When I graduate I should be able to do XXXXX

[SirFunk]

Hi there,

Next fall I will be beginning my senior year at the Crane School of Music majoring in Music education. I'm quickly finding out education isn't really for me. I plan to finish it out so I have something reliable to fall back on but I’m more interested in pursuing performance (studio, jazz or classical, not sure yet) or composition after college. I'm hoping some of the guys here who have gone though college and are now either in graduate programs or playing bass professionally can give me some idea where they were at when they graduated, where they are now, and everything in between.

I'm interested in things like.. what pieces you were playing by the time you graduated (and I mean playing well, like recital level) if any of you compose what level were you at with that, I realize so much of this is very hard to quantify but any guidance would be great.

Thanks for any input,
Jeff

[Chris Fitzgerald]

After getting my Comp degree, I was playing piano and writing weird music. After that, I followed my heart, and could not have ever dreamed that things would end up as they are now....and they're great now. Finishing your degree is smart because you never know when it might come in handy; but the important thing is to follow and pursue whatever it is that moves you. You'll have to compromise a lot along the way to pay the bills, but no amount of money can buy happiness and a feeling of having no regrets. Follow your bliss!

[SirFunk]

Thanks for the reply... Yes, i plan on trying to follow my heart. That's why I'm asking this question I'm afriad the program i am in now won't prepare me for what I really want to do and when I get into the real world... or the auditioning for/applying to grduate school world... I'll be vastly behind everyone else.

[Aaron Saunders]

Sorry to ignore your plight, but due to my lack of experience, it'd sure be hard for me to give advice...but do you have any classes with Greg Runions or John Geggie?

FWIW, I've heard a lot of people offering advice in the vein of doing MusEd or Comp for your undergrad and performance for grad school in other places.

[SirFunk]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Sorry to ignore your plight, but due to my lack of experience, it'd sure be hard for me to give advice...but do you have any classes with Greg Runions or John Geggie?

Yeah, actually John has been my teacher for the last three years. And i don't feel like I'm doing so hot.. but i don't have much to compare to. Who is Greg Runions and where's he from?

I would like to do performance for grad.... My fear is though, that the level that this program will leave me at would make grad schools laugh when i go to apply... thus this thread

thanks,

-Jeff

[Anon2962]

I graduated last summer, for my recital i played bach da gamba sonata no.2, Hindemith Sonata, meyer: mov.3 from 'amalgamations for solo bass' which i transcribed, and Teppo Hauta-Aho's 'Kadenza'. At the time I felt i could play them ok, and that i was doing ok where i was. However, i've been studying for the past year with a teacher here in finland, and i've applied for the masters course (2-and-a-half years). Im auditioning next month, playing Koussevitski concerto movs 1+2 and a study by cerny (no.12).

I took a year out after i graduated r becuase aftrer a few lessons to try and bring my standard up to the level of the acedemy i'm applying for. with my current teacher, my playing completely changed and i simply knew that I had to apply for the course, but also realised that i needed time to get to the stage where i could be accepted.

If you feel that you must do performance and have a place in mind, why not get some lessons with the bass professors there and ask them for advice. You can always take a year practicing in order to get you playing up to scratch. It did wonders for me - no lectures, just practicing and a few gigs.

[Aaron Saunders]

SirFunk, Greg teaches at Crane on Monday nights. I'm not sure what he teaches -- he's primarily a drummer (a damn fine one at that) but he's also a really talented composer and arranger, so I wasn't sure. He could even just be one of the private teachers for the drummers...I'm not entirely sure. In any case...my third period percussion class is with him, and he leads my school's jazz band (as well as teaching at Queen's University for the rest of the day 4 days of the week.)

[SirFunk]

Originally Posted by Conor MacCarthy

I graduated last summer, for my recital i played bach da gamba sonata no.2, Hindemith Sonata, meyer: mov.3 from 'amalgamations for solo bass' which i transcribed, and Teppo Hauta-Aho's 'Kadenza'. At the time I felt i could play them ok, and that i was doing ok where i was. However, i've been studying for the past year with a teacher here in finland, and i've applied for the masters course (2-and-a-half years). Im auditioning next month, playing Koussevitski concerto movs 1+2 and a study by cerny (no.12).

Thanks, that gives me some idea. I'm not quite to koussevitsky level yet.. but it's definitely something i might be able to tackle in the next few years.

Anymore ideas like this from anyone would be appreciated.. thanks.

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

SirFunk, Greg teaches at Crane on Monday nights. I'm not sure what he teaches -- he's primarily a drummer (a damn fine one at that) but he's also a really talented composer and arranger, so I wasn't sure.

OH! now i know why the name sounded familiar my theory teacher mentioned him as being a great jazz guitarist (i think)... I'll definitley be looking him up to see if i can get a few jazz lessons.