind of artistry can be a personal dead end."
So can a lot of the so-called advice doled out here.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-08-13 12:30
"Sugar coated dreamland"?
The advice to "follow your heart," no matter how corny and overused, applies here. (Hey, there's even less demand for composition, which I plan to make my major! But I really don't want to do anything else. I'm gonna be in for a struggle!)
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-08-13 19:36
"Be yourself and you will not fail." --- Mystic Truth of the Universe #34
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-13 19:46
JMcAulay wrote:
>
> "Be yourself and you will not fail." --- Mystic Truth
> of the Universe #34
But knowing yourself is the hard part ...
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-08-13 20:32
Mark Charette wrote:
>But knowing yourself is the hard part ...
And that relates to Mystic Truth of the Universe #33.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-08-14 01:51
Ken Shaw ... yes - the middle thread in your (above) selection was particularly heated!
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-08-14 01:54
Mark C - I seem to remember you once making an hilarious comment along the lines of "Zen" and reed thickness - still makes me chuckle. Can't for the life of me remember what the thread was about (must have been reeds) in which case I'd never remember
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