 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fitmjbefree
Date: 2009-07-23 04:37
Okay im a senior in high school and ive been doing a lot of thinking about what my major is going to be in college. I recently decided that my major is going to be music. I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me. Im not exactly sure how to prepare or whats expected of me in college. Or how good i need to be to get in. Ill greatly appreciate any advice.
[ Post title changed for clarity - GBK ]
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Author: Malcolm
Date: 2009-07-23 05:36
Get with your school counselor and the two of you go over what you can expect. So much of that depends on your grades, test scores, what classes you've had and what Universities you quality for. If you are just now thinking about this you need to get with your counselor as soon as school starts, if not before. Counselors do start back to work several weeks in advance of normal classes.
What to expect? For me University was a shock. I had to study twice as hard as I did in high school, but, you can take as many or as few hours as you think you can handle. Your first two years can be at a community college and is a good way to ease into this new phase of your life.
Degree in music with a teaching certificate would be my recommendation.
Good luck.
Post Edited (2009-07-23 06:00)
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2009-07-23 07:13
My initial thought is that if you don't know what to expect or how to prepare than maybe it's not for you. It will be too much of a shock.
What you need to do from here is to go and see colleges, and get to know the professors and the students to gain an insight into how it all works. Music college isn't for everyone; in fact, it's for very few!
Why?
a) Most people I went to college with have quit and gone into other work or studied something else at huge expense
b) Even less are actually in work now
c) No matter how good you are, places are limited, it is highly competitive, and unless you're that sort of person with limitless self-motivation, thick skin and a genuine passion and love for music, you'll be in column a.
Different story if you want to be a teacher or go into some other non-performance music work.
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Author: RAB
Date: 2009-07-23 12:28
I suggest that you got to several school of music sites and look at their info, some of them are very helpful in regards to course of study, on line theory placement test and comments from students and former students.
Good luck
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-07-23 13:17
Check out my website, I have some advise on that, especially if you're considering a performance major. Check out the pages on symphony jobs, teaching and auditions. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2009-07-23 13:37
Malcolm, Morrigan, RAB, and Ed Palanker have given you great advice.
It might be a good idea to decide what you'd like to do with your degree. Are you interested in teaching, performing, music business, or something else?
If you're interested in public school teaching, are you also interested in teaching vocal music and orchestra? I'm assuming that you're a clarinet player, but today's music teachers are often asked to do everything. Can you see yourself teaching a middle school orchestra or a high school choir? When I graduated in the 70s, we were not required to take vocal music methods courses, and very few band or orchestra specialists were asked to teach vocal music. Today, it's a very different world.
If you go into music education, would you also be willing to teach other subjects unrelated to music? I know a music teacher, married with two young children, who had his position cut. There weren't a lot of other music jobs available, but he was certified in another subject and he switched departments. I'm sorry to say this, but this is a sad fact of life for music teachers today. You can do a fantastic job, but if the money isn't there, music is one of the first subjects to go.
If you're determined to go into music education, make yourself as versatile as possible within the field (vocal music, strings, jazz, etc.). Also get yourself certified in another subject.
If you don't want to go into music education, I'd suggest going for a B.A. in music, not the usual B.M. This way, you'll be able to take a lot of non-music courses, more than the typical music major. If you find that you really love performing and have a lot of talent, you can go on to get a graduate degree in performance. You might discover that you like the business side of music, and you can go on to specialize in that. Other possibilities include graduate programs in arts management and music technology.
You might also decide that you don't want a career in music, and a B.A. in music could give you a good background for some graduate programs outside of music including law, HR, business, etc.
Post Edited (2009-07-23 13:38)
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Author: lowclarinetman
Date: 2009-07-23 14:35
Two things:
1) I always tell my students if you can imagine yourself happy doing something else.....do that.
Music performance is super competative and most of the jobs that do exist do not pay well.
2). Are you willing to watch your friends and relatives buy sport cars, summer homes, expensive gadgets, while you probably live in a small rented apartment?
If you answered yes, then you have enough ambition.
The next step is go to the best teacher you can. If that teacher is in a great school all the better. Your teacher and your peers are going to help define what kind of musician you will become, you owe it to yourself to be around the best.
Myself and a majority of my peers from Oberlin now have jobs playing (3 of 5 from my class). It is possible. But you have to work hard and have an open mind. My journey took me to Holland and eventually Mexico. Another created a performing group from scratch. The third took a more traditional route.
You must learn bass and Eb and maybe saxophone. Playing gigs on sax has got me through more than 1 tight spot.
Good luck and work hard
Best regards
Bob Hoit
Co-principal clarinet OSUANL
Professor Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza
Monterrey, MX
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-07-23 15:17
Note that the BA/BM distinction differs per school. Where I did my undergrad, a BM had exactly the same requirements as a BA, PLUS a specialization.
Majoring in music is very, very different from most majors. You audition to the department to get in, and typically perform in front of a panel of professors every semester to determine if you can stay in the department. It is possibly the most time- and life-consuming major in the catalog, and more or less requires you to be part of the community. Unlike, say, computer science, you're not likely to sneak by unnoticed, just taking the requisite coursework.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: fitmjbefree
Date: 2009-07-23 16:32
well i would want to go into performance. the only problem is that i dont think my grades are good enough for universitly level.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-07-23 16:56
Look at the schools you feel would be a good fit in the music departments. If you need to, take a year or so at a community college, to get your grades up at a much more reasonable cost than at a university. Keep taking lessons with a good teacher (consider if your current teacher will prepare you adequately) and keep practicing so that you will be ready.
One reason I recommend a community college is the economics of the whole thing. In my area, for example, most 4 year universities are charging a minimum of $250/credit hour for classes, while the local community college is less than $60/credit. they even have some college level music classes, including music theory, music history and others. Since most of the credits are transferrable, especially for general studies classes you might need anyway, it makes good financial sense to get them where they are less costly.
It would be a good idea to meet with a counselor at the local community college (make an appointment, btring transcripts and info about what colleges you might consider attending) and ask the counselor about transferability of credits.
Jeff
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Author: llamaboy12
Date: 2009-07-23 18:28
i was in the same boat as you are. i am a freshmen about to enter college and i had to decide whether i wanted to do performance,or a safer music major. the fact is that most people are not music prodigies, they havent been playing since they were 4, their not han kim or julian bliss, but what they do have to have is PASSION! if you wake up every day and cant imagine not playing your instrument, your a performance major. you also have to accept that your going to be BROKE your whole life. if you want money, DO SOMETHING ELSE!
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-07-23 18:38
Most music classes tend not to transfer from community college from what I've seen. You might do better on theory entrance exams, but at my university that was about it.
As music school is largely about establishing a rapport, community, and relationships (not to mention being around high caliber musicians), I think it's less beneficial to go the CC route for music than for most other majors, unless you happen upon a CC with a really top-notch music program (which is rare). With all due respect (and there are, of course some very fine musicians at CCs), you'll be surrounded by "Community College Musicians."
Granted, I might say the same thing about some university programs. The quality of programs varies wildly, and more expensive isn't necessarily better.
You never said what motivated you to consider music. I can't help but wonder if you have any idea what you're getting into. Junior year of high school, I wanted to major in music, and had no idea what it actually entailed. I "liked playing music," though I wasn't taking lessons or anything, just playing in marching band. Found out a bit of what it entailed and about how competitive the music world is, ditched the idea for a computer science major with a music minor.
Seven years later, I'd upgraded the minor to a composition major while keeping at CS. Graduated, have been working a computer job the past few years, playing gigs and touring a bit, am going to grad school for clarinet and composition this fall.
If anything, I'd suggest to keep your options open.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: redwine
Date: 2009-07-23 19:03
Hello,
It's been a long time since I thought about going to college, but from the above posts, I would suggest finding the school that you would ultimately like to attend. Then, contact that clarinet professor and discuss what you'd like to do and get their opinion. If you do go to the community college first, especially if the community college is in the sam state as the college you wish to attend, all of the core curriculum courses should transfer. Take those and take private lessons from the teacher at the college you ultimately wish to attend. When you to transfer, a lot of your required non-musical courses will be out of the way, and you'll have established a relationship with your new professor. By that time, you may have changed your mind. Good luck!
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: William
Date: 2009-07-24 14:50
That's a great list, David, but a lot of the links have been changed and no longer work. Nothing last's forever--except, Mozart..........
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-07-24 17:34
Yup, I did it back in 2002, and just got access to it again. When I saw just how massive the undertaking is/was to update it, I haven't done much with it.
Still a very good list of names though. Maybe I'll put more time into it.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2009-07-24 20:53
I think you really need to examine why it is that you would like to major in music, and why in particular you want to be a performance major. You have received excellent advice here, but in the end, only you can really know what you heart and head truly desire.
Becoming a performance major because you like to play, it's fun, it's cool, and you can't think of anything else to do will never work.
I wanted to be a perfomance major because I loved to play, but I was in no way willing to practice hours and hours on end each day for what looked like the rest of my life, and I suffered too much from stage fright to be able to handle a career in performance. As it was, I had to still practice for hours on end just to be competetive and to play at a level that I wanted to achieve.
Furthermore, please realize that as a music major, you have many, many more courses to take that may carry zero credit hours. We had, in my school, to perform in vocal as well as instrumental ensembles, which entailed weekly practices lasting as much as three hours per week, with zero credit. We had weekly studio performances, monthly departmental perfomances, recitals we were required to attend, courses like our music theory class that met for 10 hours per week but were worth only 3 credit hours, and more. It was far, far, more than anyone in any other major that I encountered.
I am not trying to be discouraging at all, but realistic. I wish you much luck in your pursuit of music as a career, but think you really need to take a long, hard look at your motives, your passions, and practically speaking, the real chances of making it in a tough field.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-07-24 21:40
Well, here's another option. You don't necessarily have to major in music in college to make a career in music. Or, at least, music doesn't have to be your initial primary area of study.
Some people study something else first, then make a career in music:
Chi-Yu Mo (London Symphony) earned a PhD in chemistry, then studied at the Royal Academy of Music.
Our own Tony Pay studied at the Royal Academy of Music, but then earned a degree in mathematics from Cambridge before embarking on a professional career in music. (Hope I got that right, Tony.)
Charles Neidich majored in anthropology, then after graduating studied clarinet in Russia on a Fulbright fellowship.
Jonathan Cohler majored in physics, worked as a magazine editor for about 10 years, then went into music professionally in his 30s.
Some people double-major in music and something else:
Richard Stoltzman double-majored in music and mathematics, then later went on to earn a master's degree in music.
And some folks either didn't go to college, didn't finish, or didn't earn a full bachelor's degree:
Stanley Drucker dropped out of Curtis Institute of Music after one year.
Robert Marcellus, AFAIK, never went to college.
Ricardo Morales doesn't have a B.A. or a B.M.; he has an artist's diploma (which is probably hard enough to earn, but it isn't a 4 year program)
All of these players have had great music careers, despite very different sorts of educational backgrounds. What seems to matter most of all is talent, hard work, and good teachers. Even if you major in something other than music (which is not a bad idea), you can still take lessons with a good teacher and you can still practice!
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-07-24 22:11
DavidBlumberg wrote:
> Get highly educated. Like the school dropouts who are
> millionaires - they are a rarity.
Just to clarify, I wasn't advocating that anyone drop out of school (I have three degrees, myself, all in different subjects--and all three were worth it).
My point was that you don't necessarily have to devote all of your college studies to music to make a career in music performance.
(And also that even very highly talented musicians who can and do make their living solely from music find it worthwhile to become educated in other fields.)
Post Edited (2009-07-24 22:29)
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Author: fitmjbefree
Date: 2009-07-25 01:29
This is all very good advice i appreciate it. Throughout high school I always wanted to continue in music but i wasnt sure it would be the right thing to do. I love playing in front of people and i like the idea that im actually going to be challenged in college. Im looking forward to having to work hard to keep up because high school never really challenged me enough. I really want to become a much better musician.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-07-25 19:53
"Agreed. And since 9 out of 10 will end up doing something completely different from performing, they need the diversity."
I'll go further and bet that only 1 out of 50 clarinet players make their living from performing on the clarinet and 1 out of 100 have a good job in performance. ESP
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