Any music majors in here?
 

Hi,

I'm hoping to get some information on getting a music degree. I'm currently applying for the Music Education major at The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. I'm in my 30's and owned a music lesson studio where a I taught guitar for roughly 7 years. I love teaching but also want to pursue performance aspects of music as well.

Anyone have tips for the initial audition? Things you wish someone had told them before pursuing either a education or performance degree?

Feel free to give any information on careers, etc.

Thanks in advance,
Matt

I have a BME from the University of Maryland and an MME from Boston University. Be really prepared on both the music and the education fronts.

My audition was on trumpet. I was extremely well prepared but expect them to pick things apart and ask you to do things differently anyway. My audition was more like a 20-minute mini lesson. They want you to be able to play everything perfectly, but then they will ask you to do things differently to see how well you take instruction. Don't get thrown off or be defensive. Be upbeat and do your best to do as they ask.

Once that's behind you, you'll probably be interviewed by a panel of professors. This is where you want to switch gears into education mode. It's a fine line, because they'll be asking about you, but when you answer don't make it all about you. Focus on your future students and how earning this degree will help them. I'd also leave out mentioning how you want to juggle teaching and performing at this point. It won't help you. We've all seen too many teachers who are just cashing the steady check between night gigs. Be relaxed and smile. They're going to have to spend the next several years with you!

You might have better luck asking this question on a classical guitar forum?

I was in 1965 but I dont think will help you much.

Thank you! Just the kind of information i was hoping for. I didn't think of the possible negative views on someone wanting to teach and perform. I'm much more focused on the education aspect anyways. I enjoy teaching a great deal more than performing. I would just do the occasional recording or live performance when time allows as a hobby. Thanks again.

Matt

I have a Music Ed degree from a major university, on par with UW. There are a couple things you're asking and few that you may or may not need to know.

1) Pursuing performance aspects?
You don't need college for that. IMO performance DEGREES are virtually worthless unless you are from the right school with a "pedigree". If you'd said Berklee I'd be less hesitant to say go for it. You'll make some contacts at UW but tuition is a LOT of money these days unless you're a grad assistant with a tuition waiver and monthly stipend. The other aspect of studying applied music (guitar, I presume) at an college institution is that the faculty is limited. It is what it is. How good is UW's faculty? Privately you can study with anyone you can afford. I was fortunate to take some applied trumpet with a world class player, but at the time I was ONLY going to that college to study with THAT guy. Had he not accepted me into his studio I wouldn't have gone.

2) Music EDUCATION? If you're planning on teaching in the public schools... Do you only play guitar? Or do you play violin or a band instrument as well and familiar with band/orchestra pedagogy and repertoire? A Music Ed degree will qualify you to teach school, but you may realize those jobs are extremely far in-between and guitar guys have even a tougher job, unless you want to teach beginner classes and individual lessons. I did teach high school band for a few years (I'm a trumpet player) and took a long time off to pursue other things. Even though I have many years playing in symphonies, musical theater and concert bands when I came back to teaching I did apply for the very few local openings, but there were MANY applicants for each job. Perhaps with current college paper you'll have some luck with finding a job.

Your 7 years of teaching (guitar I presume) will be a huge thing on your resume, depending on your goals and jobs available in your area. If teaching and finding a steady gig is your goal, perhaps you should also go for an endorsement in another subject area as well?

So if performance is your main goal, why do you think university is the correct path?

I'm sorry if I sound like a Debbie Downer. I'm just asking the tough questions and giving my perspective because you asked. Perhaps I don't understand all the history and circumstances. So perhaps there are additional things you haven't revealed?

Years ago, when I thought I might go to music school, I auditioned at what is now the McNally school of music. I was then playing classical guitar at weddings as a sideline, so I played some of that repertoire. I arranged the tunes that I played, myself so there was an advantage. Arrangers don't take into account your finger lengths, skill level, etc. So if you do your own, you will always come out looking better. I suspect that a school would like that anyway because that means you already have some background on which they can build. :) There were a couple of teachers from the school that sat in a semi-circle and I sat facing them and just played my stuff. Since I was used to performing already, I wasn't nervous. I was accepted, but the tuition was more than I could afford, and I also could not afford to leave my job to go to school. So it ultimately didn't work out because I couldn't figure out a way to pull it off financially.

I would say from that experience, play what you know and don't be nervous.

Tony

You must have missed my second post above. Performing in any way is a very minor part of my future and I'm not going to school for that purpose. I want to teach children as that is what I enjoyed and was best at during my time owning my own studio. The UW system has a respected guitar reputation and pushes the learning of other instruments in a strong way for music ed majors as well. From what I've been able to research, the school I'm applying for has an extremely high rate of job placement. I'm in the process of learning more about that and have meetings set up with various faculty for more information.

Thanks for the responses everyone!
Matt

Milwaukee has a great program for guitarists. It's called string pedagogy and John stropes runs the program. It's fingerstyle based. I would have done that if I could go back. I have a music degree and I wasted a lot of time studying SATB and music theory. I'm solid in my theory now, but it hasn't really helped me become a better musician, that much.... I've learned more from learning songs by ear than any school could have ever taught me. However, auditions, depending where you go are relatively basic. They want you to demonstrate your knowledge of scales in all keys. Play a couple pieces of music, possibly improvise over a basic Jazz progression, nothing too crazy. It really depends what program you're going into. And unfortunately majority of college music is only classical and Jazz, which I think is crap. Try and play a Lonnie Johnson piece, or big bill broonzie.... That's just as technical as any classical piece, if not more because of the timing.

Sorry, I went on a rant. But... It irritates me that music in college is studied in a traditional way. IMO best way to get better is by ear, self discipline, a good teacher...And colleges should really adapt a new method for teaching music, in general

Thanks for the reply. I do wish that Jazz, finger style and classical weren't the dominant, accepted styles in a college music degree. Oh well, I've been wanting to learn jazz for a long time. At UWM we are required to take 8 semesters of one-on-one guitar lessons and the teachers are selected to match each individual student. Apparently, they take great pride in their guitar instruction.

Thanks,
Matt

Yes, I have a B.Mus. from Berklee College of Music.

As far as auditions go - be yourself & be prepared. For your prepared pieces, choose things that appeal to you (as much as you can, especially if they give you a repertoire list to choose from). And be ready for whatever they may through at you. If you don't already, spend 15-30 minutes every day sight reading.

Don't psych yourself out. You already have some great experience. That will go a long way in getting you a spot in the program.

Remember to go armed with questions for them! You have the opportunity to interview a faculty member - so ask all the questions you can that pertain to what you want to do. Have them suggest courses of action and follow up on them. While the audition is aimed at gauging your ability on the instrument, it is also a chance for them to gauge your drive & commitment. They want to accept students who will [1] complete the program and [2] go on to be successful. Show them you have what it takes on the follow through.

HTH

Yep! Berklee grad here, class of 2004. Dual major - guitar performance and music business. Over the years I've pivoted a few times, career wise. The record industry tanked right when I was diving into a career there. Software engineering pays the bills now. Music/guitar still feeds the soul, but I found no money to be made there, so over time I taught myself to write code and build distributed systems. Happy on all fronts. Never been in a better place in life.

Go learn all the Jazz and classical stuff, even if you don't intend on playing in those styles. You'll learn so so much. I did. Keep an open mind. Your mind and ears will take from those things what it wants. Learn as much as you can. Explore styles and concepts you don't feel comfortable with. That's where you really experience enlightenment, as far as music goes.

Best of luck out there!

Sorry, I see that my comments don't really address you question, but I"m going to leave this right here regardless.

Whatever you play in your audition, play it for you, not them. Play what you do well. Don't try and appease the panel. Do you. Seriously. Play with some passion and soul. That's what really matters.

I disagree with learning all the jazz and classical stuff" Learn songs that appeal to you and players who you really respect. Learn whatever you want.
If you love folk songs, then learn folk songs, rock, cubas, raggae, etc
learn what inspires you to be a better musician.

For me it's Blake Mills and various Indie bands along with basic jazz improv.
Jazz and Classical are wonderful worlds for players who want to play those styles, but for other musicians it's very very difficult and advanced and time consuming. Again, that being said, I have learned some Lonnie Johnson fingerstyle pieces that challenged my ear and my fingers. I loved the song and embarked on the challenge, and at the end of the day, that's what it's about.
Pick your favorite styles and learn as much as you can about them, the history, the culture, etc. Learning music really opened me up to the history and the problems. Art imitates life.....

I have taught in public schools for 34 years and I would recommend that you see if you could shadow some teachers in the schools make sure it's something you really want to do. There is a big difference between individual lessons and teaching classes and larger performing groups.