Do you have a music degree?

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:36 am

Just wondering who on here is going to get, is working on, or already has a music major.

How far can a non-music major go? Freelance? What other options are there for a non-music major to perform?

Thanks

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 12:53 pm

I'd have to say in general, that a music degree, in and of itself, has little influence on getting work as a performer. I have a B.S. Music Ed degree but I no longer earn my living from it. I was a band director for 6 years in the public schools, repaired band instruments, and played gigs on the side. I later switched careers after getting an MS Computer Science degree and now my primary work is in computer architecture and enterprise software design.

I still am active musically. I play every week in a smaller church orchestra (for free), play for a few weddings ($$), perform/compete in the annual FluteFaire, and occasionally get a few other gigs (I double on flute/sax/clarinet) such as dinner theater, plays, etc.

IMO, the bottom line is not whether you are degreed or not, but whether you can play at the level required. I know many of the symphony/opera musicians in my area and there is a wide range of education. Many have performance degrees. Some have other degrees/careers, but are still excellent players. I also know of at least one player with an MM degree in flute who does little performing, but teaches privately. So, if you study privately with the best players/teachers you can find, and you have the musical skills, the actual degree is of little consequence. Sometimes, the degree can help get your foot in the door, but the degree won't get you professional playing gigs without the playing chops.

If you are simply looking to stay active musically and are a reasonably solid player, there are lots of opportunities to play, but not all of them pay: community bands and orchestras, churches, dinner theaters, community theater, an ensemble with your friends, ... the list goes on...

Fox · Post by **Fox** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:03 pm

Good question. I don't have a music degree, but have been considering going to the local community college part-time for music.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:14 pm

I am finishing my undergraduate degree in Music Performance in May. I will be pursuing a Masters Degree in Music as well.

Phineas · Post by **Phineas** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:20 pm

Here is my take on the whole degree thing.

1. If a person is good at something, not lazy, and good at politics, they will go far with or without a degree.

Go getters will always have a better chance making it than a person thinks they are entitled to something. Also, if people like and respect you, its icing on the cake. Self promotion

2. Give a lazy person a degree, all you get is an educated lazy person.

I know people with Masters degrees that are not working. Mainly because they either expect to get paid too much money to start out. They are not willing to do what it takes to get out there and hustle. Yet, you see people with 6 grade educations that own and run multimillion dollar companies. Some people get breaks. Most of us have to work for what and how far we get in life,

3. A person with vision and goals will always beat a person with out them. Education or not.

A person has to have goals, and a plan to achieve them. People with no goals never make it. People with goals go a lot farther.

It is too bad they do not require music business, self promotion and social skills courses as a requirement to get a degree. Artist are a close second to engineers when it comes to a lack of business sense and interpersonal skills.

If you want a degree, go for it! It will give you options for sure. Just remember that it is only a small part of making it as a professional musician.

Phineas

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Fri Sep 10, 2010 6:59 pm

Sir James Galway never completed his degree, but he studied flute with the some of the best teachers such as Geoffrey Gilbert and Marcel Moyse.

And don't forget - Microsoft founder, Bill Gates is a college dropout.

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:10 am

Gosh, I feel rather inspired! I'm just finishing up my degree (in my last semester now) in environmental science and anthropology. I will probably go into teaching biology, but I want to keep up with the flute as a hobby and/or side job. I was just worried I would be hindered by not being a music performance major. Thanks for the encouragement, guys! I had already planned on starting private lessons in January after I graduate. I'm very excited about that! I am just going to enjoy playing and see where it leads me. I just love being part of the music

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:28 am

@pied_piper...are those all of your flutes in your profile picture?

cflutist · Post by **cflutist** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:42 am

I have a Computer Science Degree but play Principal Flute in a Community College Orchestra and have been there since 1989. There are some with Music Degrees, and some going on to get their Music Degrees but most of the adults have degrees in other fields, there is a PhD in Fluid Mechanics, and another PhD in Math. There are also a number of Computer Geeks in the orchestra.

I once had a past conductor tell me that he thought I was the better flutist even though the 2nd flute had a Masters in Flute Performance. He later went on to become a High School Music Band Director and has recently lost his job.

I also host "Flute Fests" at my house where others bring their flutes, piccs, Alto, Bass,and even Contrabass flutes. We hang out for an afternoon and sightread Flute Choir music. So there are plenty of opportunities for you to play.

I still have a very strong passion about music and practice daily now. The best part is that I don't have to worry about getting gigs to pay the bills.

Phineas · Post by **Phineas** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:51 am

asoalin wrote:Gosh, I feel rather inspired! I'm just finishing up my degree (in my last semester now) in environmental science and anthropology. I will probably go into teaching biology, but I want to keep up with the flute as a hobby and/or side job. I was just worried I would be hindered by not being a music performance major. Thanks for the encouragement, guys! I had already planned on starting private lessons in January after I graduate. I'm very excited about that! I am just going to enjoy playing and see where it leads me. I just love being part of the music

When I was younger, I was a full time musician. I had to discover that I loved music too much to do it as a job. There were times I had to do things like ride the bus to gigs with all of guitar equipment, boil strings because I did not have $5.00 for a new set, eat rice and porknbeanss for a week or 2 because I could not afford to get groceries, play some of the music I did not want make ends meet ETC.... If I would have kept going down that path, I would have eventually made it ok, but I probably would not have the the same passion for playing. Playing what I want to play, when I want to play it and not having to worry about money really helps.

When the time came to decide on my college path, I went for the science degrees(BSEE/BSP). I figured with a more main stream occupation, it would allow me to more easily pursue music that I wanted to. Now, within reason, I can buy what I want, and be choosy about what gigs I play.

I still keep my practice time up, although not as much as I did when I was a full timer. I still like the trade off. Nice gear, and good/fun music to play! If someday I wind up playing full time, playing what I want to play, that would be icing on the cake!

These days, I play for a 40's style swing band, do a lot of private gigs playing mostly Jazz/Brazilian music, play Saxophone in a couple of Motown/Funk bands and been doing a lot of song collaborations lately.

Phineas

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 8:10 am

@Phineas...flute in a swing band? Brazilian music? Sounds amazing! Do you have any youtubes? I'd love to hear that kind of stuff!

I totally get your point about money and all that. Oftentimes when you try to make your hobby a full-time career you end up losing part of your passion for the thing. It becomes more "work-like". Not so with everyone, I'm sure. I feel like flute (also guitar, piano, and singing for me) have a very specific place in my life...not for money, but for the enjoyment of it. If money comes with it someday, then great. If not, that's great, too, as long as I'm still making music. Thanks for the words of wisdom, Phineas!

Phineas · Post by **Phineas** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:32 am

asoalin wrote:@Phineas...flute in a swing band? Brazilian music? Sounds amazing! Do you have any youtubes? I'd love to hear that kind of stuff!

Here is a sample of some of my work. It is a mixture of stuff and info.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phineas-H ... 7425901215

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 9:38 am

Phineas wrote:
asoalin wrote:@Phineas...flute in a swing band? Brazilian music? Sounds amazing! Do you have any youtubes? I'd love to hear that kind of stuff!
Here is a sample of some of my work. It is a mixture of stuff and info.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phineas-H ... 7425901215

Very cool! You are quite talented!

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:05 am

@asoalin - Yes, those are some of my flutes. I have other flutes as well as other instruments including recorders, tin whistles, saxes, clarinets. A couple of years ago, I posted larger photos with descriptions of some of my collection here:

http://www.fluteland.com/board/viewtopi ... 0&start=20

asoalin · Post by **asoalin** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 10:09 am

Awesome collection, pied_piper! Can you play all of them?