is anybody else a music major in college?

[jonathan_matos5]

just wondering?

im starting my freshman year after 5 years off from high school.
ive got a long road ahead of me but in 4-6 years ill be a band teacher and play just about everything
i got my schedule already and am waiting on financial aid to pay tuition and books and maybe a laptop to make life easier



im pretty stoked

[rfclef]

Good luck, man... I went in right after college... crammed that 4 year degree into a tight 5 and a half years... I am about to start my 13th year of teaching... Had some bumps along the way, but my last several years have been great. Good to hear someone going into the biz...

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by rfclef

Good luck, man... I went in right after college... crammed that 4 year degree into a tight 5 and a half years... I am about to start my 13th year of teaching... Had some bumps along the way, but my last several years have been great. Good to hear someone going into the biz...

ive heard that the degree requires more classes than other degrees but the classes aren't as hard. ill find out for sure in about a month

im gonna take it easy and get the degree in about 5-6 so i don't strain my self.

with bass, trombone, and piano i might as well buy a cot put it in the practice room and live there

[AdlerAugen]

yea I'm gonna be a music major at least, starting august 20 when our first day of classes is. Just graduated from a town 15 minutes away on may 25, now taking a music tech class from a school downtown, then I move downtown to an apartment near the university of hawaii.

With a piano major, I should probably take a cot to live in the practice room as well...After all I want good grades since I intend on going for a certain prestigious scholarship which is a full ride for 3rd and 4th years, but you apply during 2nd year, or when you have sophomore standing. All I wish is that I didn't have to take so many d*mned general ed classes...so annoying because I think I have to take more credits in general ed than for my major...

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

im gonna take it easy and get the degree in about 5-6 so i don't strain my self.

Congrats on your decision to get a music degree and become a teacher. I am a public school orchestra director and I love going to work each day. I've been an orchestra director for 9 years.

I have a small concern with your plan to take 5 to 6 years to complete your degree. You will probably have to explain that at your job interviews. Many students will complete their degree in the standard 4 years (or sooner). You'll encounter highly ambitious music students while you're in school and they will be your competition in the job market. Work hard. That doesn't mean you have to give yourself a stroke. You want to make a good impression on your teachers because they will be writing you a recommendation. It may not be easy to find a full-time position teaching music in your area of expertise. You want to be a band director, but you might end up getting a job teaching general music at a middle school, then travel over to an elementary building for a few instrumental lesson groups, and then over to the high school to teach a music theory class.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I just want you to be careful about kicking back and taking your time to complete your degree. I took 2 years off between high school and college and I was considered a non-traditional student. It's a plus because you have a little more life experience and a little more maturity than the "traditional" students (in theory). I noticed in college that the "non-traditional" students were some of the hardest working individuals. They ended up being some of the go-to individuals in the music department. I don't know why that is exactly. It might be because the older students entering college felt a need to excel and be marketable sooner. They may have a better perspective of the big picture.

I saw some "traditional" students get caught up in the party scene and slack off. When some of those students went out to do their student teaching; well, it didn't go well. They didn't know their fingerings for sax or understand instrument transposition. They had a rough time.

I remember some of my interviews. There was usually a huge table with 4 to 10 people sitting around it waiting to ask you all kinds of questions about education. Many of the questions were non-musical questions (classroom management, learning styles, state standards, teaching philosophy...). Then I would have to play my major instrument and my minor instrument (playing your minor instrument can be a little embarrassing). I made it past that part of the interview and got called back to run an orchestra rehearsal for students I've never seen before. I remember giving some directions during the rehearsal assuming the students knew exactly what I was talking about, and having them look at me like I had three heads. All those people from the interview were sitting in chairs along the wall watching me, taking notes, and whispering to each other. I was so nervous.

Anyhow... Sorry to ramble on like this. I just wanted to share some of my path with you. Teaching music; IMO, is the greatest job in the world. It's great to get paid to make music all day everyday. Again, congrats on your decision. I'm really excited for you. Be sure to keep us posted on your progress.

Joe

[AdlerAugen]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I have a small concern with your plan to take 5 to 6 years to complete your degree. You will probably have to explain that at your job interviews. Many students will complete their degree in the standard 4 years (or sooner). You'll encounter highly ambitious music students while you're in school and they will be your competition in the job market.

+1


Music is a very small community as far as people who get a professional degree for it, and not in very high demand compared to math and science positions. With less positions available you'll want to give yourself every advantage, and most people who are in music majors who are specifically aiming for a music position in highschool or other place, know that they have to work harder than people in other majors, simply because there isn't much demand for it. Even though there may not be many music majors, there are even less actual jobs to go around besides self-employment.

If you take it easy in college it might be harder to get a good job later.

[Sarbecue Boss]

I'm a pshycology maj, and a jazz studies minor at uco

[TrooperFarva]

I read the other day that Tye Zamora, the bass player from Alien Ant Farm, is taking some time off to study music professionally and earn a degree. Weird, I always thought he was a great bass player, but I guess he feels as though there's areas where he can improve.

[Freddels]

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

I read the other day that Tye Zamora, the bass player from Alien Ant Farm, is taking some time off to study music professionally and earn a degree. Weird, I always thought he was a great bass player, but I guess he feels as though there's areas where he can improve.

I don't see think it's weird at all. When I went to NT, there were guys that would be out on the road with big bands and other groups, and they would come back to school for a semester or two and head back out and then back to school. Why? Because they saw the value in the degree.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

Congrats on your decision to get a music degree and become a teacher. I am a public school orchestra director and I love going to work each day. I've been an orchestra director for 9 years.

I have a small concern with your plan to take 5 to 6 years to complete your degree. You will probably have to explain that at your job interviews. Many students will complete their degree in the standard 4 years (or sooner). You'll encounter highly ambitious music students while you're in school and they will be your competition in the job market. Work hard.
Joe

Originally Posted by AdlerAugen

+1


Music is a very small community as far as people who get a professional degree for it, and not in very high demand compared to math and science positions. With less positions available you'll want to give yourself every advantage, and most people who are in music majors who are specifically aiming for a music position in highschool or other place, know that they have to work harder than people in other majors, simply because there isn't much demand for it. Even though there may not be many music majors, there are even less actual jobs to go around besides self-employment.

If you take it easy in college it might be harder to get a good job later.

i understand your concern but ive got enough financial obligation where i have to work at least 24 hours a week at my job so more than the 13 credit hours per semester and my grades will slip.

you college guys know how it is 13 hours in class gives you >26 hours of homework and ive got a job to do on top of that.

id rather spread a 4 year degree over 5-6 years than fail classes and take longer


maybe ill take my practice sessions outside and busk for extra money and thus kill 2 birds with one stone

on a side note im currently better at my minor instrument i guess i let my trombone playing slip over the past year and a half so i could learn bass

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

i understand your concern but ive got enough financial obligation where i have to work at least 24 hours a week at my job so more than the 13 credit hours per semester and my grades will slip.

you college guys know how it is 13 hours in class gives you >26 hours of homework and ive got a job to do on top of that.

id rather spread a 4 year degree over 5-6 years than fail classes and take longer

Meeting your financial obligations is important. That is difficult and I understand your concern. It's good to know your limits. As a non-traditional student, I also had financial obligations and worked a part-time job. Your situation is not that uncommon.

I'm a very laid back person that doesn't like a lot of rushing around an stress; but in college, it was full-throttle. As another person said, there are only a set number of high school band director positions available. I needed to work as hard as I could to set myself apart from the competition. It's a lot of work, but college goes by pretty fast.

I didn't want to get my degree and end up working at a cafe and teaching private lessons to make ends meet. I saw a few friends working at local area grocery stores after graduation because they couldn't find a job, and they were very good students.

You need to do what is best for you and your situation. We just need to do our best and hope for the best.

Now go practice your trombone.

Peace,
Joe

[AdlerAugen]

oh as a sidenote I was talking with my music tech class instructor today (i'm taking an extra highschool-level course before college starts...and it's way cheaper than a college course because it was only $100 for a month of classes) about the music department at the college I'll be going to (he's taking a PHd thingy there, and does TA stuff and teaches some of the first-year classes), and he mentioned that 'yea taking music is like 19 credits a semester' so that might have me worried, and worried for you too.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

Meeting your financial obligations is important. That is difficult and I understand your concern. It's good to know your limits. As a non-traditional student, I also had financial obligations and worked a part-time job. Your situation is not that uncommon.

I'm a very laid back person that doesn't like a lot of rushing around an stress; but in college, it was full-throttle. As another person said, there are only a set number of high school band director positions available. I needed to work as hard as I could to set myself apart from the competition. It's a lot of work, but college goes by pretty fast.

I didn't want to get my degree and end up working at a cafe and teaching private lessons to make ends meet. I saw a few friends working at local area grocery stores after graduation because they couldn't find a job, and they were very good students.

You need to do what is best for you and your situation. We just need to do our best and hope for the best.

Now go practice your trombone.

Peace,
Joe

im willing to move to the job

no worries there i just got a new horn and it has been calling me to it lately





http://www.eastmanstrings.com/eastma.../trombones.htm

i might have to pick up some of their other products in the future

[Bassist4Life]

Great pictures! I love the sound of the trombone. It's one of my favorite instruments to listen to. I had a tough time with it in my brass methods class. Everything was easy until it was time to slur. I've heard some really beautiful playing of the Bach Cello Suites on the trombone before.

Your willingness to move to a job is a good thing. I remember when I started looking for jobs. I live in New York State and I called a place in South Carolina for a string job. They quickly transferred my call to the the Principal. He said, I am prepared to offer you and your wife a job in our district! When can you come down for an interview?! I was shocked. It was so easy that it made me take a step back and look at the situation a little closer.

We never did travel down for the interview. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for and the pay wasn't great in that district. When they heard "New York State", they got really excited. It might have something to do with our standards and teacher certification requirements.

I'm looking forward to a sound clip of that sweet looking horn. Keep in touch.

Joe

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

Great pictures! I love the sound of the trombone. It's one of my favorite instruments to listen to. I had a tough time with it in my brass methods class. Everything was easy until it was time to slur. I've heard some really beautiful playing of the Bach Cello Suites on the trombone before.

Your willingness to move to a job is a good thing. I remember when I started looking for jobs. I live in New York State and I called a place in South Carolina for a string job. They quickly transferred my call to the the Principal. He said, I am prepared to offer you and your wife a job in our district! When can you come down for an interview?! I was shocked. It was so easy that it made me take a step back and look at the situation a little closer.

We never did travel down for the interview. It wasn't exactly what I was looking for and the pay wasn't great in that district. When they heard "New York State", they got really excited. It might have something to do with our standards and teacher certification requirements.

I'm looking forward to a sound clip of that sweet looking horn. Keep in touch.

Joe

Clips will be in my ive got a mac thread whenever it happens(im yet to purchase the mac).
As for now I have no means of recording myself but when I get a mac and I'll have vids on youtube(metube)

[Otso]

I'm going to be studying musicology in a university (starting this fall). My future plans include knowing a lot of stuff and being unemployed.

[jonathan_matos5]

Originally Posted by Otso

I'm going to be studying musicology in a university (starting this fall). My future plans include knowing a lot of stuff and being unemployed.

yea i know at least i will be able to teach private lessons as a fall back or take a year or 2 more college and be able to teach other subjects.