Considering a degree in music? What can you do with such a specialized education? The answer is, lots of things! In this week’s blog post, I will share some of my own experiences as a college-educated musician and some of the opportunities open to potential college music students.
Before getting into the meat of today’s post, I do have to include a small disclaimer. No two musician’s journeys are the same! If your musical career has been different, that’s perfectly acceptable! This is just my personal experience and what I have witness in the lives of my colleagues.
Now that’s out of the way, let me tell you a bit about my own musical journey. I knew in high school that I loved music enough I wanted to make it the focus of my career. I’d taken piano lessons from a young age and played clarinet in the school band. I decided to go to college for music education, and graduated from UIndy in 2018. From there, I went straight into teaching full time as an elementary general music educator, and band/choir director. During this time, performance was still a big part of my passion. My husband and I started a non-profit called Sound Ecologies in 2020 focused on providing local musicians and composers opportunities to write and perform in benefit concerts raising awareness about environmental issues. We’ve also given concerts and done recordings with Classical Music Indy and several other Indy non-profits such as Spark and Big Car. I’ve worked as an accompanist and organist at several churches in the Indianapolis area, and done quite a bit of accompanying for choirs and soloists at schools and concerts. This year, I’m transitioning into being an accompanist at an area high school along with going to school for a Masters in Musicology. And I feel like I’m just getting started!
My point in mentioning all of this is that music degrees are worth getting. Many colleagues of mine went to school for Music Technology and Recording Degrees and now work with studios, or earned degrees in composition, music therapy, and even performance. Some have gone on to further schooling, some have become music directors at churches, and some have become full time performers or educators, or arts administrators. There are so many options open to college-educated musicians!
So, what are the degree programs available to anyone considering going to school for music? I will lay out the most common options below. Some schools offer all of these, some don’t. But, knowing what you would like to study (at least, to an extent) is a great place to start!
Music Performance: These degrees tend to be focused on private lessons, masterclasses, and lots of performance practice opportunities. If you are considering a degree in this field, be prepared to spend lots of time in the practice room! Most programs for performance will also include required music theory and history classes, but the main focus is on learning your instrument to the best possible standard of which you are capable. If you are thinking of auditioning for a performance program, make sure you are familiar with the teachers at your institution of choice and perhaps even try for a demo lesson. The style and teaching technique of your applied instrument instructor will really determine your success!
Music Education: These degrees can vary in certification depending on the university or college you attend. However, most programs include a certification in K-12 general music and then a specialization in either instrumental or choral education. You will likely still have a primary instrument and applied lessons, as well as ensemble requirements. Most education programs also include a heavy emphasis on performance practice, history, and theory. But, you are also taking educational psychology, pedagogy, and practicum classes as well. I’d recommend choosing a program that gets you into a classroom for some experience as soon as you can so you can discover the age groups you are most successful with, and whether teaching is for you. You will need to complete at least a semester (if not a year) of student teaching as well in order to graduate.
Music Technology/Business/Recording: This field tends to focus more on the operational music industry. Some institutions have degrees that combine all of these specialties, while others will separate them into different concentrations or programs. However, the emphasis tends to lie on spending time in a studio, learning the ins and outs of recording technology and arts administration. Some programs such as these offer internships which allow for on-the-job experience. These degrees tend to be less performance focused, but many universities will still require students to give recitals and/or take lessons with a primary instrument. There may be ensemble requirements as well, depending on the college. Always do your program research!
Music Therapy: Vibe Music Academy’s own Abigail Long is much better suited to answering questions regarding this field, as she is a professional Music Therapist! Although primarily a graduate program, more universities are beginning to offer Music Therapy courses to undergraduates. These degrees enable musicians to interact with children and adults who benefit from music as a form of therapy—whether that is sensory, psychological, or otherwise. Music therapists might work independently, or with a school or retirement community to provide activities and services to both individuals and groups.
Music Theory/Musicology: These types of degrees are generally more of the graduate level, but some colleges do offer them for undergraduate students. I know for my current graduate courses, Musicology consists of lots of research, history/theory classes, and paper writing. In undergraduate courses, one would still most likely need a primary instrument and still be enrolled in private lessons and ensembles as well.
Composition: These degrees generally are available as undergraduate concentrations or graduate degrees. Once again, the focus will likely be on a well-rounded music education with private lessons, ensemble playing, and music history and theory. However, these programs also usually offer private composition lessons, composers’ forums, and performance opportunities for a student’s works. Additionally, many universities will have a composition student give a recital of his or her own works (either performed by the composer or other music students) instead of an individual performance recital.
To sum up this extensive post, there are lots of options open to anyone considering a career path in music, and you may not end up where you think! If you know you want to pursue music in college, but don’t want to major it in, most universities still offer private lessons, music classes, and some ensembles to non-majors as well. But if you know that music is your passion, there are numerous ways to funnel that passion into a profitable and enjoyable career. Thank you for reading, and best of luck in your music educational endeavors!
—Charissa Garrigus, Instructor at Vibe Music Academy
