Advice for prospective college music majors

ByBret Pimentel
Photo, Surat Lozowick

Planning on being a college music major? Good for you! But if you’re like I was as a high school senior, there are some things you haven’t thought of yet. Now that I’m on the other end of things—a college music professor, teaching music majors—I have some advice that I share with potential students (and that I’d like to send back in time to my younger self). I hope these tips help you get off to a good start on your own college music studies.

  • What you need the most right now, before starting college, is a good private teacher. If you’re not already taking lessons, it’s time to start. (Note that if you have your sights set on a top-tier school, most of the people auditioning will already have years of serious private study under their belts!) A good teacher can help you choose some possible schools, prepare audition material well, and get a sense for what advanced music study is like. Oh, and sculpt you into a fine young musician. The money you spend on lessons will pay off when scholarships are awarded.

  • Get into a good practice habit now. It’s common for music majors to have practice requirements of 3 or more hours per day. It will pay off, but some students find it hard to get used to at first. Start a program of dedicated practice now, and you’ll hit the ground running.
  • In a lot of ways, the most important factor that will shape your college music education is your studio teacher—the professor who will give you lessons on your instrument. The best way to get the education you want is to pick a great teacher, and then apply to the school that they teach at. Most will be happy to meet you while you’re still in the process of choosing a school, and maybe even have a lesson with you. Seize that opportunity!
  • Find out about the different types of music degrees. The most common are BM (bachelor of music), BME (bachelor of music education), and BA (bachelor of arts, with music emphasis). I’m including a few thoughts below about what kinds of career paths they correspond to.
  • Plan to start college with your trusty old instrument, mouthpiece, etc., and hold off on purchasing anything new until after school starts. Your new studio teacher may have specific requirements, and at least will be able to help you avoid costly mistakes. Likewise, hold off on buying etude books, sheet music, etc. until you’ve asked the studio teacher.
  • Know in advance that a college major in music isn’t like having high school band class all day. You’ll participate in ensembles, but you will also need to be ready to do face any fears you have about solo performance. You will also have to make your peace with music theory and music history, and get comfortable singing a little and playing the piano a little. Oh yeah, and keep up with your general education requirements: math, science, English, and so forth.
  • One more thing: being a music major isn’t for everybody. Even some very bright, capable, and talented students decide that a music degree isn’t the right path. And that’s okay.

I loved my experience as a college music major, all the way through three degrees. It’s challenging, but fun and rewarding.

Here’s a  nutshell view of the most common undergraduate-level music degrees:

The BME (bachelor of music education) has the clearest career path: when you finish your degree, you will have the credentials you need to apply for jobs in your university’s state (and possibly some additional states) as a band director (or orchestra or choir director) at the high school level and lower. You will study music, plus things like educational psychology and classroom management. You will probably need to do at least one solo recital, and your studies will culminate in a semester of supervised student teaching.

The BM (bachelor of music, sometimes referred to as a “performance” degree) is focused on playing your instrument, and doesn’t qualify you to teach music in the public schools. In fact, you could make the argument that it really doesn’t qualify you for anything specific, since you don’t need a college degree to be a professional musician (although if your goal is play well enough to make a living at it, college-level study can help you along that road). The most solid reason to choose a BM degree (as I did) is that you have your sights set on a career in college-level studio teaching; remember that this pretty much requires continuing on to a master’s degree (2+ years) and a doctoral degree (4+ years), and then entering a very competitive job market. As a BM student, you will likely put on several solo recitals, and participate in chamber music groups as well as large ensembles.

The BA (bachelor of arts) with an emphasis in music is a more broad-based degree, generally with less rigorous music coursework but with other requirements that might include things like philosophy and foreign language. Like the BM, the BA doesn’t have a particularly well-defined career path, but a BA degree may be appropriate if you have a career plan that would benefit from knowledge of music but doesn’t require high-level performance ability or teaching credentials.

In many ways, the most practical approach is to dive into the BME degree, as it comes the closest of any of these to guaranteeing you a job right out of college; plus, if you change your mind and are talented and hardworking, you may be able to transition into a master’s program in performance and work toward college teaching instead. But if you’re sure (as was I) that middle school or high school teaching isn’t your thing, then a BM or BA might make more sense. And there are some less-common music-related degrees that you can research, as well, like music therapy, music business, or sound recording.

Have additional advice you would give to prospective college music majors? Please share in the comments section below.

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  • The myth of beginning band instrument “tests”

    ByBret Pimentel
    Photo, Dyvo

    I’ve ranted about this previously, but since we are heading into a new school year, I thought it might be worth covering again and in more detail.

    Some beginning band programs kick off the year by allowing prospective students to “try out” the various instruments, ostensibly to determine which instrument they have the most natural aptitude for. I find this ludicrous.

    Firstly, no one is born knowing how to play the flute or the trombone or the snare drum. And physiological factors are only important at the most basic level: if a student isn’t strong enough to manage the weight of a tuba, then perhaps the euphonium would be a better starting point for this year, and if she can’t comfortably stretch her fingers far enough to reach all the baritone saxophone’s keys, tenor or alto might be a good alternative. Beyond that, and barring significant physical deformities or significant learning disabilities, any student is physically and mentally capable of playing any instrument he or she wishes. If your child’s future band director is examining your child’s lips or fingers and opining about which instrument he or she is destined to play, they are wasting the time of everyone involved.

    Secondly, the first few minutes that a child (or adult) spends with an unfamiliar musical instrument can turn out very differently depending on a large number of factors. When your child spends two minutes trying out a flute and two minutes trying out a trumpet, and is pronounced a budding trumpet virtuoso, is it really because of some genetic predisposition to the trumpet? Or is it that the flute had leaky pads? Or that the band director’s explanation of the flute embouchure wasn’t clear enough? Or that your child accidentally leaned on one of the flute’s trill keys, and the band director failed to spot it? Did your child do better at bassoon than oboe because the bassoon reed was well-balanced and vibrant, while the oboe reed was stuffy and insufficiently soaked? My point is that there are too many potential issues to sort out in a few minutes (perhaps even a few hours—or years), and judging aptitude at that stage is no better than guesswork.

    There is one admittedly understandable reason why even band directors who know better might still carry out the charade of the instrument aptitude test, and that is ensemble balance. The band director needs to balance the success of individual students with the success of the group, and the group’s chances for success are better if the instrumentation is well-proportioned: the right number of students on each instrument. I suspect that some shrewd band directors are “testing” students while keeping mental tallies and telling white lies: “Trust me—the horn is your instrument. I can tell already. Yes, I’m sure.”

    If you really want to know what instrument your child will be good at, ask them which one they want to play. Motivation is the make-or-break factor for beginning instrumentalists. (I do think that it’s worth introducing your child to the various instruments so that they can choose from all the available options, instead of just the ones whose names they already know.)

  • University/conservatory degree programs in woodwind doubling

    ByBret Pimentel

    I’ve updated my list of schools with woodwind doubling programs. The current count as of this writing is 5 schools with some kind of bachelor’s degree program, 15 with a master’s program, and 5 with a doctoral program. Read More “University/conservatory degree programs in woodwind doubling”

  • Which college should I choose for music?

    ByBret Pimentel

    “I want to be a flute major. Which college should I go to?” This is the kind of question that I often see asked on internet message boards, Facebook groups, and email threads. If you’re asking that question and people are giving you lists of schools, you probably shouldn’t take them too seriously. And if you’re answering someone else’s question by tossing out a recommendation, you might reconsider whether this is really helpful.

    Interest in studying a subject isn’t nearly enough for anyone to give a reasonable recommendation of a college, university, or conservatory. Even a fairly detailed history of your prior teachers, repertoire studied, and competitions won probably only scratches the surface. Internet strangers are often happy to tell you what their favorite schools are, and many of them are probably genuinely high-quality programs. But if 20 people answer, you will probably get nearly 20 possibilities.

    Here’s my best general advice for choosing a college for your music studies.

    • Consult your current private teacher. If you don’t have one, strongly consider getting one. (You will probably be competing for admissions and scholarships against people who have one!) This person is probably the one best suited to offer recommendations based on actual knowledge about you and about the wider world of your instrument.
    • Especially if you are planning to study music performance, the teacher of your instrument will be the most important figure in your college education. In a perfect world you would get to meet a bunch of flute (or whatever) professors, spend some time with each of them, take a lesson or two, and figure out who you like best, and then apply to the school they teach at. There’s a chance you have already encountered some of the nearby ones, maybe at a masterclass, a Flute Day, or when they visited your high school (to meet and recruit students like you!). If you’re able to do some travel, some others might be able to make time to meet you. At the very least, see if you can find recordings on YouTube or their personal or school website and see if they are someone you would like to learn to play like.
    • If you don’t already have some schools in mind, start nearby. If you live in the US, there is probably a state university that is sort of an unofficial flagship for music, and you won’t have to pay out-of-state tuition. These universities aren’t always the most nationally-known, name-brand music schools, but they generally have outstanding faculty and students, beautiful facilities, and everything else a large state school can offer. You probably won’t go wrong.
    • If your financial means and/or scholarship potential give you some more flexibility on location, great! You can add to your list your picks of the 50 flagship state-school music departments, or private universities or conservatories.
    • If you have some more specific goals about where you want to go, then definitely apply for those schools. But also have one or more solid backups. I auditioned at one school against 60 other players of my instrument. They only had room to accept 4 that year, so lots of very talented people didn’t get in. If you can fall back on a good state school, you will still get an excellent education, probably cheaper.
    • If you have reasons to stay close to home, accrue less debt, or maybe seek out a program with less stringent admissions, there are lots of small, regional universities (like mine!) that offer excellent educations. There’s a good chance that your nearest one has talented faculty, good ensembles, and lots of opportunities to learn. If they offer an accredited major in music, they will be able to offer all the classes and experiences you need for a quality music education, but they may lack some of the extras offered in a larger program.

    Choosing a college is a big decision, but there are lots of high-quality options, and some of them are probably near you and relatively affordable. Good luck!

  • Grading student practicing

    ByBret Pimentel

    Each week I have my university woodwind students submit a report on the number of hours they have practiced, and I award them points based on that number. (They are additionally graded on how well their lesson goes.)

    I don’t think points-for-practicing is an ideal situation, and perhaps not necessary at some more competitive, more performance-oriented schools. The students at my small, regional university have a range of backgrounds and ability levels, but certainly for some the idea of an intensive practicing routine is new and challenging. This approach helps keep them incentivized (bribed? threatened?) to practice several hours per day, until hopefully it becomes a self-motivating habit. Or, in some cases, it helps them realize that their commitment level isn’t compatible with the degree program.

    I use a simple formula for grading practice hours. Each student has a weekly practice hours target, which varies depending on the degree program (or, more precisely, the number of credit hours of lessons: more for performance majors, fewer for music education majors, etc.). If they put in that exact number of hours, they get 100% of the points. If they put in half the hours they get 50% the points, if they put in one and a half times the target they get 150% of the points, and so forth.

    (hours practiced)/(required practice hours) × (possible points) = (grade as a percentage)

    That gives them essentially unlimited extra credit if they want to go above and beyond, or lets them practice a little extra during slower weeks so they can free up some time for weeks that are busier with midterms or band trips.

    Practice reports are due every single Monday of the semester, even holidays. This works better than having them report hours between lessons, since sometimes things get moved around in my schedule and it ends up being more or fewer than seven days between lessons. I have streamlined the reporting process quite a bit by using the university’s LMS to automatically administer a weekly “quiz,” which looks like this:

    For Thanksgiving break in November and spring break in March (each a full week with no classes) I have been collecting practice reports, and treating them as pure extra credit. That way I’m not punishing students who spend those vacation days with family or who need a break from the instrument. But the students who are serious about playing usually put in a pretty solid effort during those weeks and earn a nice grade bonus for it.

    When I explain this system to other educators I often get asked about honesty. I haven’t found it to be a major issue. That might be partly because of my students’ background and upbringing (it’s the Bible Belt), and maybe partly because lying turns out to be pretty unsustainable: if their reported practice hours don’t seem to match their level of achievement, I start asking tough questions.

    When I was a first-year undergraduate music major and not yet fully convinced of the importance of practicing several hours per day, a nudge/threat from the music department scared me into changing my ways. But the sudden “motivation” to apply myself a little better soon started paying off. As I had more and more success I felt more and more inclined to practice because I got more and more out of it. Ultimately, I learned to enjoy and even crave the hours in the practice rooms. It’s exciting to see my students making that same transition.

  • Do I need a college degree for my instrumental music career plans?

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    • Classical or jazz solo artist, chamber/orchestral/theater musician, jazz big band or small group musician, studio musician. None of these “require” a college degree, just very fine playing. But these are lofty goals for making your primary living—very few people, even among the most talented and hardworking, are able to achieve them. But college study can help you develop the skills, the discipline, and the professional network that might get you there. And a college degree that you can fall back on for other employment might be a smart move.
    • Musician in “popular” styles (such as rock, blues, hip-hop, country, and many more). Even if you wish to study these in college, there currently aren’t a lot of options. But some classical or jazz training in a band or orchestral instrument, widely available at universities, will deepen and expand your musical understanding in general, and sometimes present valuable opportunities.
    • Public school music teacher. Yes: in most cases you will need a bachelor’s degree in music education.
    • University music teacher. Yes: in most cases you will need a doctoral degree in something related fairly precisely to the job you are applying for. (Some job listings list a masters degree as a minimum, but even for an adjunct or community-college position, you may well be applying against candidates with doctorates.)
    • Private music teacher, from home or small business. You probably won’t need the degree in order to set up shop, but depending on your local market and your reputation it may be an advantage in attracting students and giving them quality instruction.

    While college study may not be the right choice for every instrumentalist, it’s hard to beat for a well-rounded musical education (with performance study, music theory, music history, and more), plus life skills, networking, and enhanced employability in the general job market.

  • Reader email: multiple woodwinds degree or single-instrument degree?

    ByBret Pimentel
    photo, bobtravis

    I get email on a pretty regular basis from people who are considering multiple woodwinds degree programs. They usually have excellent questions for which there are no real answers, but I’m always happy to try to offer whatever perspective I’ve got.

    I heard recently from one of my readers who is working on a bachelor’s degree at a very large and well-respected university music department. They are currently enrolled as a double major in jazz studies (playing primarily saxophone) and flute performance, and have some skills in additional woodwinds.

    The question was whether this person should continue on that track, or switch to a double major in jazz studies with a 5-instrument multiple woodwinds degree.

    I like the idea of getting just a flute degree, because it makes it sound like I’m a REAL flute player. The woodwind degree also makes it sound like I can play any double—but I’m afraid it still kind of sounds like I’m just a “doubler.” (Not really an EXPERT at any of them).

    The work I’d like to do after school is anything that utilizes woodwind doublers – playing in shows, playing on cruise ships, playing in big bands, playing in recording studios (dream job!).

    What would you suggest I do?

    Here’s the best advice I was able to come up with. (All quotes here are somewhat edited.) Read More “Reader email: multiple woodwinds degree or single-instrument degree?”

2 Comments

  1. Those are all great pieces of advice. I have a few more to add.

    1) As far as choosing schools goes, looking for a great teacher is definitely good advice, but I would not just go by one person’s opinion or suggestion of a good teacher. I would look at the history of the studio and seeing what graduates (recent ones and ones from a while back) are doing to earn income, where they’re living, try to hear recordings of them, etc.

    Also try to hear people in the current studio. Having great players in a studio to gain perspective on what you need to work on, to play next to you, to help you out, etc. is incredibly valuable. While all these things might also be the result of good recruiting, in addition to a good teacher, I know from personal experience how valuable a great studio is and how much I have improved because of it.

    2) Get ahead of the game on theory, ear training, and piano skills BEFORE you show up on campus as a freshman! Be comfortable reading both treble and bass clefs, learn all your major and minor scales on piano (and possibly some easy pieces). Learn all your intervals and be able to identify basic chord qualities when they’re played on the piano. These kinds of things might be able to get you out of the first level of theory, ear training, piano, etc. Even if it doesn’t, it will give you an edge in the class and you’ll have an easier time understanding.

    On that same note, if you’re in any IB or AP classes in high school, by all means take the tests seriously! Passing these can get you out of a few general-ed classes, which also lets you get ahead, gives you more time, etc. You can definitely use all the time and free credits. If you end up adding a minor or double major, or if you end up wanting to take some classes outside of your required ones, this is extremely helpful so won’t have to stay extra semesters!

    3) Show up to your classes, show up on time, and do your best to form good relationships with teachers and ensemble members. Showing that you care and you are interested in doing well (even in the midst of frustration) is important. Unlike a lot of majors, you will have many of the same teachers and students in your classes again and again. These people will, in many ways, be like your family away from home. They’ll also become your sources of networking and recommendations in the future. Having a good attitude and showing that you’re responsible can and will help your grade, make people more likely to want to play music with you, and make people more likely to recommend you for desirable positions or gigs. These habits will transfer from school to the professional world.

    Great article! I hope my additions are helpful. They are based on direct experience and observation.

    Reply

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