"Wait,what part of the valley do you live in?"

closer to MCC than to GCC

not all music majors are, or were, snobs, take myself and Joe B as examples,

What?! I always thought you guys were. Hahaha! I am a big snob and I wasn't even a music major.

AZ, that is EXACTLY why I didn't major in music myself. Plus, I knew I wouldn't be cut out for it. I am sure I could have played the flute and all, just couldn't deal with the rest of the BS...

Most people who embark on a career in instrument music spend more of their time teaching than performing. If you speak to most of the "second level" orchestral players in the UK you'll find they still spend alot of time teaching. Many of the top level orchestral players love to teach.

In the UK some of the best paid orchestral musicians play in London musicals at anti-social hours etc. I get bored of pit orchestra playing after one week! If you want to earn more than an average teacher or be selective about what you play then don't pursue a career in music. If your teacher gets really upset because you don't want to be a professional musician then may be you're good enough to earn a living playing.

At least in the UK, doing any non-science degree college/university course followed by a year at a specialist music college gives a broader educational base which makes the musician more employable as a teacher without damaging their performing career opportunities. It may not be obvious but being able to play piano/keyboard greatly increases the breadth and quality of lessons you give.

i found that many musicians in the smaller schools arent as snobby because, well, they suck and they got a lot of money out of the school. i went to u of m my first year as a performance major. everyone in the school picks out the foreign students and gives them a sense of theyre better just because theyre from taiwan or japan or something even when they suck! and with the extra boost of confidence from the professors, they rub it in your face. there was this girl who was in the studio with me. she was good, but she wasnt amazing. and she got a full ride because she was an international student. and she made sure everyone knew she got a full ride. a lot of those kids from overseas are the same way.

im going to a smaller school this year, by the way. and im still a flute major. i figure you can tell by your first year if you want to do it for the rest of your life or not. i want to, i just wasnt comfortable paying through the butt for college.

I have no clue where MCC is LoL
I think the only time I'd be a snob is when I have 4 trillion dollars and I have like this distant relative of mine who I hate ask me for money.
Buttt....
I'm a redhead!!(yay ADD!!!)

True Patrick, not all are snobs, and you are a very nice example of a person who is has his feet planted firmly on the ground. I admire that in a person. I just had to deal with things like "I am going for first chair this year"....yeah, well sister, you gotta get by me first...so you better be a rooten tooten on that floot then! If not, then I am going to knock your socks off!

That was my attitude, and I still to this day cannot stand blow-hards...pardon the pun, it was not intended.

Patrick, we need more people who understand that even though playing in band is competitive that you check your ego at the door. I took a class in college called ego-less programming. It was a computer class that taught you how to come down off that high horse. It should be required for all college students if you ask me! For the people out there who went to school and are not snobs, I am sorry if you think you were included. But, if you think you were included then there is a good chance I meant you too! ;-P

Flutes 4-ever, you are so young I can tell, I hope you make the right choice, and believe me, music is everything in life to me. I took music for many years, and repeated again a decade later for another 5 years with my flute teacher. I just am giving you some of the warning signs. I wish you the very best in your decision!

i don't think a person saying "im going for first chair this year" makes them a snob or means they have an ego. i just see that as having a goal. i want to get into the wind ensemble in my music school as a freshman...that's my goal. i dont think saying that makes me a snob. that's just my goal.

I know what you mean Flauta (but what you mean and how it is taken are 2 different things to other people), but this was ego all the way during try outs for city youth symphony. There were 53 people trying out for 3 positions. Who was this person to say they were even going to make it into the symphony much less be going for first chair. (For the record she did make first chair, and I made 3rd chair in a 1 hour playoff that went on and on and between 4 students. I made the first mistake so I lost.) I don't fault a winning attitude, but keep it to yourself, or you WILL be considered to have an ego problem even if you don't have an ego problem.

I had to remember that for myself a few times, I made the same mistakes, telling a friend "This is how it is done"....I meant I was going to play the piece well, but instead what was taken was that I thought I played better than everyone else. You should NEVER even if it is true, say things that might even ever so slightly sound boastful or could be misunderstood to mean something egotistical. You must be VERY careful, peoples egos are on the line in band and orchestra. They will be leaning on your every word, especially your competition! I was her competition, and she didn't know it, until she found herself neck and neck with me.

I remember the look she gave me when she heard my name called as a finalist before hers. She GLARED at me. I loved it! (Yes, sad, I was gloating to a certain extent. Not nice of me.)She of course did beat me, but oh it was so close. Had I won, would I think I was all that and a bag of potato chips? No, but she would have thought me full of myself. So let me repeat, please, be careful!

Also, I got to know this person very well over the next several years in college, and in person. She and I became good friends...

I agree azflutist.
Patrick is a fine example of what all music majors n what not should be.
I also agree with you Flauta.I know I have an ego,but Im not a pompous asshole.
LoL yeah az,I ma young.Im a sophomore and 14,just going to be 15 on December 22nd.(ages away!!!)


Like I say,all good things come in time.

Well, at that age I was very much like you flutes-4ever. I was aggressive, and it served me well, as I had to live up to my aggressiveness and that made me play better...but I also stuck my foot in it from time to time, uh....still do...but don't tell anyone. ;-)

LoL Im very aggressive.
But sometimes IM quiet and shy when I want to be...

Its good with me

I'm new here.

I went through this about two decades ago. The advice to go anywhere and blow everything on a good grad school is exactly the right approach.

The best schools in your area are Cal State, believe it or not. Almost any will do, though there is one that really shines for the program and the small size - it feels like a private school - Sonoma State.

Not a big name. Not even on most people's radar, but classes are small, there are many good players in the Bay Area, and they have an emphasis on modern music and especially Jazz. Basically they teach the basics and you do the rest. Ie - about the opposite of the average conservatory type approach. Oh - and it's very small. 8100 students, including grad school and part-time.

As for the degree, I'd go for performance. You can always get enough classes to teach, but you should aim as high as you can. Plus, you'll need the equivalent of a Masters anyways to teach in most states, so there's plenty of time for that.

Of course, the first semester or two will be expensive - until you live a few months in California, that is, and can get residency status.

I've actually heard of Sonoma State.
I used to live in California.Was born there actually :P
I'll most definitly check it out!
I'm not really into those huge colleges.
Thanks for the help!
Hope to hear from you soon!

Cheyenne