I can only agree, and it makes me so cross. Luckily in England, it’s not quite as expensive, but then my degree is in Commercial Music. Yes, it tries to teach the musician to be their own manager, but fails miserably. Simply put, there are no contacts made, and it’s all about looks and contacts in the music industry. Even talent isn’t that crucial. I have been thinking about doing a survey about my classmates and the previous year, etc. Who has left university with ANY amount of relative success? I too was told by a tutor I was ever-so-talented at film-composition, so I should go get a masters from the royal do-da academy in London (fake name, can’t remember it right now) BUt in the real world, I need a job to pay for things like food, etc. so I’m getting a teaching qualification. Because i KNOW I still have no business acumen, and am at heart, a musician, not a manager/promoter/etc. It sucks. I’m hoping I can teach part-time and not give up on myself as a performer because I love writing music and performing.

Thanks!!! xox

Being of French origin and having a French name made me hesitate about looking for work in an American group. I felt that it would be a natural evolution for me to go to Europe and try my luck there, since I already had a “foot in the door”. It actually terrified me to see my bass buddies constantly spending zillions of bucks for audition fees and not get taken. Life was too short to keep persisting in that domain, when there were possibilities elsewhere across the Atlantic. BTW, I was not the only one to have tried out for Europe at the time- one guy from Chicago ended up in Geneva and another one went to Holland.

If the overflow of excellent players is as high as you describe it, then the alternative of moving to another country can keep you stimulated and hopeful as to performing. I admit that it can be a difficult choice for someone who has been born and raised in a certain area to migrate and probably change his life and leave his family, etc. The younger one tackles the ever expanding problem of today’s “rising tide” of musicians and less job offerings, the easier the struggle to put your efforts into practice will be. We all seek the best jobs available, but if they aren’t here, then maybe they’re elsewhere.

Japan is a good example of this kind of migration. There are approximately 130 million people living on 3 islands that take up half the size of Texas. Musicians or not, the Japanese do not seem to be bothered by spending 5 years in another country, while their family (also unbothered by the situation) stays back at home waiting. It’s seems to be a way of life for them and they don’t question it.

Check out Clayton Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma. Business Week has an excerpt online. The notion is that great companies keep improving what they do far beyond what anyone wants, and they become vulnerable to upstarts who might not be as good as the great companies but who address a particular need better or cheaper or whatever. The established companies tend to abandon the lower end to the upstarts and focus on perfecting their high-profit business until the upstart has taken over enough of the market so that the high-end company doesn’t have any market left to play in. I sometimes wonder if or when focusing on increasing degrees of virtuosity might get into that dangerous area. Just a provocative thought that I’m still wrestling with for a Monday evening ….

You made me think of a passage from Rilke, but since it’s kind of long (and pretty dark), I’ll post it on my blog for anyone who is interested. Here’s a link. Cheers!

They also need to learn how to “conquer” uncharted “markets” in areas where people don’t have any interest (yet) in classical music. They need to infuse the next generation of musicians (students) with the idea that music is really a good thing to do, while gently guiding them away from the idea of expecting music to be their profession.

People where I live still seem to think that their kids will “make it” with a music degree, talent, and determination. I tell those parents that playing music is the best thing that their child can do for personal reasons. It will allow them to express themselves, connect with other people on a deep level, be a part of a society that transcends time, spend their time in the company of great works of art, and always be able to entertain, when asked to do so.

I’ve been frustrated for years about the way our music schools prepare 21st century students for a 19th century career. Your advice about entrepreneurship is right on the money. When I figured out how to be a businessperson as well as a musician, I became a lot happier (and had a much easier time paying the rent). There are good books on the subject, luckily. (I recommend “Beyond Talent” or “Making Music in Looking-Glass Land.”)

I think one of the great myths is that in order to “make it” as a musician, one must get several degrees at “big name” schools. I should mention that NONE of my degrees is from a top-tier, big name school on the East Coast. None of them. As a result, I’d never be considered for a “big” teaching job. Them’s the breaks, and I’m at peace about it. I got a job–not a rockstar job, but one I like. Good ’nuff.

Might I suggest to your readers that a “state” school might be a good option? For example, here at Regional University, I’m able to award FULL RIDE scholarships to my undergrads. No, we’re not Eastman or Indiana–far from it. But my students have gone on to top-tier grad schools. I figure that one big name school on their CV will do the trick…and they won’t be saddled with huge loans. (One of mine is finishing her DMA at a fabulous school with only $5K in loans!)

On the other hand, I’m not criticizing anyone’s decision to get a fabulous degree from a top-tier institution.

Hope I’m not hijacking your comments too much!