Author: bass9396
Date: 2005-11-30 23:56
I actually haven't figured that out yet, and I probably never will.
My 2nd private teacher pointed out to me that Christina Smith-(married name I can't remember) (Atlanta SO principal flutist) was awarded the chair she sits in at age 19 (I believe) and was only taking the audition for experience. She didn't even need her performance degree to allow someone to figure out that she could play. So, I went into music ed. and have stayed in even when my friends from college are getting docs in things like multiple woodwind performance. They keep begging me to get a performance degreee, but I can't see the point at my age (27). I have a wife, a kid, a house, a job, benefits, I staff my alma mater's marching band, hold a diverse private studio, give clinics at music conferences, and adjudicate. I practice like a mad dog too. I figure somewhere in all that stuff I do, something good is happening. Besides, you never know what'll happen if you're in the right place at the right time.
Will I be able to "break out" one day and be a "pro". Sure. I have no doubt of that at all. Today? No. Is that a big deal? No.
Think of how many years Joe Robinson sat at N.C. School for the Arts and God knows where else he worked before he won the NY Phil job. He just believed he could do it, but in the meantime he was using his hard work for the greater good....teaching, playing etc.
So, moving on. Nah. But I can understand situations where you would want to (horrible experiences with the "system", sexism, racism, etc.) Not everyone would be happy teaching. Not everyone would be happy gigging until they hit that job in a major orchestra, and that's ok.
I say, if you believe that you are truly "amongst the best" then don't give up. Somebody will notice eventually, but if you don't truly feel that you are or can be "amongst the best" then you're already defeated.
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
