Sunday, June 22, 2008

Are music colleges preparing music students for life?

But Can You Balance a Checkbook?
By Colin Holter
Published: June 13, 2008 in the NEW MUSIC BOX 
(http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=5610)

Yesterday I attended an in-depth session on "Higher Education and the Real World of Practice," two topics near and dear to me. The session, which included both small-group discussions and germane spiels from recognized experts, focused on training university and (especially) conservatory graduates with business acumen, administrative skills, and other "peripheral" skills besides playing technique, theory, and music history. Apparently 85 percent of music majors end up working "in the field," although fewer than five percent are full-time professional performers. These are some pretty telling figures: Most music students will be doing something in music—teaching, administration, and so forth—but not what they went to college to do.

What I don't know is how these numbers vary by institution. My time has been spent mostly in large-ish public universities, including two Big Ten schools. I wonder if the percentages I've seen are representative of such factories—or, by the same token, of conservatories, liberal arts schools, or Ivy League joints. Anecdotally, at least, they seem reflective of my own experience and my friends'.

I'm speaking conjecturally here, but if the session's statistics are valid across the board, I have to wonder how the conservatories, which equip their graduates with (maybe) the best specialized training and (maybe) the poorest generalized training, can justify their programs. Practicing eight hours a day is a great way to become a virtuoso, but it's also a great way to develop an eating disorder, and apparently it makes you only incrementally more likely to sustain a career as a full-time soloist or orchestral player than someone who only put in four hours per day. Conservatory training continues to carry a great deal of prestige among musicians; however, if most conservatory graduates (like most other music graduates) aren't putting food on the table by playing three hundred nights a year, maybe their curricula should be reevaluated accordingly. In any case, more preparation to handle logistical and managerial duties can only help music students no matter where they're enrolled.

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24 comments:

  1. mikhail lastrillaJune 22, 2008 at 5:52 PM

    right now, i don't think we're being well-prepared. it seems like we are left to figure out for ourselves how to survive in the field. we need classes to help us regarding these matters! well, not necessarily classes - maybe seminars and workshops would be just as efficient. but i believe we need to be educated in this area too. thanks for bringing up this important issue ate gabi.

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  2. Keith SeguraJune 22, 2008 at 7:23 PM

    in all honesty, most schools dont prepare students for life. even if you take a management course, a computer course, they all prepare students for job positions and skills, but not necessarily how to deal. of course thats a different topic. with regards to practice, you know im actually psyching myself up to lighten and change my practice methods? (because of you!!!) haha, but seriously il just take my time. I wish voice was the kind of course you could practice 8 hours a day but apparently thats not the case.

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  3. Gonzalo MisaJune 22, 2008 at 7:51 PM

    May tinanong akong teacher sa college kung practical pa ba mag MM dito tapos sabi niya yung course palang mismo (DCPMA or BM) hindi na eh.

    Oo nga, we're trained to become concert musicians. "Thesis" nga natin recital eh. Haha, obsolete naman tayo.

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  4. Juro Kim FelizJune 22, 2008 at 10:12 PM

    hmm...

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  5. Francis LanuzaJune 23, 2008 at 1:15 AM

    this also includes architecture. take it from me (as my experiences suggest), the matters of money, professionalism, or even ethical relations is not taught within the four walls of the classroom. its just all too theoretical, let it be building laws or structural design - practicality will be left to you as you go on and live in the world. oh well...that's the problem: they don't teach us more about real life :(

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  6. mikhail lastrillaJune 23, 2008 at 3:32 AM

    thus the dictum: "the most important lessons in life are learned outside the classroom". maybe in the hallway and canteen then? :)

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  7. Catherine de LeonJune 23, 2008 at 4:10 AM

    Actually, according to Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) school itself doesn't prepare you for life. Education today uses an antiquated system, teaching people to work for money. But in these times, you have to be more than an employee to ensure financial security. As the recently popularized phrase goes, you have to make money work for you.

    Have your read his book? =)

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  8. Karlyne Kimberly KwokJune 23, 2008 at 4:31 AM

    I have, and I highly recommend it to everyone. Once you finish it, reading Kiyosaki's Cashflow Quadrant would be very helpful.

    There are P300+ small pocketbook versions of it at NBS now, it's normally published in 7 x 10 paperbacks for around P900+.

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  9. Karlyne Kimberly KwokJune 23, 2008 at 4:33 AM

    Probably there are available courses at CBA about these subjects that we can take up as non-music electives. Hopefully we'll be allowed to enroll in these subjects though.

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  10. mikhail lastrillaJune 23, 2008 at 5:19 AM

    ooooh, sounds interesting tuloy. i thought it was a book for businessmen and women lang. but cge, i shall read it. :)

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  11. Catherine de LeonJune 23, 2008 at 7:20 AM

    Ha ha! NO IT'S NOT! Yeah, go read it! You'll miss half your life if you don't. It's one of the most, if not the most educational, enlightening, and relative book I've read.

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  12. Catherine de LeonJune 23, 2008 at 7:21 AM

    Yeah, I wanna read his next book nga eh. Haven't gotten around to it. But I will, one of these days. Thanks for the info =)

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  13. Keith SeguraJune 23, 2008 at 5:50 PM

    yes you should read this book. we are all businessmen in a way and financial intelligence is highly essential in a successful life

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  14. joseph tetsuJune 23, 2008 at 6:55 PM

    Sa tingin ko po kasi ang unang punapasok sa isang estudyante oras na siya ay pumasok sa isang kurso ay dahil eto ang kanyang gustong gawin at eto ang kanyang mahal, at sa totoo lang pumasok sila dahil gusto nilang matuto tungkol sa syensyang ito at hinde dahil para kumita dito, kaya yun siguro ang dahilan kaya hinde sila ganun kahanda oras na magtapos sila sa pag-aaral. Maganda at napuna mong ang ganitong kawalan ng kahandaan ng mga estudyante lalo na sa mundo ng musika dahil katulad nga ng sabi ng aking guro sa musika "Pag naging musician ka humanda kang maghirap at mamulubi". Buti nalang nag Narsing ako ^_^

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  15. Raymond RoldanJune 23, 2008 at 11:47 PM

    what i see with the present state of affairs regarding music students being ill-prepared for "real life" is the thinking that "harang" is bad, and being thoroughly "classical" and bookish is good, and vice versa.

    One must strike a balance to these intricate things, realizing that our profession is almost "feudal" by orientation, which means that even when we go to college as we try to fulfill our scholastic pursuits, we must be able to ensure for ourselves a network of future contacts which will bring us closer to our dream.

    Di lang technical stuff ang importante for musicians. Kelangan din ng support group to further his intentions. Kaya nga merong mga school orgs, or multiply blogs sa internet, or frats & sororities.

    Sa music world merong mga choirs (UPCC, Madz, UPSA, etc) !! andaaming contacts nyan!! international pa. That's how UP alumni Rey Paguio, Mau Borromeo, Noel Velasco, Ramon Acoymo, Joel Navarro, Jonathan Zaens, Evelyn Mandac and a lot more got their "international" flair.....

    As to how to become a professional performer, you must really have the following:

    1. You must really have the talent
    2. You must really have the technical skills
    3. You must really have a very good work ethic
    4. you must have a good competitive spirit
    5. you must be able to recognize a "good break" when it is offered to you.

    I hope that helps.

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  16. John RaymondJuly 2, 2008 at 7:08 AM

    No

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  17. Catherine de LeonJuly 3, 2008 at 3:00 AM

    Ha ha! I like this. Short, blunt, and simple ;p

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  18. John RaymondJuly 3, 2008 at 5:06 AM

    hahahaha!!! sa akin lang ano, regarding the book Rich dad, poor dad, may comment lang ako.

    Ok yung book. maganda tsaka nakaka hype kaso after reading the book, what now?

    the problem is in the real world, we really don't know how to practice these things. iba sa atin takot pa. sige nga matanong ko, who are the people who have read the book and practicing it?

    Una, you don't know where to invest, you don't know if it's a scam or not, nobody to guide you unless someone is willing to teach you.

    you don'tknow the procedures.... so sa akin lang, useless yung book if you don't know how to apply it in your life!

    cheers!!

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  19. Keith SeguraJuly 3, 2008 at 5:17 AM

    the real purpose of the book is to open people's eyes, and their thinking. remember, its one's thinking that ultimately determines his actions. and of course, there are in fact many people who are putting its principles to action and reaping the benefits. but we dont see them on TV, so of course we dont know. :)

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  20. Keith SeguraJuly 3, 2008 at 5:23 AM

    plus, a pure musician is almost (just almost) the wrong person to talk to about financial intelligence. for most corporate employees business talk will always make sense. for musicians? only for the open and willing, but eventually everyone will have to learn in one way or another. :)

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  21. mikhail lastrillaJuly 3, 2008 at 7:22 PM

    maybe they should require us to take business courses... uhmmmm.... NAAAAH!!! hahaha, kidding

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  22. Catherine de LeonJuly 4, 2008 at 2:10 AM

    Actually, I think the sole purpose of Rich Dad, Poor Dad was to open our eyes to what's happening around us and what are the possible alternatives.

    He published several follow up books that are more technical. Bale appetizer lang talaga ang RD,PD. After all, kung techical information agad at hindi natin alam kung bakit siya importante, hindi rin natin papansinin o magagamit lahat ng sasabihin niya.

    Learning how to really put it to work is up to you (and you can read his following books). I know people who have.

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  23. John RaymondJuly 5, 2008 at 6:51 PM

    Oo nga, that's good! it opens up our mind..... does it? siguro sa iba? pero for me, If a person really believes in his teachings, then he should practice it. simple lang naman.

    ok.. appetizer.. so what do you do next?

    tapos marami din akong kilala na binasa siya tapos sabi maganda daw, then when you see them, gastos dito gastos doon. unwise spending. so useless.

    We all should invest in financial education. yun lang po. you don't have to attend courses in BA. masyado namang technial yun! common sense lang minsan, buy a book, attend seminars to enhance financial literacy. Meron naman nito. Lahat tayo, kailangan nito.

    cheers!! :)

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  24. Catherine de LeonJuly 6, 2008 at 5:08 AM

    Of course in the end it all depends on what the person does. Appetizer lang talaga siya, but what happens next is completely up to the person. Whether they pursue more knowledge, practice what they learned, or simply forget and continue to handle their money unwisely.

    In the end you're still responsible for what you do with your life. Hindi na responsibilidad ng libro yun if some people read it and then mess up anyway ;p

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