<p>I want to become an instrumental performer in various types of performances individual or group. My high school offers a performing arts endorsement program which requires us to take specific classes to help us become a performer and it goes along with our transcripts and is supposed to give us the skills to be a performer if not getting higher education. I have also heard that studying music isn't much help for becoming a performer, I've pretty much narrowed down what public in state university I want to go to and it doesn't cost too much plus I'm pretty smart and in the IB program but not getting the diploma. I want to either pursue a degree in Music Education, an arts degree with a major in philosophy and minor in music because it seems much more versatile, or a music major in performance and a minor in philosophy. I enjoy teaching others and music education seems like the most financial stable. Would a music education degree help in getting a performance job?</p>
<p>Sorry, but I am not clear on what you are doing now in music, and what you want to do. Of course, studying music education prepares you to teach, and is especially geared to those who want to teach in public schools. Do you have lessons in an instrument at the moment? What do you mean when you say that “studying music isn’t much help for becoming a performer?” Why are you not getting the IB diplma?</p>
<p>Check the instate public’s website to read about music offerings there, and different types of degrees. Many offer a BM, which is similar to a conservatory degree. You may be able o do a BA in music but that would not always be a performance degree (often not). You can do double major, major/minor or double degree at different schools. And music education can be done as a grad program after a performance degree, or as an undergrad major. It is fairly intense and it can be hard to combine with another major, but look at the curricula on the website and figure out how much room you might have in terms of credits and time, to do the things you want.</p>
<p>A performance degree- BM in an instrument- is the best way to prepare for a performance career. Performance jobs are competitive. If you are taking lessons, practicing a few hours/day, and playing in ensembles that is the best way to get ready for this path. And summer programs help too.</p>
<p>The problem with your question is what do you see yourself doing? If you are talking pop music, the answer might be different if you let’s say thought you wanted a performance degree on the clarinet or something…</p>
<p>First, I don’t know where you got the idea that a performance degree (a BM), was not a good way to get training to be a performer, that sounds to me like it was coming from someone who has a chip on their shoulder or something. If you are talking classical music, the BM degree is designed to create musicians who can perform, the curricula centers around lessons, ensemble playing, solo playing, orchestra, and also has a thorough grounding in music theory and music history. It isn’t the only way, of course, people can get a BA in music on their instrument (which has less of the music focus of the BM, with more academic core courses and such), people also get degrees in all kinds of things and study privately and go on to music careers…but it all depends (the people who study privately generally come into college at a high level of playing, already are there)…like most things, it depends on the student. I can’t tell what your background is, but from your description it sounds to me like you haven’t been focused on any instrument (for example, have you been taking private lessons?). A music degree on an instrument, a BM or BA, might help fill in the gaps you might have and so forth…</p>
<p>You do need to say what you think you may want to do…do you see yourself becoming a classical musician? Do you see yourself playing in an indie rock band? I think if you give some more about your background (no identifying details)…what instrument(s) do you play? Have you taken private lessons on them? How long have you been playing…and again, what are your goals?</p>
<p>Keep in mind that with BM programs, if the program is a typical competitive program you get in by audition to the music school (if the music school is within a university, you also may have to worry about academics, if it is a stand alone music school, your audition iwll be it), so your level of playing is important. You may be better focusing on one instrument, or maybe related ones (for example, if you primarily play the clarinet, but also maybe playing oboe)…</p>
<p>As far as the music ed degree goes, keep in mind that its primary reason is to turn out a school music teacher (K-12, usually public). Because of that, the course of study is a lot more broad, and while on an ED degree you have a primary instrument you work on, you will be spending a lot of time learning other instruments, things like marching band direction, as well as music courses, plus of course the teaching courses that are part of that. You won’t have the focus of a BM degree, so it may not prepare someone as well in terms of performance that a BM degree would do, and if your primary reason is to become a performer, the ED degree may not make much sense…plus it doesn’t make sense to take the education courses and such if you don’t want to teach, and whatever you do, don’t take an Ed degree because you think it is the way to be able to have something to get a job with, if you do it, do it because you want to teach, there are far too many music teachers out there who are frustrated performers who took an Ed degree to ‘have a paying job’, and quite honestly, most of them IME are terrible at it, their frustration shows that they are ‘settling’ for teaching…</p>
<p>It sounds like you may want to do a BA or a BM, but again, you need to give people a bit more of what you are looking to do. </p>