So you (or your children) want to be a music major? Why you should let them follow their dreams

Posted by: merismusicalmusings on: May 22, 2011

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This post begins with how I wanted to be a music major starting in the middle of my high school years, but my parents did not want me to do that. Regrettfully, I listened to them, studied something else for 2 1/2 years, and left university because it was THAT important for me to do what I was good at and was passionate about. Several years later, through what I had learned then when I initially applied and what I know now, from having successfully gotten two students in university music programs with large scholarships and friends who are studying music, that it’s a worthy major.

I found that music majors have MANY opportunities to earn money for their music making, while in school, even in their first year. Sometimes it’s just a little page turning job for a faculty member for an hour or two or a psychology research study that needs musicians, but more often it’s private teaching, competitions, wedding, musicals, a club gig, or even a symphony orchestra. Until a few years ago, many of these jobs were open to anyone. I know several music friends who were able to pay the balance of their tuition by saving most of the money on these jobs.

With majors other than music, there are far fewer jobs, and far more competition for them.

Second, certain types of music programs offer co-op programs or internships, which pay well for a few months of work. This is most common with music therapy, but some music education programs offer it too.

Third, if you don’t let them study music and they REALLY want to do it, they WILL find a way. I know I incorporated music as much as I could in my later high school and university years. I played in the college band, and was always at least one of the top three players. (At least I had a Philosophy prof who loved classical music and saw my deep interest and passion, in my essays, particularly his Philosophy of Art, where I connected Beethoven’s 9th Symphony to Tolstoy’s Theory of Art.

Fourth, if you don’t let them do music, they may develop issues with depression and anxiety, about what their life could have been like had they been allowed to do what they wanted! (I still do!)

Fifth, since most music students pursue music education, and music education majors are required to do a second, and sometimes a third subject, and many parts of North America, especially in major cities, have substantially increased the pay of school teachers (70-80K in many schools here, sometimes more, especially for subjects difficult to find teachers for, mostly math, science, and foreign languages) and there are often more jobs than teachers willing to take them!

Sixth, for pianists who are willing to also learn to play the organ, there are more jobs for organists than there are organists willing to take them. Pay for these jobs is very good considering that outside of practice time, most of them at the most require 10-15 hours a week maximum, for pay of about 20-30K a year. Plus there’s the opportunity to have a fine place to teach students and do your own concerts for additional income.

Seventh, there are a variety of opportunities for music students to visit or study in other parts of the world, where the only thing they have to bring is their luggage and spending money. I have a trombonist friend who went to Europe for almost the entire summer because of that, though it’s mostly singers who are offered these opportunities.

Eighth, music majors seem to have very low dropout rates, my guess is not more than 10%, compared to 40-60% in other majors.

Ninth, and although unlikely in many cases, but possible, what if your child IS the one who makes it big in music? I already see evidence of one of the students I taught which I mentioned earlier making it big: he’s made the most presigious youth orchestra for the past 3 years, he’s had opportunities to attend highly selective camps for young musicians, he’s being noticed by some of the top names in the clarinet world at the most prestigious conservatories in the US, and has even produced a CD with his woodwind quintet which is selling quite well for example. And he’s barely 19 years old!

Finally, even if they get a job in the “real world”, music majors are looked upon highly, especially by some of the largest companies in the world. One of my friends who’s in her 50s was a music major, and she has a high level position at a bank. Not only that, music majors who apply to medical school are most likely to be accepted, especially with the growing connections between music and health.