TrumpetMaster - View Single Post - The performance degree...myth or reality?

BFlinch83 · 01-23-2008, 11:18 AM

Lately, after already having a BM and almost an MM in trumpet performance, the thought of practicality has sprung into my brain and lodged firmly in my consciousness. This art that we all love so much is also a business, and obviously a tough one to crack into. Of the options, orchestral playing is the most sought after in this country due to the job security of not being a freelance player/soloist/chamber musician/teacher. But even with this "security" getting the job is practically impossible, numerically speaking. Chance and "who-you-know" play a huge role, whether or not we'd like to recognize it as such. Solo/chamber careers are fewer and farther between than orchestral, especially in the USA. Teaching offers more jobs, but money is often not great and one needs a DMA to get any type of large teaching job now.

In the business world, putting as much time, effort, money, thought, and passion into whatever job one might have would yield many things in return. You'd be at the top of your game putting in all that extra effort to be great, so money would be comfortable at worst, amazing at best. Hours need not be terrible, though sometimes that would be problematic I'm sure. Sure, you would deal with politics and jerks anywhere you work, but having that associated with business and not art might make more sense (at least to me).

So my question: is the trumpet (sub any instrument) performance degree a joke/myth/legend/nightmare? Shouldn't we all get degrees in other things to ensure a normal life and then practice and see what happens? At Peabody, the chair of the brass department proposed that each performance major be a double with something else, thus increasing their worth to society and helping them get jobs in the future. He was shot down immediately by administration. Do we all like living under this veil of hope even while realizing how false it is for many or most?

I'm sorry for the negative tone of this post. Please follow with two tablets of Lexapro as needed.

01-23-2008, 11:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
BFlinch83 Pianissimo User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 117	The performance degree...myth or reality? Lately, after already having a BM and almost an MM in trumpet performance, the thought of practicality has sprung into my brain and lodged firmly in my consciousness. This art that we all love so much is also a business, and obviously a tough one to crack into. Of the options, orchestral playing is the most sought after in this country due to the job security of not being a freelance player/soloist/chamber musician/teacher. But even with this "security" getting the job is practically impossible, numerically speaking. Chance and "who-you-know" play a huge role, whether or not we'd like to recognize it as such. Solo/chamber careers are fewer and farther between than orchestral, especially in the USA. Teaching offers more jobs, but money is often not great and one needs a DMA to get any type of large teaching job now. In the business world, putting as much time, effort, money, thought, and passion into whatever job one might have would yield many things in return. You'd be at the top of your game putting in all that extra effort to be great, so money would be comfortable at worst, amazing at best. Hours need not be terrible, though sometimes that would be problematic I'm sure. Sure, you would deal with politics and jerks anywhere you work, but having that associated with business and not art might make more sense (at least to me). So my question: is the trumpet (sub any instrument) performance degree a joke/myth/legend/nightmare? Shouldn't we all get degrees in other things to ensure a normal life and then practice and see what happens? At Peabody, the chair of the brass department proposed that each performance major be a double with something else, thus increasing their worth to society and helping them get jobs in the future. He was shot down immediately by administration. Do we all like living under this veil of hope even while realizing how false it is for many or most? I'm sorry for the negative tone of this post. Please follow with two tablets of Lexapro as needed. __________________ "I could compare my music to white light which contains all colours. Only a prism can divide the colours and make them appear; this prism could be the spirit of the listener." ~AP