| Author |
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phoebejeebies
Registered User
Posts: 19
(8/22/01 11:44:07 pm)
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musical jobs
besides performance
hello everyone!
I guess I'm sort of taking an informal
survey to satisfy my own personal curiosity. 
Does
it seem to you that college majors in Music Education, Music Theory,
Music Management, etc...have become sort of "consolation prizes" for
students deemed not talented enough for the competitive world of
performance? And if so, what is the cause of this? Why aren't
students interested in going into music education and
administration?
And for those of you that studied something
music related in college... why did you opt for performance over
education, theory, management, etc.... or vice versa?
phoebe
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DoDahlberg
Moderator
Posts: 143
(8/23/01 4:19:33 am)
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Re: musical jobs
besides performance
I believe some people do go into these other areas simply because
they don't want to/never wanted to perform. They feel they would
prefer to teach or become administrators, first - not as some
consolation prize. The fact that there are some people who started
out wanting to perform and decided to go another route is a life
decision, maybe not something that happens entirely by default. Once
in a more competitive environment than their high schools, perhaps
they see for themselves that performing is not for them but they can
remain active in the arts/music by putting what they know to good
use in these other areas. It's too bad that these positions are
looked at as consolation prizes when in fact someone who isn't the
greatest instrumentalist might be a better teacher than the person
who is a fantastic player but doesn't have the knack to pass what
he/she knows onto their students. Teaching, administrating, and
playing require different skills and talents - there might be a few
people who can do all three at a high level but they would be the
exceptions to the rule.
There is a flip side to this though
and I can only speak as someone who went to an art college. When I
compared my BFA program to the art program of the art education
students I couldn't believe how these people would have the right to
come out of college and teach art. Many of the required credits for
graduation were spent on education theory classes; the few required
art courses were not above an introductory level - I was required to
take 90 credits in studio, art history/seminar - art ed.: 30 total;
there was no thesis requirement, no exhibition requirement. They
didn't need a portfolio review for admission into the art ed.
program. I believe it might be the same with some music ed programs.
Ironically, since I teach in an inner city where people
don't come in flocks to teach, many of the art and music teachers
are people with BFAs who became certified to teach through an
alternate route program. (Artists and musicians don't mind a shorter
working day/year, a regular pay check, and health insurance.) As a
result Newark Public Schools has a pretty fantastic art and music
faculty; the majority of the teachers are working artists and
musicians.
Dorie |
ruthann
Registered
User
Posts: 554
(8/23/01 10:18:54
am)
Reply
|
Re: musical jobs
besides performance
I confess that when I first went to college as a performance major
I held the view that performance majors were the cream of the crop,
all others just didn't quite measure up. "The others" are probably
all working in their field, where I ended up going back to college
for a computer science degree. I now regret never having taken a
class in pedagogy or conducting - things that were required for
music ed majors. I think I would have really enjoyed being a school
music teacher. It's a pity you have to make these decisions when
you're young and stupid!
cello_suttonr@hotmail.com |
zambocello
Registered User
Posts: 738
(8/23/01 6:21:01 pm)
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It's all
relative
For me, being a performing cellist is the consolation prize for
being a mediocre shortstop.
I chose performance because I
love to DO things. Play music, play sports, play games..........I
like the challenge of performance.
Yesterday I went to my
first faculty meeting at my new school, Cal State U-Long Beach. The
Head of Department loves to teach and will enjoy when his term as
Head is over. The previous Dept Head is now kicked upstairs to Dean
of College of the Arts. He loved to teach, I'm sure, but has a
passion for administration. I know performers who count the days
'til they can retire with full pension. It takes all types.
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phoebejeebies
Registered User
Posts: 20
(8/23/01 8:36:28 pm)
Reply
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not getting to
high school students soon enough?
I agree with Dorie that it takes very different types of skills to
go into different areas of music, ie, performance, management, &
education.
I personally think that part of the problem is
that most high school students passionate about the arts are not
given the opportunity to find out where their skills lie. Instead,
they're left to figure it out in college or later -- when it's more
difficult and expensive to change your career path.
When I
was in high school, I had lots of experience with performing...
thanks to good private teachers, youth orchestras, and music camps.
But the extent of my teaching experience was tutoring a younger
cellist who lived on my street... and I knew nothing about
administration at all. I sort of wonder what would be different if I
had gotten exposure to all that before deciding on a
major.
My $0.02
- pheebs
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