<p>Hi, I'm a junior in highschool and have been playing alto sax for 5 years but have just found my love for music this year. I really want to major in music education and hopefully with a jazz emphasis. I am anxious 24/7, always thinking about music, thinking I'm not good enough, etc. I am feeling TONS of pressure to get ready for auditions and freaking out about so many people being better than I am...I'm only an average band kid right now but my private teacher says I can make it if I work hard.</p>
<p>I have a private teacher, am in the concert band and jazz band and also joined choir this year. I am tyring to practice 3 hours a day but have trouble sometimes because of too much school work or sometimes I get extremely frustrated while practicing and have to stop.. I'm going to try and get into the all county jazz and concert bands this year, if I can't make those then I don't have a chance at college, right?</p>
<p>I don't know how I can possibly become a good musician in one year, I've been thinking about taking a gap year and doing some music program to get ready for college. The only one I know of is Intelochin Post-Graduate Program. Does anyone have any info on this or other programs?</p>
<p>Or should I just give up on this music major..</p>
<p>You might need some more info about me:</p>
<p>What I really want to do is teach in a public school, give private lessons, and gig.</p>
<p>I have about a 3.6 gpa from freshman and sophmore year. I am taking one AP this year and have a 90 average at the moment. </p>
<p>And some more music stuff: I am in Tri M, have a private student (for pay), and volunteer giving private lessons</p>
<p>If teaching music is genuinely what you want to do, then you should stick with music. If you don’t get into a program, then your idea of a gap year is good. If you have just gotten serious about music in your junior year, that is later than most potential music majors, but it is not too late. You should see significant improvement in these last two years of high school and if you take a gap year, you will see even more improvement. </p>
<p>Usually the audition bar is somewhat lower for music ed majors than for performance majors. </p>
<p>Be certain that you have an excellent saxophone instructor whose students regularly get admitted to music programs.</p>
<p>What I would also suggest is to look for schools that have an affiliated conservatory where, if you’re not accepted into the music program, you can still get into the college/university and possibly transfer mid-year or after your Frosh year. So you need to look at your grades and classes you’re taking, as well. Perhaps look at colleges that have an Ed program as well as Music Ed. The transition will be easier. </p>
<p>Otherwise… focus on music as much as possible. My son only came to music (comp) as a late freshman/early sophomore in HS, so also a little late. He’s now a frosh at Temple’s Boyer College. Work hard.</p>