4 years later: a success story

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Hi everyone!</p>

<p>I first joined this forum a few years ago when I was struggling to be admitted to a music education program. I actually forgot the password to that account and, despite sifting through every email I can remember creating, I couldn't find the password reset email, so here I am!</p>

<p>I have no idea how I remembered this place. I truly don't. But I figured I would stop by and visit the Music Majors subforum again to see how people are managing after this audition season. I have some advice for some of the down-and-out posters I'm seeing. Some of you were rejected from all the programs you applied to. Some of you are questioning whether or not you're "meant" for this. And some of you are questioning whether or not you're good enough at all.</p>

<p>Some of you veteran posters may [very] vaguely remember me. I was rejected from every. single. program. I applied to straight out of high school. Every one! Crane, NYU, Fredonia, Ithaca, Hofstra, you name it. At one point I gave up and decided music wasn't for me. Obviously I couldn't pursue it if the audition committee wouldn't let me.</p>

<p>I ended up attending SUNY Fredonia for Mathematics. I figured if I couldn't do music, I could at least study something else I (cringe) enjoyed, while attending a school ripe with musical possibilities. Not to mention a few of my friends were going there, too. I ended up joining the all-campus choir, and I took basic classes open to non-majors (Theory, Aural Skills, Piano, Music History) and even eventually decided to try out lessons (at the recommendation of my choral director) with one of the adjuncts.</p>

<p>Then something amazing happened. The following semester I was able to successfully audition into the two most selective choral groups on campus. At this point, I was taking Theory and Aural Skills III and Piano III, the highest levels you could go as a non-major, in addition to more Music History and a 400-level class on the Romantic period. I also kept taking lessons with the same adjunct.</p>

<p>My voice teacher (as well as a few of my professors) persuaded me to try auditioning again. We pulled my audition file which held comments from my previous unsuccessful attempt and we automatically realized that everything they docked me for, we already corrected. I had the skill all along; I just needed a bit of guidance "putting it all together," if you will. Apparently the voice teacher I studied with in high school wasn't as professional as they liked to think.</p>

<p>So, I did it. I auditioned, this time for the BM Vocal Performance program, and after an absolutely grueling few weeks, I got the letter saying I was accepted into the program. I ditched mathematics and immediately accepted the offer, switching my major.</p>

<p>Now, a few years later, I sit here thinking back on when I gave up on music. I guess the moral of my story is that if it's meant to happen, it will happen. If you're meant to be in music, music will come to you. The path might not be clear right now, but it will be eventually. You might not take the most traditional path, but it's a path none-the-less.</p>

<p>This Fall I will be returning to SUNY Fredonia for my MM in Choral Conducting.</p>

<p>I wish all of you the best of luck, whether you've been accepted and are heading off to the most grueling 4 years of your life in the Fall, or you've still got your spirits up and you're preparing to try and try again.</p>

<p>I can't (and won't) say that all of you will make it the entire way. I've seen countless friends and classmates drop the music major left and right. It's a demanding major and at times it will feel like the life is being sucked out of you, but I promise you'll feel better after a nap ;).</p>

<p>Best of luck! And I hope my story helps some of you determine your place in this crazy, crazy time.</p>

<p>Mike</p>

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<p>Beautiful story! Thanks for sharing!</p>

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<p>“I can’t (and won’t) say that all of you will make it the entire way. I’ve seen countless friends and classmates drop the music major left and right. It’s a demanding major and at times it will feel like the life is being sucked out of you, but I promise you’ll feel better after a nap .”</p>

<p>I was amazed at the number of my son’s high school and college friends who have dropped dropped the music major. Your description of the grueling demands of a BM degree program is
so true. At son’s school, the first 2 years are very tough and many students decide it isn’t for them.</p>

<p>Thanks for the wonderful success story! Congratulations!</p>

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<p>Kudos, conductinggrad, and thank you for sharing your story. This is exactly the kind of thing many new posters here need to hear and understand :wink:
Sendin you the mojo for an awesome masters program!</p>

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<p>Wonderful post and how considerate of you to come back and share your story.</p>

<p>Life tends to be zigs and zags, not straight lines: your persistence is inspiring. And your hard work (yes a BM degree is demanding) and of course your now fully recognized talent :)</p>

<p>Good luck with everything and thanks again!</p>

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<p>Congratulations. It’s a wonderful story.</p>

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<p>Nice post! One of the things I see from your story is that the audition doesn’t represent your chances of making it in music by itself, an audition is really a snapshot of where you are at the audition. In turn, the audition with performance degrees is to a large extent about the technical precision of the student. The OP had issues that were fixed by having a teacher that recognized them and fixed them, so he was able to get in. It also highlights that with music, as with most things, rarely is ever something totally dead, there are alternate paths, and to always keep that in mind:).</p>

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<p>Great story and thanks for sharing!!</p>

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<p>Looking for the “like” button!</p>

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<p>Wonderful news! I do remember your story, good for you for finding a way to follow your passion. It seems like you didn’t take any extra years, you must have worked very hard! Good luck to you!</p>

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<p>Congratulations and thanks for taking the time to share. We hope you’ll continue to check in. You are an inspiration. Best wishes with your MM!</p>

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<p>Personally, I don’t subscribe to the whole “if it’s meant to happen, it will happen” philosophy. And the music industry is a perfect example of that. How many talented musicians are making beautiful music that nobody has ever heard of? Whereas Taylor Swift needs autotuning during her live performances. Tell me, how was that meant to be? But I digress. ;)</p>

<p>I prefer the notions of free will and taking responsibility or credit for your decisions. And remembering to always appreciate the people along the way that help you. </p>

<p>You kept your options open and prepared yourself for the opportunities. That says more about you than fate’s hand in it all. Rather, you should congratulate yourself. And I think you made a good decision to go to Fredonia, with apparently supportive and open minded faculty. I expect you don’t find them everywhere. </p>

<p>On the other hand, my D has seen talented students, to whom things came too easily, waste their talents in a variety of ways, or perhaps just lost their nerve when things finally got tough. The experience for you, to have struggled and persevered, accepted criticism as a path to improvement, and now understand the value of hard work, may be the best preparation for becoming a music teacher, or, for that matter, a functional member of society in general. </p>

<p>And face it, most music students don’t become professional musicians. But it is the value of music education as a metaphor for life that many local school district superintendents don’t get, as budgets are cut and programs are eliminated. I have seen music education programs in the public schools, that, for some kids, given the alternatives of gangs and drugs and high dropout rates and unstable family situations, have literally saved lives. </p>

<p>If all students could get what you got out of music education, their chances for success in any endeavor are so much greater. And the world would be a better place…for you and me… you just wait and see. (Thank you, Jackie DeShannon)</p>

<p>Ok, that got a little heavy, included a few of my favorite rants, and that last bit was a little random. Sorry. Yours is a great story. It will inspire your students in the future. I think you should proudly mention the unlikely path you took to a MM in Choral Conducting whenever you interview for a job. I wish you continued success.</p>