Being a Music professor...

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>Even though, I am a econ major, I've had passion for the music throughout my entire life.</p>

<p>As a upcoming College freshman, I am concerned with the fact whether I should pursue a field of my passion or a field that can provide lots of money.</p>

<p>I realized that there is nothing that I could be more passionate about than Music, and would love to be a music teacher(H.S level) or eventually a professor.</p>

<p>I will be attending WashU this fall and I could have an option to double major Music or have 2 degrees, one for music and another for econ.</p>

<p>But, I have no clue about attaining a career in music.
Can people here please help me out on it?</p>

<p>How hard is it to be a professor of music?
What can you do with a degree in Music.</p>

<p>btw, I was a 1st tenor in H.S, and earned State #1 rating in vocal solo.(but I am not really a Classical type of singer, I am more inclined to modern musics as well as piano)</p>

2

<p>If you wanted to be a economics professor, you would major in econ, then go to grad school and get your PhD. This would probably be the path to be a music history professor, or theory teacher, as well. To be an instrumental professor, however, might be a little less direct. Certainly there are some who pursued this goal from the outset. But more often, I think, colleges look for performers who are also willing to teach.</p>

<p>My younger two kids are music performance majors, and my oldest majored in economics. So I'll offer some observations based on my experience. None of them has any desire to be a music professor, so my advice is limited. (Shennie's son is a cellist who might want to teach - maybe she'll pop in with some insight.)</p>

<p>I admit I was equally apprehensive about whether my econ major son was going to be employable, as I was with the music majors. I don't see one major as a lot stronger that way than the other! </p>

<p>S1 loves music, and sometimes I worry about him being "stuck" in economics. He enjoys his job (with the Bureau of Labor Statistics) just fine, but I don't sense the same passion in him. I suspect his dream would be to join a band somewhere! But he has an economist's mind, and likes the job security and regular paycheck. It funds his hobby. His car is dying, and his computer is ancient, but he uses his paychecks to buy guitars. He reminds me all the time that Mick Jagger attended London School of Economics. (And that Alan Greenspan attended Juilliard.)</p>

<p>S2 loves music and cannot tolerate the idea of doing anything but performing. He epitomizes passion. If he ever ends up teaching at a college level, it will be due to his performance degree. The teachers he has had at Juilliard are people who are performers, not education majors. In fact, his primary teacher didn't even graduate from college. </p>

<p>My youngest, D, will major in music for lack of anything better. She has two violin students currently, and is quite a good teacher. But I can't see her as a music ed major - I don't think lots of instruments and big classes would suit her. I expect her to some day have a private studio, again based on her performance degree. (Her college violin teacher plays in a small symphony, and has his PhD. He attended the Mozarteum and spent some time in Europe. I suspect he pursued a performance goal until he decided he really needed to feed the family regularly. Just a guess.)</p>

<p>We are thinking that D might get a second degree. However, part of me questions whether it is worth it. The advisors at her college do not think it is. They think no employer will care if she has one piece of paper or two. (Her second major would not be anything as concrete as economics, though.) Would a second degree really benefit her, or just monopolize her time? I'm thinking that perhaps grad school might make more sense, if she has a desire to pursue something else.</p>

3

<p>crazy4u- Welcome. As in any teaching profession, the level of experience in the field coupled with knowledge of the subject matter are 2 key areas. Additionally, to teach effectively, one must also have a knowledge of teaching methodologies, educational, motivational, and developmental psychology, and the ability to effectively impart and transfer the material to the student.</p>

<p>Binx outlines a typical path to teaching at a university level. The path to teaching music within the US public school system (I see from earlier posts you're an international student from Korea or hold Korean citizenship) is regulated by the individual states. There are specific criteria for both subject knowledge and teaching skills, and while there is overlap between the states, many states have stricter certification requirements than others.</p>

<p>Teaching music within a private studio setting, private school, or stand alone music academy is far less regulated.</p>

<p>I suggest you read BassDad's post <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=258796%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=258796&lt;/a> and the info on careers here <a href="http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/%7Enavmusic/careerpaths/index.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~navmusic/careerpaths/index.html&lt;/a> for general info regarding choosing music as a path.</p>

<p>Specific music educational info and links can be found starting here <a href="http://www.menc.org/information/infoserv/info.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.menc.org/information/infoserv/info.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>My son began college as a dual major... viola performance and music education. His dual degree would have virtually assured him certification to teach in the public schools, and a high likelyhood of a stable job with paid benefits. He decided to drop the ed portion 12 credits short of completion, and wanted to concentrate on performance. He graduated this May, and will attend grad school beginning in '08 to further develop his performance skills.</p>

<p>He is a highly skilled performer, and according to his instructors, colleagues, peers and students, he is also an excellent teacher, and is currently teaching chamber music to intermediate and advanced adult amateurs as a full faculty member at a long standing summer program. He's done this now for four years, and has maintained his own studio students since high school. He's given masterclasses and chamber coachings to elementary school through college students. </p>

<p>He calls himself a performer. I call him a musician. </p>

<p>I can offer no advice as to what will make you happy... a career providing greater economic stability, or a career that allows you to fulfill your passion. The choice is often mutually exclusive. That decision is yours.</p>

4

<p>If your desire is to be a college professor in the field of music, your work is cut out for you! You must either be an almost peerless performer on your instrument or voice, or you must be a scholar in the fields of music history, music theory, music therapy, music education, holding a Ph.D. Most college professors began their careers in smaller regional schools, teaching a variety of things, their instrument and music history, voice and opera, etc. Only the premiere performers can achieve a position at the major music schools and schools in the metropolitan areas. Being a high school teacher is a different process, but you must still be proficient in a performance area. If you are not very gifted vocally, or you have not seriously studied a musical instrument, it will be very difficult for you to pursue this idea. Good luck.</p>

5

<p>Thanks a lot for your sincere answers.
Certainly, I hadn't expected these nice of answers.</p>

6

<p>We all spend a large amount of time in life at work... I think it is important to pursue a career at which you will want to spend a lot of time. You will spend a lot of time working over the course of your life.... in my opinion weekends, vacations, and looking forward to retirement cannot make up for having a job that you enjoy :)</p>

7

<p>crazyforu
As it happens my daughter is a Teaching Assistant at Wash U in the musicology department.She is persuing the PhD in musicology after being a performance major in flute her first two years of college and discovering she loved music history and research and desired to remain in an academic setting rather than a performing setting.She had much mentoring from the music faculty at her undergrad college to determine if a college teaching career was right for her and how to go about gaining entry to a well regarded PhD program.Teaching college is very different from teaching elementary or high school students.You have to want an academic life and enjoy research as much as teaching.
You might just be in one of her classes next year! when you begin classes there, come back and PM me and I'll give you her name.</p>

8

<p>I'll just give you what I've realized:</p>

<p>Do what you're passionate about. Don't worry about what you might do with it. Options will present themselves; just keep your eyes open. I have a general idea of what what I'd like to do with my double major in Music (Theory and Composition) and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, but there is nothing set.</p>

<p>Things will work out, especially if you have a passion for both paths you choose to explore in college.</p>

9

<p>adorkable
D's undergrad minor was in Womens Studies.Shes combining her interests for her concentration for the PhD and will focus on some aspect of women in music (probably American and more modern) Shes already TA'd a Women in Music course.Its quite possible to combine these interests.</p>

10

<p>Crazyforu, the best advice on the planet will be from your music professors at WashU. Take a music course or two as soon as you can and you will meet music majors and teachers who have already given this a lot of thought and have all different kinds of experiences. Also remember that when you start studying music at the college level you will be exposed to aspects of music that you didn't even know existed! Give yourself a few years to explore many dimensions and directions in music. You don't need to have it all figured out now. Good luck!</p>