As a music major, I’ve been told that my major is useless, that I won’t be able to find a job in my field, I won’t make any money, and I won’t be prepared for the real world. The reality is that we still need the arts to bring creativity into a world that discourages it! While we may not have the most “successful” career by someone else’s standards, we do get some nice perks!
1. FREE TICKETS
In the past year alone, I’ve gotten free tickets to see Itzhak Perlman (only the most talented violinist of the century!), the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra/André Watts, Lucas Debargue, and Richard Goode tickets for FREE. It’s craaazzzy!
2. Endless Gigs
If you are a pianist, you can get a job playing in a restaurant or being the collaborative pianist for a choir. Soloists need to hire accompanists for juries as well, so that is a relatively easy gig. If you are a string bassist, you will be in high demand within jazz ensembles. If you play a strings instrument, you can find a job playing in a quartet for an event. If you are a vocalist or instrumentalist in general, you won’t have a problem finding jobs at weddings, business parties, restaurants…the opportunities are endless!
3. Getting to Know Your Faculty
Since music schools/conservatories are generally small and require private lessons with professors, you will get to know them by name, their past achievements, their favorite chord progression, their favorite food, and their dog.
4. You Get to Teach Children For Cash Money
As a piano major, it’s unlikely that I will have trouble filling my studio in the future. The reality is that being a performance/music ed degree gives you the credibility you need to set up a studio!
5. You Get to Collaborate with Some Awesome People
You need to take various ensembles throughout your years in school—you might even be able to take chamber music, depending on the university. This allows you to learn to collaborate with others and get to know some super cool peers. One prime example is another fellow musician in my music classes—he has played with Demi Lovato!
If you study music in college, you will get some perks that other students don’t have access to. Not only that, but you will be prepared to collaborate with others, work individually, possibly certified to teach in public schools, and more than prepared to set up your own private studio!