I apologize if my question sounds familiar but we (parents and son) can’t seem to get past this issue that is worrying my son. My HS senior son (Colorado) is passionate about music composition and music theory. That is what he spends his spare time doing. He has no other specific interests. He does not want to teach or do music performance though. If he takes career assessment tests, of course they show his interests being in musical careers. Music composition is so unfeasible – audition to compete for acceptance to programs, not many jobs, likely low paying IF you can even produce good music and the fear that he won’t succeed and “music” will become just work. He knows he needs to have another career option and that he doesn’t have to leave music behind altogether. But, how do I encourage him to find a direction for a viable career? I know many schools let you go in undeclared, but that doesn’t help my son feel any better. He is very smart and creative. 3.97 weighted GPA 1500 SAT. Great in math, creative writing, science- but no one area is really interesting to him. It feels like a scary forest with too many paths where you can lose lots of money if you go down the wrong one. He is applying to a couple of schools- but he process is dragging…
You know, some people do become musicians and get to compose music. My uncle was a composer that hardly anyone has heard of, but his stuff did get played by real orchestras. He taught music in a university to pay the bills.
I knew a lot of music majors in college. So what are they doing? One went to med school, one became a priest and also wrote and published novels and continued to play and teach music on the side, one is a violinist in the Boston Symphony, one is working as a conductor, one is doing research in biology.
My nephew works in the business side of the music industry. He worked for one of the big labels after college (at a LAC), and after leaving there became the manager for a well known musician (you would all know the name). He even got a mention in a thank you speech at the Grammys once!
My two cents. Don’t worry about a major at this point. Have him try a bunch of different subjects his freshman year that he thinks he might like and then pick a major based on that.
Tell him to put his stress aside on this subject. How can he make a decision about a major or career when there’s so much about the world still to be explored? He is normal and typical. Please tell him that.
I have 2 juniors in college. One had a pretty good idea of what her “dream job” would be at graduation. She crafted a major and minor that will help her get to that goal. Her sister has no idea. She knows what interests her and is double majoring in those. Then she plans to find a job that’s related to those majors and interests her. She hopes that leads to more interesting and enriching things.
I would tell him to look for schools that are strong in music theory/composition. Then he should explore a range of other classes. Wisdom and clarity will come with knowledge.
He sounds like a fascinating kid!
If he’s passionate about it and good at it, he should find a college where he can learn it. If he’s not sure he wants to depend on it for a living, he should find a college that teaches other things as well, so he can minor in something else. in other words, it sounds like you don’t want a BFA or a conservatory, but that leaves plenty of schools with strong music programs.
He may end up in teaching music, you never know. Or, if he’s somewhere with strong variety of majors, he might discover something in a class he took on a whim that gives him a whole other career possibility.
The biggest choice of majors for incoming freshmen is ‘undecided’. Roll with it. He has time.
You might want to post this on the excellent music major forum here on CC, and read the threads there that are relevant. You can start with the “Double Degree Dilemma” essay near the top, which is about the different ways to study music.
I am the parent of a PhD candidate in composition, who is eminently employable. Organizing concert series, interning for an orchestra, teaching undergrads, all kinds of experiences along the way with a focus on the creative work. My kid applied to conservatories, one liberal arts college and an Ivy and ended up at the Ivy for financial reasons, but is now completely focused on music.
Many many music majors go on to medicine, law, business, and other professions and have access to any job that requires a bachelor’s.
College major does NOT have to match career: college does not have to be vocational.
Composers can attend a college with a good BA program in music, or a conservatory/school of music with a BM program. Or do a double degree at certain schools (BA/BM or BA/MM). Or double major. Or major/minor.Or major in something else entirely and do music on the side. Many options and it is wise to apply to more than one option in case things change.
For audition programs, composers send in 3-4 pieces. Many schools do not require an instrumental audition for composers, but of course some do. Often the “audition” is just an interview, sometimes with a panel.
For BA programs, he could submit an arts supplement if he wanted, and it could even be one piece cued to three best minutes. He could include letters of recommendation from a teacher or director, and a music resume.
Does he have a teacher? Has he done summer programs/
If he loves music theory he will love studying music in college. A BA program would be broader with 1/4-1/3 classes in music. A BM would be 2/3-3/4 classes in music. In either case he will get plenty of theory, composition, music history, aural skills, ethnomusicology, and technology.
I hope you (and he) will understand that majoring in music can be very worthwhile, and that the anxieties are somewhat misguided though understandable . He will be fine, That’s 4 years to do what he loves and it will lead to a clear path as needed, when needed.