Tag: Planning to Major in Music?

Why Choose a Liberal Arts School for Studying Music?

by , posted in Mavens

 

By Ashley Eady

Choosing a liberal arts school for studying music is a great way to meet the needs of students with academic and musical needs.

How do you know if it’s a good fit for you? How will a liberal arts school prepare you for your career? 

For answers, we spoke with current students, alumni, and admissions faculty from various schools across the U.S. known for offering music programs within a liberal arts context.

Features of a liberal arts school

Liberal arts-oriented schools prepare students for a broad range of careers by teaching them transferrable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and intellectual curiosity. 

Features of liberal arts schools typically include the following:

• Small size

Liberal arts schools are typically small. Most have fewer than 3,000 students. They feature small class sizes of 15-20 students maximum per class. (Compare that to 50-200 per class at some large universities!)

“Smaller institutions tend to have more flexibility to allow students to unleash their creativity in new and interesting ways,” says Brad Andrews, Director of Music Admissions at University of Redlands. “Studying music at a liberal arts college places students in a smaller, more intimate environment that fosters musical growth through community, access to close faculty mentoring, and the flexibility to explore their musical and intellectual passions fully.”

Small size also means liberal arts students receive more individualized attention from professors. As David Kasunic, Music Department Chair at Occidental College explains: “Students who study music at a liberal arts college will have direct, frequent contact with their professors who will challenge and nurture them, cultivating the students’ best selves. Moreover, the faculty work closely together to ensure that their curricula overlap and reinforce learning outcomes.”

• Rigorous academics

Liberal arts schools place high emphasis on academics. The academic load for music majors at these institutions can be much greater than at other types of schools.

“Students in a music major will be busy enough at most institutions, and doing so at a liberal arts institution means you’re going to be taking academically- rigorous coursework with other students in different majors across campus,” explains Bradley Whittemore, Director of Music Admission at Ithaca College School of Music.

“Because liberal arts schools often structure their music degrees to include quite a few non-music classes, students should be able to demonstrate that they will be able to succeed in classes outside of music and the practice room,” says Kate Bittner, Director of Conservatory Admissions at Lawrence University.

Students who do well in a liberal arts setting are “passionate, intellectually curious, [and] artistically omnivorous,” says Andrews. Given the focus on academics, music majors at liberal arts schools “seek a better understanding of the intersection between music and other academic disciplines,” according to Dr. George Palton, Associate Director of Admission at DePauw University School of Music.

• Ease of pursuing more than one interest

Unlike many conservatories, liberal arts schools allow music majors the space and flexibility to pursue interests outside of music.

“The liberal arts engages students who are passionate about performance and want to focus their energy in this area while still being exposed to other opportunities and experiences,” says Mary Smith, Director of Admissions at Gettysburg College’s Sunderman Conservatory of Music. “It is the perfect place for the student who has many different interests and wants to pursue them all…They might balance a double major such as Biology and Music or choose to get involved with a community service organization [or] study abroad.”

Applying to a liberal arts school

Application requirements differ depending on where you apply. The admissions process tends to be more hands-on at liberal arts schools. “Students have the opportunity to build relationships with faculty and staff members in advance of the audition and to find a place they can call ‘home’ for four years,” says Palton.

Programs at liberal arts-oriented universities often have similar application/audition requirements as conservatories and large universities: students need to apply to both the overall university and the music program. An audition and maybe a pre-screened recording (to earn the ability to audition) are typically required. However, at liberal arts schools, “more weight may be put on academics in addition to musical talent,” says Bittner.

Liberal arts colleges, as compared to programs within universities, may waive the audition and invite students to provide an “artistic supplement” demonstrating their proficiency. While the supplement is not required, it provides faculty with a sense of your level of proficiency. This helps in their deciding whether their training will benefit you.

It’s important to note that “A liberal arts college is likely more open and flexible to your selecting the music major later in the process (even as late as your sophomore year), whereas the conservatory will require you to be admitted to the music program prior to enrollment,” says Smith.

Why Choose a Liberal Arts School for Studying Music

 

Why We Chose Liberal Arts Schools for Music

 

Lia Eldridge, BM Music Education & BA French

Lawrence University, 2020

I knew that I had multiple passions that I wanted to pursue at equally high levels, and the ability to learn how to make and find connections between those passions was a big reason why I was drawn to liberal arts schools. 

My (required) capstone project centered around how music education was used as a form of political propaganda in France during the First and Second World Wars. Through that topic, I’ve been able to consider how the music that I choose to teach in my own classroom might influence my students’ beliefs, values, etc. The opportunity to complete a project like mine, and the projects of my peers, is unique to a liberal arts education.

Following the completion of my student teaching and licensure, I will be looking for positions as a music teacher throughout the country, hopefully at the middle and/or high school level. I also plan on joining a local orchestra wherever I end up!

Serenna Jones, BM Vocal Performance

DePauw University, 2020

During high school, I absolutely fell in love with music and the idea of pursuing it as a career. However, I still had other interests. For instance, I seriously considered majoring in language studies and/or psychology. I quickly realized that I wanted to attend a university that would not only allow but also encourage me to pursue an array of subjects. 

I truly believe I would not be the same person, student, citizen, or musician that I am today without my liberal arts education. As much knowledge as I gained in my music classes, I equally gained in my College of Liberal Arts classes. Better yet, it was always intellectually satisfying to see my subjects cross over. For instance, what I learned in my German culture class helped me in my vocal literature class, or likewise with my music history and social psychology classes. My education certainly helped me become a well-rounded student—especially as a musician!

Among the most important tools I gained as a result of this curriculum were my leadership skills. During my junior year, I acted as my Entrepreneurship class’ executive director of our non-profit project (for Alzheimer’s patients) titled “Music for Memories.” I had to guide several task forces to ensure every aspect of our project ran smoothly leading up to and during our final event. The experience really helped me gain confidence not only in my performance abilities, but also my business and leadership skills.

Katie Beach, BM Music & BA Mathematics

Gettysburg College, 2021

What attracted me to the liberal arts education was the tailoring and opportunities I would have that would not be possible at a larger institution with graduate students. I also wanted the ability to study both of my passions, music and math, which would be possible and encouraged in a liberal arts education.

I knew I wanted a small, close musical community that had many different kind of students involved.

I have been equipped with the knowledge and love for music to continue in any path I choose for post-graduation.

Abby Ferri, BM Music Education

Ithaca College, 2020

We take individual classes on all secondary instruments that teach us how to play and teach each instrument. Additionally, I’ve taken courses in rehearsal techniques, conducting, instrument repair, and a course on ​learning about teaching instrumental music. All of these courses really prepared me for my teaching experiences in college during my junior and senior years. 

During my junior year, I got to teach private/group instrumental lessons once a week to students in the Ithaca City School District. After each time I taught, I got detailed feedback on my lesson plans and teaching by my supervisor. In my senior year, I had a seven-week placement in a combined middle-high school where I got to give lessons, conduct/rehearse ensembles and teach AP music theory. 

Having these teaching experiences helped me put all of the skills I learned into practice. The music education program really prepared me to be a confident music educator ready to get in the classroom!

Anoop D’Souza, BA Music – Music Production Concentration; Economics Minor  

Occidental College, 2019

A liberal arts education seemed the most enticing because it allowed me to explore my curiosities across a broad spectrum of subjects. I was also attracted to the idea of having an education that would force me to be well-rounded both at an academic and personal level.

Because of the small class size, I was able to establish great relationships with professors, and I consider them great friends today. For example, two of my professors encouraged me to major in music. They saw something I was unable to see at the time and were relentless in their encouragement to try a new and unexpected path. Once I embarked on that path, they held me to the highest standard, continuously challenged me, and helped me up when I needed it.

Since graduating in May 2019, I am a music producer living and working in Los Angeles. I am fortunate enough to be producing for some incredible artists and I hope to be doing so for the foreseeable future.

Travis Halachis, BA, Music, BA Managerial Studies

University of Redlands, 2011

Besides wanting to study music, like many high school graduates, I really had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. A liberal arts school seemed like the right fit for me since my options seemed more open-ended.

I did not go the usual route of the music major. I do work in music, but I am not a career music teacher or performer. I work in music publishing. While my education with the Redlands School of Music has been very rewarding and helpful, Redlands’ School of Business probably contributed more skills that I currently use today.

Since graduation I have worked in various roles in the music industry, eventually settling at Warner Chappell where I have worked for the last six years. I did teach violin at a non-profit music school for a few years as well and still teach privately. I feel that having a knowledge of music is still very valuable—even if I’m not currently playing.

Alyssa Cottle, PhD Historical Musicology; BA Music with Spanish Minor

Harvard University, 2021; Occidental College, 2015

I pursued a liberal arts education because I held a wide array of academic interests outside of music that I wanted to be able to fully explore in college. The liberal arts model offered me a way to explore these interests, and, in doing so, to shape my own educational experience.

It is no question that the musical training that I received at Occidental sufficiently prepared me for graduate-level study in music. But beyond having developed my practical musical abilities and having profoundly deepened my knowledge of music, I emerged from the program at Occidental fully-equipped with invaluable critical-thinking and problem-solving skills that can be applied to any number of diverse careers in music.

I’m currently in a PhD program in Historical Musicology at Harvard, so I get to spend most of my time listening to music, learning and writing about music, and discussing music with others who are equally as passionate about it as I am. 

Ashley Eady is a music journalist based in the Nashville area. She studied Clarinet Performance at Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and Arts Journalism at University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Photo Credits – Top: Music producer Anoop D’Souza. Photo by: Mark Campos for Occidental College. Bottom: Serenna Jones in her senior year opera production of Sleeping Beauty. Photo by: Lori Locke, PhotoDesign.

Also see:

Majoring in Music at a Liberal Arts College

Skills College Music Education Majors Need

by , posted in Mavens

By Barbra Weidlein

The impact of Covid-19 on teaching music continues to shed light on critical skills college music education majors need for their future careers. Many schools of music are reimagining their curricula to prepare students for a different teaching environment than the one that existed before the pandemic hit.

While this continues to be an ever-changing landscape, we asked a number of college-level music education professors and other music educators to offer insights on what prospective and current music education majors might expect.

New skills in the curriculum

Technology was already a key component of college music education programs prior to schools being shuttered by Covid-19. As the pandemic continues to challenge the educational process, music ed majors will need to continue to acquire additional tools being created for online teaching. 

Music ed majors not previously familiar with online digital audio workstations (DAWS) such as Soundtrap and Bandlab have been introduced to them as valuable tools for teaching K-12 students, says Bryan Powell, assistant professor of Music Technology/Education at Montclair State University and strategist of Higher Education Initiatives at Little Kids Rock. 

“By integrating pedagogical frameworks such as Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK),” offers former high school band director and bassist Steve Holley, “all music educators – preservice and inservice – can better understand how to blend their deep knowledge of content and pedagogy with how to deliver this through the appropriate technological route.” Holley, now a PhD student in Music Learning and Teaching at Arizona State University, adds, “This is not tech for tech’s sake. It’s using 21st century tools to teach 21st century students.”

“Many programs incorporate technology, online resources, sound production elements and the use of advancing technologies,” says Darrin Thornton, Music Education professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach at Penn State School of Music. “I anticipate an added focus on the social context in which music is made in our culture and beyond our culture. This will add agency to music educators to address, through music, the social concerns of their current time and the role music has played in expressing concerns of past times.”

Music educator, author and consultant Lori Schwartz Reichl urges music education majors to be sure to become well versed in using learning management systems (LMS) for a multitude of purposes including viewing and sharing content, tracking student work, planning, and implementing and assessing specific learning processes. She specifically points to Canvas, Moodle, and Schoology as useful LMS. “Music education majors should be able to maneuver through these systems and feel comfortable using them to manage and organize online educational materials in addition to being confident conducting online courses with them,” she says.

In addition to technology, Reichl urges education majors “ to take an introduction to administration course. The ability to comprehend the numerous responsibilities and best practices a school-based administrator, such as a principal, must complete on a daily basis is crucial for effective communication and collaboration.”

Music education college student

Social and emotional challenges

The pandemic’s effect on schools and so many other aspects of daily life has magnified things that work and don’t work, reflects Jenny Neff, department chair of Music Education at University of the Arts. Social and emotional challenges have hit students really hard. Teachers have already been experiencing the impact on their students. They have already needed new skills for dealing with these challenges in remote and hybrid teaching – and certainly in anticipation of students returning fully to in-person learning. 

CASEL, the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning, defines Social Emotional Learning or SEL as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.”

According to Scott Edgar, chair of the Department of Music at Lake Forest College who has made SEL a major focus in his teaching and writing, SEL skills are geared toward providing students with the tools needed for confronting challenges. Self-awareness, social-awareness, and responsible decision-making are key elements. Music teachers can integrate SEL into the curriculum – “MSEL” – to create a more powerful learning experience for students.

Changes in the job market and hiring practices

No one can accurately predict the impact of the pandemic on the future of music education jobs. For the past several years, many schools of music education touted their 100% employment rates for new graduates. How this will change is anyone’s guess. And it will vary school district by school district.  

“Some will actually need more teachers to support smaller groupings and/or online parallel offerings, and will likely replace any vacancies. But for most I think hiring may freeze as they repurpose music positions for other teaching professionals that are needed to deliver multiple modes of instruction,” says Penn State’s Darrin Thornton.

All of the music educators and professors interviewed for this article agree that there are some key things music education majors can do to improve their chances for landing a job.

• Become as versatile as possible – The more skills you have, and the more flexible you are especially about the location of where you may teach, the greater your chances of finding a job. There may be more demands of music teachers along with more responsibilities to take on, so be sure to find out how you’ll need to prepare before it’s time to start applying.

• Go beyond what’s expected – “The student who does more than the minimum is going to be better prepared and therefore more competitive in any job marketplace, no matter what that marketplace ends up looking like,” says David Rickels, chair of Music Education at University of Colorado Boulder College of Music. “Look for the extra opportunities to gain experience, whether through volunteering in a school or program, signing up for a leadership role in student groups, or even just asking questions and being an active participant in classes instead of passively waiting for information to come to you.”

• Deepen your knowledge and understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion in music education – In response to the protests that have taken place since the pandemic hit, “Applicants will likely need to express their stance, views, or philosophies on diversity, equity, inclusion and access much like the teaching philosophy question currently functions in common interview protocols,” says Thornton. “At the very least, applicants should consider the ways standard practices inhibit access and how they might mitigate those obstacles from within their own sphere of influence.”

• Stay current – on new technology, blended learning, trends around safe rehearsing, antiracist education. As a student of music education and as a future music educator, you can’t wait for information to come to you – you must actively seek it.

• Join professional music education organizations – Consider joining student chapters of NAfME (National Association for Music Education), ACDA (American Choral Directors Association), ASTA (American String Teachers Association), and NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing). Tucker Biddlecombe, associate professor or Choral Studies at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, adds to the list ChorAmor, a new organization which he says “has been instrumental in preparing teachers for this new virtual environment. Being a part of their relevant professional organization – and taking a student-driven leadership role if possible – will be paramount to prepare for the post-COVID job market.”

Music advocacy

Advocacy is more critical than ever in the world of music education. It will be vital even after Covid-19 is contained. Music education majors must learn to be active players in their profession, because their voices will be instrumental in keeping music alive in the schools. “As music educators, advocacy is used to demonstrate the importance of music education in every child’s life and specifically in its inclusion in each student’s academic schedule,” says Lori Schwartz Reichl. “Advocacy begins with how music educators perceive their craft and communicate its significance to all stakeholders.”

National organizations like NAfME offer training in advocacy skills for music education majors. NAfME’s work in securing increased federal funding and support for education in the U.S. provides a template for future music educators who will be facing tighter budgets and greater needs. Learning to interact and communicate with elected officials and governing bodies will serve college music majors throughout their careers.

“We have to educate students studying music in not just the musical and pedagogical skills they need,” says Rickels, “but in how to think deeply about what music means and why music needs to be in the schools…so that the learning continues to enable people to have the tools of expression that are sorely needed in these times.”

Silver linings

We asked those interviewed for this article whether there are any silver linings to the massive disruption in education and training as a result of the pandemic, particularly for anyone considering a music ed major. While we know answers to this question will continue to unfold, we found some of the responses particularly insightful.

Steve Holley: Music education has been undergoing a paradigm shift for quite some time, and the pandemic quite literally forced us to reevaluate everything we do! Right now, we’re trying to figure out how to fit our square peg idea of music education into the round hole of online learning, and it’s just not working out well for some folks. We can’t alter physics to remove internet latency, we can’t wish away an infectious pandemic to get back to our ‘normal’ rehearsal regimen, and we can’t modify the round hole we’ve been given if it’s detrimental to the safety of our students – and us! We have transform our square peg and reimagine what music education could look like.

Darrin Thornton: I see feedback, connection, and access as silver linings to remote teaching. Coming out of this time, I believe people will realize just how connected we are to one another…Music is well positioned to do this work of connectivity.  This has always been true but now the need for connections is much more pronounced. This provides a fantastic opportunity for music educators to build that into their purpose (if it’s not already there).  

Bryan Powell: One thing remote teaching has reinforced is the importance of engaging students in music creation through music technology…There has been an increased focus on using music technology to create music and a lot of that music has taken the form of popular music through beat-making, cover song projects, and original songwriting.

David Rickels: The whole experience of learning online (in synchronous and asynchronous formats) is certainly also giving music education majors the opportunity to learn new tools that they can use if and when they are called upon to teach online in the future.

Barbra Weidlein is director and co-founder of MajoringInMusic.com

Top Photo: Bassist Steve Holley teaching online. Credit: Nate Holley

Second Photo: Penn State Music student music teacher Christiana Usenza teaching shielded and distanced. Credit: Cate Stoler

Resources

• Social Emotional Learning and Music Education: Now More Than Ever

• CASEL: What is SEL 

• NAfME Academy – online learning platform for music educators

• ATLAS – library of videos of actual classroom teaching

Music Organizations to Consider Joining:

• ACDA

• ASTA

• ChorAmor

• NAfME

• NAMM Foundation

• NATS

 

Impacts of COVID on Recording and Production

by , posted in Mavens

Music school majors and career professionals are discovering a variety of ways to handle the impacts of COVID on recording and production work.

by Haley Zaremba

To learn more, we talked to music production and technology professors at various schools as well as recording and production graduates. The consensus is that being flexible and trained with a diverse skillset is more important than ever. 

Versatility is essential

“I think two suggestions [for current students] are roughly the same as they’ve always been, which is that you need to be multifaceted,” says Rob Jaczko, who chairs Music Production and Engineering at Berklee College of Music. “You can’t be a specialist in one narrow little thing, because whatever that thing is, it’s irrelevant or out of fashion in a year.”

The need for versatility is not new, but has been catalyzed by the current economic and public health crises. “In reality, the professional landscape for music technology has been in flux for some time,” says Michael Gurevich, associate professor of Performing Arts Technology at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. “So the key is to learn a lot about a lot of different aspects of the field and the industry, and to be open to every opportunity that arises. I don’t think that’s going to change.” 

When describing modern-day Renaissance women and men of music, Jaczko and Gurevich might as well be describing Aaron Daniels, who graduated from the University of Colorado Denver Music & Entertainment Industries Studies program (MEIS) in 2017 with a bachelor’s in Recording Arts and a piano emphasis. Over the past few months, instead of watching his business dry up, he is busier than ever because he’s been saying yes to all kinds of jobs he had never even imagined before. He’s gone from mixing records and teaching piano to mixing live streams, teaching virtual classes, and producing backing tracks for ministries as far-flung as Japan and Afghanistan. Piano students who had long ago moved to other states have also been reaching back out to him as online learning has become mainstream. 

“The pandemic has been one of the best things that’s ever happened to me personally,” Daniels says from his home in Denver. “It pushed me to be able to try new things. I’m making more [money] than ever before.” Although he graduated a few years before the pandemic hit, Daniels says that his program at CU Denver prepared him well for pursuing diverse streams of income and being open to the constant shifting of the industry. 

Reshaping the way of teaching and learning

COVID has not changed the art of music production. Instead, it has accelerated a process that has already been in place for years. 

Since well before the pandemic, “the way of the large format recording studio [has been] disappearing,” says Los Angeles-based producer, composer, and saxophonist Daniel Weidlein, a USC Thornton School of Music graduate. “The reality is that most recording projects are happening at home or in smaller project studios (like mine) all around the world.”

In this sense, COVID-19 is not necessarily a tragic disruption of the music school curriculum, but rather an essential and overdue opportunity to reshape the way we teach and learn music recording and production for a modern world that requires flexibility over all else. 

“It’s super important to continue to learn signal flow, gain staging, and basic physics of sound that are required to engineer and produce in a large format, analog-based studio,” says Weidlein, who runs BioSoul Music production and recording studio, “but it’s increasingly vital to translate those fundamental concepts into digital applications. Those same concepts apply to using a plugin in Logic, but you need to be taught how to properly implement them.

“It’s great to know how to get the perfect sound with the ideal recording setup,” he adds, “but more often (especially with COVID-19 considerations), understanding how to make the best of a less ideal recording situation—like avoiding unwanted room reflections, using good mic technique, and learning how to maximize the returns of more affordable gear—is vital to modern recording. Think of how many great records have been made recently on a tour bus, in a hotel room, or even in somebody’s bedroom. It doesn’t take a huge analog studio, it just takes good knowledge of a DAW (digital audio workstation) and the gear you have.”

Any programs stuck in the past are now reckoning with the future. COVID-19 will be a watershed moment for music programs currently working out how to leave the “old ways” in the past and dive headfirst into the “new normal.” 

For Berklee’s Jaczko, the pandemic has been a unique opportunity to learn new skills, broaden his and his students’ horizons, and reshape the future of his program. “The resources, the teaching, the infrastructure that we’re generating now online I think has been overdue,” he reflects. “We could have been exploiting mixed modalities sooner.” 

recording and production

The challenges

There are considerable drawbacks to moving a program that still requires lots of analog equipment and studio time to a purely digital platform. Most schools have had to cancel their studio-oriented courses until students are back on campus and back into recording booths, leaving many students in the lurch. 

“When I look at my majors, there are really three different cohorts there,” says Jaczko. The pandemic has had very different effects on each of these groups: students just beginning their studies, students in the middle of their program, and seniors. At Berklee, students just beginning their studies have had no problem moving their foundational classes online. Seniors have also adapted well to online learning by applying their acquired skills at home, with their senior portfolios reviewed digitally. Students in the middle cohort, however, are having a harder time. These students are at a point in their studies “where they absolutely need access to hardware and the recording studios,” says Jaczko. “That is the bedrock of the program.” 

Rick Schmunk, Music Technology program chair at USC Thornton School of Music, agrees that COVID-19 has had an uneven impact on different groups of students. “For the most part, the COVID virus is affecting other music students much more than music production students,” he says. “Music production students are already adept at working in-the-box (as we say) and working collaboratively. The only difference is that they are working remotely with their collaborators.” This minor challenge is actually, in some ways, providing a better learning experience as it prepares students to enter an increasingly-remote workforce. 

Additional preparation for students

The entire music production industry has already been headed in a progressively more digitized direction for years, and COVID is set to catalyze that transition. Majoring in production and recording is sure to include more digitally-oriented courses going forward. And even if it’s not built into the program, there are plenty of ways for prospective music students to make sure that they are well prepared for the digital world. 

“Fill your electives with computer science classes,” recent CU Denver MEIS graduate Michael Stewart advises current and prospective music students. “I can’t stress enough how much everything is moving to IP-based technology.” IP, or Internet Protocol, is the standard system that all network devices use. It’s integral to being able to build, maintain, and understand these networks. “Think of it like wiring a concert over the internet,” Stewart adds.” The hope is that going forward, these classes won’t even need to be electives, as schools plan their post-COVID curriculum with a digitized world in mind.

When asked what the biggest struggle of their COVID-era career is, and what they wish they had learned in school, those working in recording and production respond much like they might in any year, pandemic or not. The hardest things are self-promotion, scheduling, how to file taxes as an LLC, how to network, and how to stay motivated.

“I wish I’d learned DIY marketing strategies, promotion, and advertising for musicians,” says Reymundo Lariosa, a Carnegie Mellon graduate who uses the name Malrey in his artistic work. “You know, thanks to the internet we have a large database of information that we can draw upon,” he continues, “but it’s also intimidating and time consuming to make sense of all these resources and implement the advice they impart. Maybe having a mentor at school who can guide you through the promotional and business aspects of music would be great at this moment.” 

When life gives you lemons…

The increase of digital awareness in university music programs is one of several silver linings to the pandemic. Oftentimes, it’s all a matter of perspective. Jaczko has taken COVID as an invitation to learn to think positively about hardship. “Great art is born out of struggle,” he says on a Zoom call from his home in the Boston area. “Do you think the blues were invented because everything was totally fun and cool and like everyone had what they wanted? No!”

“Recording engineers have traditionally been the technician collaborating with the musician — you do your job, I’ll do mine. Now it has to be more interactive, with both sides learning more about the other in order to make a successful collaboration,” says Riccardo Schulz, Sound Recording Professor at Carnegie Mellon University School of Music where he also runs the recording operations. “Despite the physical separation, the engineer and the musician have to be less isolated in their thinking about how to get the best results possible.”

According to Schulz, as a result of the pandemic “recording engineers will now be called on to help musicians who are not tech-minded make sonically-acceptable recordings on their own. The emphasis will still be on how the software works, and to help others get going quickly on various software platforms.” 

Sure, “the doldrums of pandemic life” as Weidlein describes it, have heightened a lot of these challenges and anxieties, especially financial and social, but they’ve also pushed everyone interviewed for this article to experiment with their craft and explore new perspectives. 

“Out of crises,” Jaczko reminds us, “artists rise to the occasion.”

Haley Zaremba is a freelance writer and journalist with an MFA in Food Studies from American University of Rome and a BA in Media Studies from University of San Francisco. Her writing ranges from music and culture to energy and the environment.

Lead Photo Credit: Jason Martin Photography – Audio engineer/producer Aaron Daniels, Aaron Daniels Music

2nd Photo Credit: Taryn Dudley – BioSoul Music producer Daniel Weidlein

 

How to Prepare for a Symphony Orchestra Career

by Edu-Advisor, posted in Mavens

A symphony orchestra career can be an exciting experience that fulfills a lifelong dream. But it’s not easy to gain. It requires a huge amount of dedication and work – with no guaranteed outcome.

by Barbra Weidlein

If you’re passionate about this career field, it’s wise to be as informed as possible, and as soon as possible. “Getting hired by a symphony is incredibly difficult,” says Janet Gamber, a violinist with the Reading Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania. “I freelanced for just over 5 years in Philadelphia with many fine musicians, and I can count on one hand how many of my friends have won jobs with full-time orchestras.” 

We spoke with Gamber and several other musicians who perform in large and small symphonies mostly in the U.S. We asked them about the trajectory that took them from high school to where they are now. 

We also wanted their input on the economic realities of performing in a symphony orchestra in the 21st century, when classical music and the health of symphonies all over the world often appear in jeopardy. 

Mostly, we want to share best tips for anyone who wants to pursue a career performing in a symphony orchestra – what musicians wish they’d known when they were still in high school or college, and what they’ve learned since then that may support you on your musical journey.

Preparation Before College

Symphony orchestra players start their careers by diving into music long before they’re ready to job search. By high school, they’re typically fairly proficient on their primary instrument, not so much because they are prodigies but because they work hard and they do most if not all of the following:

• take private lessons

• maintain a strong daily practice schedule

• participate in school and youth orchestras

• become a section leader

• audition for and win a spot in All-State orchestras

• attend summer music programs

• apply to competitions

• stay flexible

• jump at opportunities that arise

By junior year, students who dream of a career in a symphony find teachers and mentors who will assist them in preparing for college auditions at music schools that will meet their current and future needs. 

Paul Trapkus (BM, Music Education and Violin Performance, University of Michigan) is a violinist with the Boulder Philharmonic and Boulder Chamber Orchestras and the orchestra director at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colorado. He encourages high school students who hope for a symphony career to “participate in as many musical opportunities as you can manage. 

“Playing in summer music camps,” he continues, “is also extremely beneficial – the difference between a summer without much playing and a summer with lots of playing with excellent conductors and colleagues is huge. Ideally, you can also establish through these things a group of music friends that inspire each other to improve and take part in different ensembles. 

“I also recommend attending as many concerts as you can,” urges Trapkus.  “Watching outstanding orchestras can be very eye-opening and motivating.”

Adam Sadberry (BM Flute Performance, Performer’s Certificate, Eastman School of Music), acting principal flutist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, says, “ It wasn’t until the summer before my junior year of high school that I really started to catch the ‘music major’ bug. I attended my first flute masterclass with big-name teachers, found a fantastic private lesson teacher (Jennifer Keeney), joined the Houston Youth Symphony, entered some local competitions. I was fortunate enough to earn a few wins, and that motivated me to work harder and harder. Over the next two summers, I attended the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Greenwood Music Camp.” Sadberry went on to study flute at Eastman School of Music.

Preparation During College

Cordula Merks, violinist and concertmaster with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and violin performance professor at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, suggests the following:

1. Find a teacher who really meets your needs and who you can work well with.

2. Find a college program with a strong orchestral program and a strong orchestral excerpt class – where you study repertoire that’s likely to be in orchestral auditions. 

3. Study in a geographical area where you can get a lot of exposure to the symphony along with opportunities to study with symphony members and maybe even get a chance to sub.

4. When you’re ready to audition, be comfortable and fully fluent with at least one Mozart concerto and at least one Romantic concerto plus standard excerpts from orchestral repertoire that tend to show up in most auditions.

Dana Johnson (MM, University of Michigan, BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music), principal second violin with the Arctic Philharmonic in Norway, held leadership roles in orchestras in undergrad and grad school. When in school, she also participated in summer music festivals and subbed with several regional orchestras. She credits all of this experience for “preparing me well for my current job.” 

Johnson adds: “Start learning standard orchestral excerpts early and do take them seriously. The more internalized that music is, the more comfortable you will be in a high-pressure audition scenario. 

“And do tons of mock auditions. Anything to make yourself as comfortable in an audition setting as you can. All of these auditions are so subjective.  There are so many factors in play and at a certain level, it really just comes down to fit.”

orchestra career flutist

Is Grad School Necessary?

The answer depends on who you ask. Not everyone interviewed for this article attended graduate school. But most did, because it provided training beyond what an undergraduate education offers.

“Attending the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) was instrumental in my success to winning a symphony seat with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra (HSO),” says percussionist Christopher Cabrera (MM, Cleveland Institute of Music; BM Oberlin Conservatory of Music). A fellow CIM alum was in charge of recruitment at HSO, and Cabrera was hired to fill an opening there. 

Ani Bukujian, violinist with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, did her master’s degree at Juillard. She found graduate school “very necessary” for winning her seat with the Orchestra. She also credits the Professional Studies Diploma program at San Francisco Conservatory of Music with providing the additional skills and training needed to prepare for her orchestral audition.

Chris Cabrera sees summer music festivals as an entry point for some symphony seat seekers. He encourages musicians to “foster relationships with people in the field. It might give you the leg up needed to win a job. Also, if you aren’t practicing 4+ hours a day then it probably won’t work out.”

Symphony Orchestra Auditions

While some individuals wow the selection panel at their first audition and win a symphony seat straight out of college, most find that it takes more hard work and experience performing.

Those fortunate enough to win a spot in a training orchestra like the New World Symphony in Miami will be provided housing and a stipend to support them for a year or more and throughout the audition period. Many end up getting a job before ever finishing a training orchestra program.

Adam Sadberry, the flutist with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, says that he “auditioned for grad schools and a couple of training orchestra programs” before “winning and accepting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s African-American Orchestra Fellowship.

“I spent one year in the program playing 18 weeks of the DSO’s season,” he shares, “and during that period, I played every role in the flute section including principal. I also did a ton of mock auditions for DSO members and took several auditions around the country. Along the way, I was invited to perform with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra as guest principal flute for a few weeks, and I was extremely fortunate to be appointed as the acting principal flutist of the orchestra.”

Janet Gamber, the Reading Symphony Orchestra violinist, talks about the financial challenges of taking auditions. Musicians are responsible for their own transportation, lodging, food and the cost of missed work. “The whole process was an emotional roller coaster,” she remembers. “In order to get in the mindset to take an audition, you have to believe you can win. You prepare all the music and convince yourself you’re going to win, and then you’re asked to leave after just a minute or two.”

Isaac Trapkus, bassist with the New York Philharmonic, first played with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and before that the New Haven Symphony.  

“I definitely worked much harder after winning the Detroit job to make sure I was prepared enough to win the NY Phil spot when it was announced,” he admits. “The audition was announced about three months before the actual audition date and the audition repertoire list of solos and orchestra excerpts was sent to applicants shortly after. I knew there would be other people more talented than me taking the audition so I knew I would have to outwork everyone to have a realistic shot.  

“I can say confidently that nobody prepared more for that audition than I did. Of course you never really know, but unless you’re the magic person who wins a job right out of school you have to have that approach and attitude in order to win an audition – because if you don’t, someone like me is out there who will out-prepare, out-work and out-perform you.

“I have colleagues who had a much easier time winning their audition and did not have to put in all the work I did but they are surely the exception. Far too often I see other people preparing for auditions as if they too will have the easy path to winning and then seem surprised when they never advance.”

Tim Jones, violinist and associate concert master with the Wichita Symphony, had his share of auditions after getting his doctorate: “Ultimately I think one of the most important things when taking orchestral auditions is not getting too attached to the idea of the job too soon – even on the day of the audition as you successfully advance through the rounds.

“If you are heading into an audition with the feeling that your whole career depends upon winning or that your entire life has naturally led up to that particular job,” he adds, “the extra stress you’ve put upon yourself may well be enough to keep you from showing your true best. This may not be the case for everyone, but on a couple of occasions I found myself feeling that the stars were aligning when I reached the final round; the ultimate effect, however, was not that I relaxed and played more confidently, but that I became more anxious and distracted.”

Economic Realities

According to the League of American Orchestras, there are over 1200 non-profit orchestras in the U.S. alone. Salaries for orchestra members fluctuate based on the size of the orchestra, from six figures in a few of the largest symphonies to hourly wages in others.

The symphony orchestra players interviewed for this article had diverse needs and views around working outside of their symphony jobs. Some earn a viable income through their orchestra jobs alone. Others teach, gig, and work at non-musical jobs. 

When Chris Cabrera first started working with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the cost of living in Oahu led him to work as a barista in his first season there. He now plays area gigs, and teaches and subs with the Royal Hawaiian Band when not performing with the Symphony.

Janet Gamber was freelancing to gain experience performing with orchestras and while auditioning for an orchestra seat. But freelancing became unsatisfying and economically challenging. With the help of a career adviser and the skills she gained in college and grad school in science, technology and recording engineering, Gamber found a full-time job working in cloud-based software in Colorado. She now works remotely most of the time, so traveling 2,000 miles to perform with the Reading Symphony Orchestra outside of Philadelphia works well with her schedule.

Jason Shafer, principal clarinetist with the Colorado Symphony, is also an instructor of clarinet at the University of Northern Colorado. While he appreciates the additional source of income that teaching provides, Shafer believes that income should never be the reason for teaching. He warns: “If you don’t love teaching, don’t do it! But if you do love it, we are so lucky as musicians to have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of our students, both in their development as musicians and in their personal growth. Personally, I can’t imagine my career without teaching!”

Symphony orchestra Dana Johnson

Great Tips from Symphony Orchestra Members

“Find a private teacher that you love, and take lessons! Take the inspiration that you get from those lessons and let it bloom and grow in every way that you can think of: go to great concerts, listen to 10 recordings of the same piece, discover new music, and practice thoughtfully.” 

– Jason Shafer, Principal Clarinet, Colorado Symphony
(BM, Eastman School of Music)

––––––

“I cannot stress enough how important ‘smart practicing’ is, especially when you have a lot going on around you. Go for quality, not quantity.

“There is lot of pressure when it comes to executing orchestral excerpts behind the screen and by the time we audition, we have to be physically and mentally prepared. 

“Most importantly, no matter the outcome, we have to be able to sustain a positive and winning attitude during the journey and embrace success and failure at the same time. We all become a better version of ourselves throughout the adventure!” 

– Ani Bukujian, Principal 2nd Violin, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra
(BM, MM Juilliard; Concertmaster Track, San Francisco Conservatory of Music)

––––––

“Pursue educated and smart practice rather than just long hours. I’ve found that if I do research about tempi and style and think about interpretation before I even touch my instrument I’m able to save a lot of time in the practice room and can use the time I have more efficiently.

“Studying scores, listening to recordings and watching videos of how a conductor might lead certain tricky passages are all great ways to prepare yourself mentally and to learn a piece better. This also helps prevent injury – and I would also add that taking breaks frequently is a great way to stay healthy. I sometimes set a timer to make sure that I don’t play for too long before taking a five or ten minute break. It’s really made a big difference for me.”

– Felicity James, Violin; Associate Concert Master, Minnesota Orchestra
(BM, Colburn Conservatory of Music)

––––––

“It is always an emotional experience to walk away after a lost audition, but in modern times musicians have to remember that not winning the job does not mean that one is not qualified. 

“I’ve come to believe that in most cases, between 25-50% of the musicians gathered for any particular audition ‘deserve’ the job, or at the least are capable of performing at the level required. While that might initially seem to be a depressing or discouraging assumption, in truth it’s the opposite. 

“The fact that many qualified individuals are rejected from every orchestral audition is potentially the greatest emotional buoy in the wake of lost auditions; being turned away doesn’t always mean that you weren’t appreciated, or that you didn’t sound beautiful, or that the jury thought you played poorly. It only means that someone else caught their attention in a specific way.”

– Timothy Jones, Violin; Associate Concert Master, Wichita Symphony; Visiting Asst. Professor of Violin, Wichita State University
(DMA, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; MM, Azusa Pacific University; BME/BM – Wichita State University)

––––––

“I would HIGHLY recommend people who are majoring in music performance also major in music education or something else they are passionate about so they have options later in life when the orchestra dream doesn’t pan out for 98% of them. I was in that 98% boat and it’s only by luck of meeting an amazing teacher 5 years after my masters degree that I was able to finally put it all together and win a job. I only had a performance degree and I was not prepared for a professional life outside orchestra playing. That was not smart but that is still the path I see most music performance majors on today.”

– Isaac Trapkus, Bassist; New York Philharmonic
(MM, Juilliard; BM, University of Michigan)

––––––

“Do not go into debt with a music degree, especially if you want to perform with an orchestra. You need the ability to keep practicing and will likely not make a lot of money while you’re preparing for and taking auditions. If you’re saddled with debt, you’re going to have to find a way to earn enough money to pay down the loans, and that will likely take away from your ability to spend time practicing and performing.”

– Janet Gamber, Violin; Reading Symphony Orchestra
(MM, University of Colorado Boulder College of Music; BA Bryn Mawr College)

 

Additional Resources

“What’s the Difference Between an Orchestra, a Symphony, and a Philharmonic?” by Lucas Reilly

League of American Orchestras

“Take Your Seat” by Jeremy Reynolds

Photo Credits

Top photo: Jason Shafer, Clarinetist, Colorado Symphony; photo by Brandon Marshall   

Second photo: Adam Sadberry, flute, Memphis Symphony Orchestra   –  

Third Photo: Dana Johnson, violin, Arctic Philharmonic in Norway;  photo by Annette Isabelle Photography