Performance vs. Education

[Tubaman485]

I have noticed a certain trend in the music world that I want to bring out and discuss. Why is it when people go to college the level of playing changes according to your major. I have been a student and NAU for 3 years now and its the same at most other places I go but people feel you dont have to be as good a player to be education as you do for performance. Does it really matter? Why can't everyone just strive for their top level of playing instead of saying, "Oh I am here to learn to teach not play"? In my opinion as an education major in school you better know your stuff on your primary instrument because if you cant teach your self you can't teach others.

Now before I get slammed by all of you let me just say that I am NOT saying that weaker players should not study music, I am asking why being content with that because you are an education major?

Give me your thoughts


JB

[MartyNeilan]

Ditto what Barry said; However there is NO REASON why an education major has to play to a level any less than a performance major. (Of course, some may choose to, thinking their livelihood does not depend on their chops.)

Don't anyone give me those lame excuses about taking extra education classes - you can squeeze 2-4 hours a day of practicing into any college schedule if you are determined enough, no matter what your major. Just cut back on TV, pizza parties, wasting time BS'ing in the student lounge, etc. Some of the best undergrads to come out of schools have been ed majors.

[Leland]

But you darn well better know something about the instruments that they're going to be playing.

And if your primary instrument has to drop a notch or two down your priority list, then so be it. When you're going into education, you're not going into it for yourself -- your focus is going to be on other people.

(well, let's hope so, anyway!)

[Tubaman485]

Oh No! I hope you dont think I am saying who cares about all the other instruments. Please dont get me wrong, if you are gonna be a music teacher you better know a whole lot more than just instruments to actually teach these kids music. I am just trying to understand why some people use music education as a cop out to their playing. I thought someone who feels that way can enlighten me perhaps.

JB

[tubiker]

Don't forget that as a teacher your primary task is to be able to communicate to another human being in a way that encourages learning- I've come across plenty of superb players who are on a different planet when it comes to being able to put over a very basic concept, they might as well have been talking in Cantonese...........

equally

Some superb communicators have been very mediocre players but have the personal skills to be able to enthuse.

No easy answer to your post, but don't also forget that there is teaching and teaching - your high quality education may give you first rate performing skills which you can use at an adult level but you may find out later on that you are actually much more comfortable dealing with children who may be (what we term in the UK) Special Needs or indeed Early Years (ages 3 - 5).

Andrew Murray
An old chap who did a degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, had Tuba tuition from the best the London Orchestra's had to offer at the time (John Fletcher, Jim Anderson), but has discovered that he is very comfortable teaching kids in deprived settings and still goes out playing his Miraphone F and his St Pete BBb for huge enjoyment.

[Gorilla Tuba]

My curriculum for a performance major is more intense than for an education major. Specifically, by the time of the senior recital, an ed major is only required to play one major work (Vaughn Williams/ Hindemith/ or similar) on his or her "half recital) (40 minutes of music). A Performance Major will do a Jr. recital that is similar to an ed major's sr recital, and later a full blown senior recital that will have 3-4 major works (depending on length of pieces.) The senior recital for a performance major usually last about 90 Minutes including short breaks.

Although the music education major isn't required to do as much literature and often plays less difficult music, I do not have a lower standard of how well the music should be performed. Bottom line, the level of preparation should be the same for performance and ed majors.

My experience is that poor musicians make poor music teachers. Conquering pitch, rhythm, phrasing, breathing, musicality and all of the other fundumentals are essential to being a success in the classroom (band room). I have seen very few teachers who have low standards for their own performance suddenly set higher standards for their bands. The converse of this is not necesarily true... not all great performers are strong teachers.

[Stefan]

I completely agree that a teacher should strive to be the best player they can be on their major instrument. I have been in many arguments over this issue with other teachers and even my supervisor. But I still think it helps you to be a better teacher when you have spent so much time trying to make yourself a great musician. Not to say there are not great teachers out there who have given up there horn. And there are poor teachers who play all the time. I think a decent musician has higher standards for their students - generally.

Yes, of course you have to know a lot about the other instruments. But I think a strong background on an instrument like the tuba is a great asset when teaching any instrument.

And yes, in college you can do your methods classes and find plenty of time to practice your instrument. Like someone else said, no student lounges, show up late to parties, or not at all. There are certainly many education students who couldn't care less about their major instrument. That doesn't mean you shouldn't care. You will be a music teacher, rather than an instrument teacher.

Stefan

Stefan

[Leland]

I am just trying to understand why some people use music education as a cop out to their playing.

Because it's easier to find a job as a teacher, and quite a number of music ed majors choose that degree as a fall-back plan -- "If I can't get a playing gig, at least I'll be able to get a job teaching."

[Leland]

I hate this idea of "falling back" to music education. That is how I was when I went to college, and quickly realized that if 100% of your focus isn't towards teaching, you're not going to succeed and be a good teacher.

I fully agree; I'm just giving one of the main scenarios I've seen.

[CJ Krause]

yup

[elimia]

I am just trying to understand why some people use music education as a cop out to their playing.

Because it's easier to find a job as a teacher, and quite a number of music ed majors choose that degree as a fall-back plan -- "If I can't get a playing gig, at least I'll be able to get a job teaching."

I hate this idea of "falling back" to music education. That is how I was when I went to college, and quickly realized that if 100% of your focus isn't towards teaching, you're not going to succeed and be a good teacher.

I think that people put too much emphasis on degrees and where they are from. It's just a piece of paper, and doesn't mean anything when it comes to the world of professional playing.

If you want to be a performer, your entire focus needs to be on that. If not, then you need to be thinking about something else to do.

My opinion, fwiw.

I think that is true for most careers too - some people that end up teaching aren't doing other things they would prefer to be. I think some of the rotten teachers I've had would fall into this category.

[mTaUrBkA]

My brother's girlfriend is a music ed major at Syracuse University. And talking with her, SU's music ed majors have to meet the same requirements as performance majors, plus the teaching classes on top of it.

[Chuck(G)]

When you say "performance", do you mean orchestra? Have you read "Mozart in the Jungle"?

http://www.mozartinthejungle.com/

[MartyNeilan]

1/ Join a fraternity.
2/ Learn to drink beer - a lot of beer.
3/ Smoke a l'il dope, too.
4/ Chase some skirts...Maybe, get someone pregnant (?!).
5/ Spend a bunch of time on the internet and watchin' T.V. - preferably cable. Being a "gamer" rounds this out nicely.
6/ Go out to the movies on weekends.
7/ Get a job delivering pizzas to support all of the above.

I guarantee that you won't have time to develop your musical skills.
_______________________________________

Following the "Music Ed" curriculum and treating yourself as if you are a performance major is about as stressful (without 1-7, above) as the pattycake.

1/ Enter those local/regional/national performance competitions - to win.
2/ Practice at least a total of four hours each day.
3/ If any extra money comes your way and you're not playing on the very best instrument, acquire the very best instrument.
4/ Keep yourself clean and focused.
5/ Take advantage of "spare" time to...practice.
6/ Keep ahead of your academic studies. If you do this, they will seem like "nothing".
7/ Play in as many large/small/off campus ensembles as you possibly can - as long as you see potential for individual growth.
8/ Do not "resent" nor "ignore" ear-training. This is the most performance-major-related thing that is in in the "Ed." curriculum!
9/ Do not "resent" nor "ignore" your "Ed" degree minimal piano mastery requirements. The piano is the "common language" of western music. What sort of "musician" can only communicate their craft on one instrument that is a subset of a subset of a family of instruments (the friggin' tuba)?

Bloke Speaketh the Truth. I just may print this out to give to seniors thinking of becoming music majors.

[windshieldbug]

Because it's easier to find a job as a teacher, and quite a number of music ed majors choose that degree as a fall-back plan

how many schools (hell, how many municipalities, even) vs. how many pay-the-rent tuba gigs

Plus, if indeed you even THINK you might teach, you owe it to your future students as much as if you even THINK you might play, you owe it to your future audiences!...

[Arkietuba]

I'm officially a Music Education major, but I spend 4-5 hours a day playing and warming up and getting to know every aspect of the tuba I'm playing. I've noticed that at UCA most Music Ed. majors are great musicians who spend numerous hours every day on their various instruments. Music Ed. majors have to take at least an one hour lesson every week and they also have to play more for their jury performance (that's our final test for lessons) than non-music majors. Every tuba player majoring in music here seems extrememly dedicated to learning their instrument and playing it as best as they can. In fact, a non-music major tuba player won the concerto competition this year.

[Uncle Buck]

Obviously, learning a skill, and developing it to the highest degree possible, is a worthwhile pursuit.

However, when applying and interviewing for a school music teacher job, I guarantee that no principal interviewing you will give a rat's *** how good of a tuba player you are.

I have bombed out on an interview, though, because I gave the wrong answer to a question about clarinet intonation tendencies on a particular note, and how to correct it.

There is a difference between becoming a great tuba player in addition to becoming a great music teacher (which is possible), and becoming a great tuba player at the expense of becoming a great music teacher.

Each one of you is the best person to judge which one you are doing. It is a lot easier and more comfortable to spend the extra time in the practice room with a tuba. It is more difficult work, out of the "comfort zone", etc. etc., to learn the many things that are required to become a great teacher.

If you're sacrificing something important for your tuba practicing, you'll know it if you're being honest with yourself.

If you're not, you'll be able to say so without any hesitation.

[Tubaman485]

to reply to Gorilla's post that is one other thing I do not agree with, it is the same way at NAU, we are graded differently between performance and Ed. I dont know, I hope I am not stirring up a sore sunject.

JB

[Gorilla Tuba]

to reply to Gorilla's post that is one other thing I do not agree with, it is the same way at NAU, we are graded differently between performance and Ed. I dont know, I hope I am not stirring up a sore sunject.

JB

I must first disclose a personal bias of mine... I think grades are really stupid. They do motivate some students, but they are generally more of a guide for knowing exactly how little you can do to "survive" a course. More often than not, letter grades encourage students to obtain minimums. That being said... I do not grade performance students any differently than ed students. Each individual is only graded against themselves. There are definitely some benchmarks which must be met, but my grades are generally based on continual improvent or effort. I freely disclose that I grade really easy providing that the students are clearly putting in their time.

-------

switching gears: Should an ed major take a semester of lessons on several instruments rather than mastering one ( proposed by Bloke)? I do not think so. It may be beneficial to have a greater knowledge of more instruments is some settings. Most schools require at least 4 semesters of techniques classes (brass, percussion, woodwind, and strings). I admit this is not enough time to really master every instrument. But I really don't think you need to be good at all of 'em. You need to know how to get kids started right, but advanced techniques would be best left to someone with more experience than a semester of college on that instrument.

I think it is far more advantageous to develop one instrument really well so that you can teach more advanced musicality. My tuba skills have improved because of lessons and practicing tuba. If I started over on a new axe every semester... it would be bad. I was a mediocre tubist as a freshman at best.

This is a classic question in all areas of education... do we teach breadth or width. Is it better to know a little about a lot of stuff, are have a greater knowledge of a few subjects. The current emphasis on standardized testing lends well to having trivial knowledge of a bunch of stuff. In music, I think you better serve students by bringing a mature sense of musicality than being a one man (or woman) band.

[Gorilla Tuba]

Be less of a "conservative".[/b]

Ouch! That hurts.