I was in the eighth grade when I decided that I was going to go to college to become a musician. My senior year of high school I made it happen. Last semester, Spring 2022, I declared my major after passing my Sophomore proficiency.
Student experiences vary significantly, especially when it comes to creative based majors. Not to mention, our peers, families, and others around us have many of their own thoughts and opinions on everything. Growing up, my parents never discouraged me from pursuing my goals, but that didn’t stop people from asking them questions or giving unsolicited input like, “Why do you let her do this?” and “You can’t be successful being a musician”.
Then, of course once I was in college, my non-school of music professors also had their own opinions. I distinctively remember a professor explaining to me that she disliked working with musicians because we tended to be at a “disadvantage because you don’t write essays or read books over there”. But that isn’t the truth.
My experience as a music major has been fantastic, fast-paced, and extraordinarily difficult (but in the best way). Most of our work stays behind the scenes. Most guests seem to see are our occasional concerts and weekly recital hours, and therefore come to the conclusion that since they do not see the hours of bookwork, that all we do is mess around and play music all day. The truth is most music majors are working with a full course load every single semester.
In fact, during my first semester of my sophomore year I was taking 14 courses, over half of which were .25 credits or less (the credit values are so low because the University needed to figure out how to make it possible for students to get all the needed credits in four years without going over a five credit max) This is not to say that majors outside of music do not work as hard, but the average amount of classes my peers had were 4. Every single course I take has papers, exams, presentations, homework, and usually some sort of tie-back to performing arts.
A few weeks ago my classes had midterms. I was trying to schedule an extra rehearsal for a presentation with a peer who was not in the School of Music. While explaining that I couldn’t come to a nine pm rehearsal because I had to write an essay, they exclaimed “You guys write essays?” with disbelief.
Yes. Yes, we do.
When I auditioned for music school I thought that I would be spending most of my time practicing and learning beautiful songs. Little did I realize that my time would almost be split 60-40, with over half the time doing reading, research, translating, and writing… all steps crucial to building an academic understanding of music. But, because I spent the time to do the bookwork, the actual music making was so much more artistic and beautiful.
I ignored the ignorant and often rude comments that other people had to say to me about my chosen major, about my lack of a “proper” education, and reminded myself that I was living out my eighth grade dreams. I savor the moments that I get to spend with friends between choir rehearsals, lessons, music history, language courses, and everything else. I do my homework with my study groups. I believe that my choice in major is worth it, and I can become successful in my own way. There is no one perspective when it comes to “success” and no strict path to getting there.