JackD

Hmm, I'm not sure where the best place for this is, but I figure it's probably here since this is not directly trumpet-related.

I'm halfway through my second term at one of the country's best music colleges, studying with an absolutely fantastic teacher (maybe the best in the country?) and surrounded by brilliant brass playing, but I am having serious serious doubts about whether I'm in the right place and doing the right thing.

I've been told people for years that "oh there's no work in the music industry anymore" etc etc, that you can't just be a straight-down-the-line orchestral player unless you're VERY special (I'm not) but I think this is all just dawning on me now. In the past few months I think I've realised just how very very far I would have to progress to get any kind of real work, and despite my teacher being very pleased with me at the moment, I can't honestly see myself making that jump within 4 years of study.

I had a lesson with Jamie Prophet (co principal BBC Phil) a few weeks ago; he went to my college and studied with my teacher and got his job at the end of his 3rd year here. He asked me how many people were in my year (there are 7 of us on trumpet) and said that out of his year of 7 (this was only 4 years ago) only 2 of them were currently working as players. Him (a VERY very special case, an absolutely phenomenal player, and teacher!) and one other guy working somewhere like China.

I've been talking to other classical musicians who just tell me the same old thing; there's no work, and far too many people training to do it.

The other thing that's only really just started to scare me is just how little money you do get even if you GET the work. The other night I went to see one of my teachers playing in a big-band at Ronnie's in London. I was shocked to hear he was getting £70 a night ... and that's with a very very good big band at one of the country's most expensive jazz clubs. How can you seriously be expected to live off that kind of money?? I did a little research and found that if I got through the training and selection to become a pilot in the RAF (a serious alternative career option for me), I could be making £30 - 37,000 straight away.

One of my friend's parents is on the board of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and he was telling me that it makes him incredibly angry how little the musicians get paid, despite all the training and skills they need. He said musicians in the orchestra make much less than his secretary.

So what's my point? I don't really know. I guess I'm just having serious doubts about a) whether I'm ever going to be at a standard where I can actually work for a living, and b) whether the financial rewards make this a sensible career path, and one I could sustain for any amount of time. I've never really thought about this stuff seriously before, but if I ever wanted to settle down and (god forbid!) have a family, I'm really not sure that being a jobbing musician would be viable at all. I know there's other work to be had around playing, but I have never wanted to be a teacher first and foremost (and I really want to avoid being a bad, reluctant teacher) and the reason I'm at college at not at university (which I could have done) is that I wanted to play. I'm not so sure anymore.

It does make me slightly angry at the irresponsibility of the conservatoires... they seem to be only increasing in size as the amount of work dwindles. Isn't that just making money off the back of kids' ambitions? I know many of the colleges are taking many more foreign postgrad students now, many of whom I seriously doubt will make enough improvement in their playing within the year or two of study to justify the HUGE costs involved. That also seems plain unfair on the part of the colleges.

Am I alone thinking all this... did any of you currently working as players ever have these doubts?

This is scary stuff to be thinking about within my first 2 terms at college, I can tell you that!

Enough for now, anyway.

Jack

Alex Yates

Jack, now is probably the best time in your life to be asking yourself these very questions. When I was in conservatory, there were several that left after their first or second year, realizing that they just were not cut out for the task at hand or that they would find better overall life fulfillment pursuing something else. There is nothing wrong with pondering these things. You don't want to put in all of the hard work, finish your degree and THEN start asking these questions. Also, while you are still so young, you can actually entertain the thought of doing something else to see if you really miss your musical pursuits and come back to it. I wish I had an answer for you, but it is not an easy batch of questions. Give it a lot of thought and never give up once you have chosen your path. Good luck.

Tootsall

Jack... what Alex said X2. There is NOTHING wrong with being dynamic and changing strategy when circumstances dictate. It's called "survival". Perhaps you could become a music teacher? Or perhaps keep your music skills up and take up a career where the chances of keeping the lights turned on are much better.

I'll sure agree that there is no point in throwing "good money after bad" chasing something that is a pipedream (unless, of course, you can afford to!)

dizforprez

Jack your situation is why I think all performance majors should double major for undergrad. Take 6 years get you two degrees and more practice time. Don’t get one degree that will limit the jobs you can have based on the decisions you made when you were 18.

uatrmpt

I don't know how it works in the UK, but have you thought about being a military musician? Here in the US, it can be a pretty sweet gig -- playing full time, GREAT benefits (insurance, clothing and housing allowances), teaching on the side.

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--Matt--

gzent

Jack,

I think you have every right to be questioning things. From your description, I guess I would wonder the same, as why colleges are accepting so many students for so few job opportunities.

I wouldn't get down on yourself for questioning your career path. And you shouldn't feel guilty about questioning what sounds like a lifelong dream.

You are very young, but don't think that you will have all the answers when you get older. If you adopt the attitude that you will never let yourself get so far in financial or emotional debt that you can't change careers, then you will be able to handle the big life changes that life will throw at you.

my 2c,

Greg

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40cal

Also keep in mind that a change of majors, or career goals does not have to mean the end of playing.

I changed "careers" while in grad school for trumpet. There were several factors in my choice, the teacher that was at the school took a job with a major symphony prior to my arrival (oops, forgot to tell me) and stuff like that. I have some small regrets, however am happy and at peace with my choice.

For me I found after a few yrs off horn I am having a blast playing again.

Good luck, you have some hard choices ahead of you.

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alanbach

Amen to that...I recommended a young French horn player join the Royal Marines back in the 80s. He has had a wonderful career with them.

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davidjohnson

nothing wrong with being a military musician. might run into your calssmates there .

dj

NickD

I have posted about this sort of thing before, always with some trepidation, but in the name of helping a serious young musician answer some challenging questions, I'll dive in here. For those who know my story, I apologize for the redundancy.

When I was in college I was pushed into majoring in Electrical Engineering even though I wanted to major in music. I was torn, but I was good at math and science and my trumpet playing was so-so at the time. I could play Mendez solos ike thery were second nature, but I had no chops or sense of direction. I dutifully went to engineering school and got my BSEE from Wash U in St. Louis. I also studied music on the side, doing the Meremack Community College Jazz band and taking private lessons and self-teaching. I was deteremined to become a lead player.

I finally got pretty good at playing trumpet, but didn't realize it. I went to work at Motorola near Chicago, but I would hagn out at jazz bars and sneak into a local community college to find practice rooms. Finally some guys from the jazz band heard and asked what the heck I was doing. When I told them I was a junior design engineer at Motorola, they seemmed pretty surprised. One of them, the late Sam Westhal, encouraged me to quit my job and go into music. He told me that I would regret it the rest of my life if I didn't give it a go. He must have thought a lot of my playing, but at the time I was incredulous. He started bringing me to jazz clubs and having me sit in. I began to realize that he might have a point. I had been harboring this dream for years and when I actually saw my playing in context, it all seemed possible.

I got back into my music study on the side and began serious training for a free-lance career. I was working on my lead playing, legit playing and learing tunes. I finally did quit and went into music full time, pretty much self-trained.

After about 2 years, I got married and wound up on Maynard's band (that's another story -see the UK Brass Forum article). I worked free-lance for 13 years. It was quite a struggle. I eventually went back to school and got my music masters from Roosevelt University.

Now, to the biz. It is ROUGH. I agree that most music schools are preparing way too many people for the jobs out there. This seems really tough in the orchestral scene. The jazz commercial scene isn't much better. Heck, when I was on Maynard's band the pay was $350 per week plus a free room with a roomate! I can make that on Saturday night playing a big wedding gig around Chicago!

I have a buddy who is one of the busiest studio musicians in Chicago (not a trumpet player). He is making the same income now that he did 15 years ago, and NOT adjusted for inflation!

My work was decimated by the changes in the jingle industry in Chicago. The theater scene around here is on-again-off-again at best. There are union musicians running AF of M seminars on how to collect unemployment! What kind of life is this? Being a professional musican is...

Well, it is WONDERFFUL! You are dedicating your life to making the world a bit more beautiful and making life for those who you touch with your music more livable! This is simply a beautiful thing. It is just very tough to make a decent living doing it.

This is where I might offer some advice, fwiiw coming from me.

We need to be resourceful about doing this. I would urge you to finish your studies and make every effort to make it into a major symphony orchestra. DEDICATE your life to it! However, have a saftey net! For me, it was my engineering backgorund. For most folks in music it could be a combined music-ed degree with performance. You can always get into teaching.

Currently I teach high school physics (I now have a second masters degree in physics/teaching) by day and I work about 100 to 150 gigs a year in addition to doing a little bit of brass coaching. I write and produce my own music and I am striving to build my solo career to a level where I can do it exclusively. However, I love the day gig I have. I get summers off and I work with some terrific kids in my classes. This, for me, if a fairly symbiotic relationship. I am NOT (IMHO) that good a music teacher. I am player. However, I am a decent (I think) physics teacher. Doing both things works well for me. The summers off thing is terrific for my music work! I do most of my jazz concert work then as well as the lucrative jobbing work in the Chicago Metro area.

I have a much more detailed discussion of what I have been doing to survive at the UK Brass Forum.

http://www.brass-forum.co.uk/Article...heTrenches.htm

I think you SHOULD follow your dream. You seem to have learned an important lesson. It's ROUGH out there. However, the fact that you are AWARE of this fact will stand you in good stead! You won't have rose colored glasses on.

Be clever and resourceful. There may be yet undiscovered territory that none of us have explored yet. The world is big and I firmly beleive that we each have our place and purpose here in this life and that when we get quiet and listen to our hearts, we'll hear the direction and find the right path.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM! Just "follow it 'smart!'"

Peace.

Nick

PS: Here's another link than might be of interest, in light of your oprigianl post.
http://www.brass-forum.co.uk/Article...rdFerguson.htm

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