playing in college

[Biggs]

This topic may spark undesirably long discussion, but I accept the responsibility as it is becoming increasingly important in my future.

I am a high school junior who plays tuba. Not to blow my own horn (pun intended), but I play better than your average bear and have received several forms of recognition for my musical achievements. Soon I will be attending a large, reputable university (TBD). Regardless of my major, I intend to play in the marching band of said school. But it is the issue of my major that causes the discrepancy. Exactly how good does one have to be to major in music (performance, I suppose)? I am worried that failure to continue my study of the instrument will result in the eventual loss of a tremendously enjoyable and important part of my life. Right now, my parents are sending me messages (some subliminal, others not) that they would prefer not to see me major in music, for any number of reasons. They would rather I pursue my other love, journalism/writing. So to bring this rambling repose to its end, could I cut it (musically speaking, as academics should not be an obstacle)? What are some characteristics of college music majors that are now making a living as music professionals?

[WoodSheddin]

Being a music major is fairly common.
Being a successful music major takes self motivation and extra work beyond what your friends are doing.
Being a music major who gets summer jobs and festivals takes diligence and drive which is beyond comprehension by most of the successful music majors.
Being a music major who wins a full time job playing the horn requires more work and perseverance than 99% of people are willing to give for anything ever in their lives.

There are ways to make a living playing the horn besides getting a job in a major ensemble. But to make a decent living only playing the horn always takes a great deal of self motivation and hard work. It is not impossible, but it is VERY challenging.

Now for the good news.

I have seen this over and over. People who are trained musicians are fantastic job applicants and workers/leaders for non music companies. I helped pay the bills from 1995-2000 working fulltime in non music related fields. The amount of effort it took to be highly successful in non music endeavors was at least 40% easier than the focus that was needed in music to be even mildly successful.

What I am saying is that the work ethic you learn from formal music training is transferable to other business ventures. Take a look at David Fedderly and Tony Clements and other musicians who have started businesses. I would guess that both would also confess that is was way easier to run their businesses than it was to reach their levels of musical talent. Either one can correct me if I am making the wrong assumption.

I have worked with musicians outside the music world and they are almost always intelligent, hard workers, and very quick to pick up and master new challenges.

Also remember that you do not have to map out your entire life before you walk into English 101 as a freshman in college. Billions of college students change majors every semester when they feel they are heading down the wrong path for them at that moment.

You parents are being parents in trying to continue to guide you through life. But eventually you will become your own master. I am not saying that time is now, but college is a powerful time in life when you transition from a kid to a self sustaining adult. Some take longer than others, some less. Your parents are most likely still providing a great deal of financial support along with parental and emotional support. You should respect that. But .... I would say that your choice in what path to take in college should be mostly yours. If you want music then go for it. Most only get one trip through college and it should be one to look back on with pleasure instead of regret. Go with what you believe will make you happy. If you realize after 3 semesters that you are not having successes and are concerned about future success than you can switch majors and probably only add 1-2 more semesters to your college experience to catch up on a different major. This is a common thing.

When I was in school I believe I was the only tubist to actually finish undergrad in only 4 years. Most took 5-6 years for undergrad. I was done with my bachelors and masters degrees in a grand total of 5 years. I really wish that I had the financial means to have stretched my college experience by 3 more years or so, but I had to make some decisions. Some practical and some financial. In the end it worked out.

[Leland]

They're just concerned about the odds of a music profession being able to pay the bills -- and understandably so. My dad (a journalist, no less) worried about me the same way. He never really laid down the law, so to speak, but every once in a great while I'd hear a comment or concern that music might not be the most practical thing to pursue.

In my dad's case, he finally compared his own career choice to mine. He realized that he got into journalism because it was what he loved to do -- getting stories, finding news, stuff like that (he's really in his element when he's talking about projects that he's working on). He figured that if someone loved to do something enough, they would work at it until they were good enough to make a career practical.

Music, as a profession, isn't easy -- everyone knows this.

If nothing else, you could keep music as a hobby no matter what other career path you choose. My dad (again) does this, and he has plenty of performances over the course of a year. I've also got a friend doing weather research in Alaska, and he's been able to find a variety of musical outlets.

Characteristics of paid musicians? Lots of talent, correct concepts, and a dogged determination to constantly improve. That's about it, I'd say, but it covers a lot.

[JCalkin]

With all due respect, I think "How good does one have to be" is a poor question to ask at this stage of the game (or ever, really). Much more appropriate to ask is "How hard does one have to work?". I've seen folks come into college who are incredibly talented but who lack drive and therefore don't cut it as a performance major. Conversely, I've seen people come in who didn't seem like they had the gift, yet through lots of hard work have developed into some really fine musicians. It's all up to you, really.

It is true that success in the field of music is difficult, but anything worthwhile is difficult. The problem comes when we think of success solely in terms of finances. Money is a big concern, but if it is your biggest worry as to the value of music, then a performance major is not for you.

Choosing not to major in music does not exclude you from enjoyment of your instrument, nor does it mean you cannot take lessons. As a non-major, you may be taking lessons from a TA, but that is not necessarily a bad thing (I'll be a TA next year). If that is not appealing to you, your school (hopefully) will be near enough to a metropolitan area that there will be other professionals with whom you can study.

I guess my point is this: you can be a music major if you have the dedication and drive, and it certainly a rewarding pursuit. If you choose another course, however, you don't have to abandon the instrument, and in fact you should not; everyone (even us music pro types) needs a hobby.

[Biggs]

Thank you all for your sound advice, and I think it will play a major role in my final decision. Gotta love the TubeNet!

[TubaRay]

Biggs:

I'm glad you've "gotta love the TubeNet." From my experience, a person can receive responses with a wide variety of viewpoints. Members of this esteemed group of people will sometimes have greatly different things to say. I like to read them all. Once in a while there is a response or two that makes me wonder why someone bothered to type something in reply, as they obviously don't really care about the thread. They simply want to sound off. More often, the responses are very sincere. I don't always agree with what is being said, but I can usually understand where they are coming from. With all that being said, I have come to have great respect for some of the regulars. Many of them, I have never met. Nevertheless, I have great respect. If you are a regular reader of the board, you probably already know exactly what I am speaking of.

You are obviously in the early stages of your journey through the life of an adult. I (ahem) have gone a bit farther down the road. I have come to value much of what I read on the TubeNet. On behalf of the TubeNet, I say "thank you" for the kudos.