MusicEdMajor.net» Guest Post

Technology Music Majors Don’t Need

Lindsey Wright — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 21:50:47 +0000

Technological innovations have been shaking the music industry for a decade, and it’s inevitable that many of the innovations first dreamed up for professional artists have trickled down to become available to music students. However, not all technological innovations are created equal, and music majors at traditional colleges or taking online college courses should pick and choose with care how they spend their money. Plenty of software applications and recording devices are essential to the music major — from good sound editing software to MIDI links — but you shouldn’t invest in technology just because it’s purported to be the latest and greatest. To help you sift the diamonds from the dross, below is a list of five of the most overrated or unnecessary musical technologies available today and why they just don’t live up to the hype.

1.) Digital Musical Instruments

Yes, digital instruments are great for experimentation, but they’re next to useless when it comes to actually teaching you how to play an instrument or compose. One need only check out a free website like Virtual Musical Instruments.com to spot the problem. While these digital versions might give you the basic sounds of the instruments they represent, they won’t teach you the tactile skills needed to make that instrument sing. Investing in software applications that use digital musical instruments to teach technique or composition can actually wind up harming your musical progress more than helping it.

2.) Microsoft Kinect

For those interested in music technology, Microsoft Kinect might seem like an obvious investment choice. It’s been used to create plenty of music software applications, but it has one major problem. As noted by Synthotopia, Kinect is prone to musical latency of up to 1/10th of a second. This means that the time between when a note is struck and when it is audible can actually vary by one tenth of a second, thus rendering your performance rhythm off by one second for every ten seconds that are played. This certainly isn’t helpful for practicing true performance. You’re much better off charting your performance the old-fashioned way: record yourself while playing.

3.) Smartphone Audio Editors

The truth of the matter is you won’t be doing much audio editing when you’re on the go. You can’t get the sound quality you need to make nuanced tonal distinctions and decisions from your headphones while sitting in Starbucks, so it’s really not helpful to have an application that will let you edit while on the go. One need only check out a smartphone audio editor like Twisted Wave to see that in addition to lacking the sound quality that budding professional musicians need, it doesn’t offer the editing and mixing possibilities of audio design programs designed for your full-fledged computer. That software that might cost a good bit more (often $50 to $100), but opens a world of sound editing possibilities.

4.) Ear Training Software

You don’t need to spend upwards of $50 on software to learn how to recognize notes by ear. EarMaster 5 might offer musicians the chance to train with a variety of instruments, but you can learn just as much (albeit without the snazzy bells and whistles) if you use a free equivalent like good-ear.com. It offers similar opportunities to train your ear to recognize notes, and eventually play by ear.

5.) Sound Boards, Amplifiers, and Other Big Ticket Items

Yes, you might really feel like a professional musician if you have an amplifier in your basement or a soundboard in the spare bedroom, but this is hardly important if you’re living on a budget. Colleges’ music departments provide the big bells and whistles. You’ll have to book time in the recording studio or check out the amplifier, but you don’t have to buy your own right away. Let the school cover the bill for the expensive equipment. If you should worry about any technology of your own, it should be making sure your computer is the best miniature recording and editing studio it can be.

Technology is making it easier for musicians to compose, edit, and format their work, but that doesn’t mean that all music technology is something students need. Some of it is useless to serious musicians, or just extraneous. Other items are simply too expensive to justify buying yourself, especially if there’s a way to gain access to it for free through your school. Whatever the case, it’s best to do some serious research before handing over hard-earned cash for the latest technology.

The Big Fat Scary Mean College Audition… (I’m Kidding!)

Sari Feinstein — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:30:36 +0000

Ok so you’re all dressed up, pacing the floors, sweating in places you’ve never sweat before, and you’re mind is racing at a mile a minute. One word – Breathe.

Just breathe.

Here’s the most important piece of advice I was ever told about college auditions. Professors WANT you to do well. Professors WANT to see you succeed. Remember they WANT to recruit you. Professors don’t want to go about teaching their freshman the basics, they want to get down and dirty to the hardcore musicianship. If you show in an audition, not necessarily perfection, but raw material, that a professor can easily work with, then you are on the track to acceptance.

Don’t freak out. Just remember these smiling faces are actually excited to meet you! They need freshman and you are potentially one of those freshman!

Think before you play. You’ve probably heard this statement billions of times from your private teacher before. I’m telling you, you’ll probably forget so I’m reminding you once more. Think before you play. Breathe. Relax. Professors understand the stress and want you to play your absolute best. So make sure you make the most out of those 10 minutes and show them confidently that you can play.
Also, be yourself. Don’t choke. They want to see your personality too! Have fun with them.

Smile.. Always remember to smile and walk in with confidence in your music. Let the professors enjoy your song for that short moment you have with them.

I’ll tell you a short story from personal experience. I, myself, have never been a performer. I love playing, but solo performances have never sat right with me. And I’m a bundle of nerves going in to play for people. But trust me when I say that auditions are only as scary as you make them out to be. Go to your happy place. Do any pre-performance rituals you normally do. Wear your lucky shoes or listen to your piece on your iPod on repeat for three hours before hand. And most importantly, stay calm and breathe. Make the most out of the time you have. And enjoy it!

Applications Applications…

Sari Feinstein — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:01:34 +0000

Now it’s time for the “fun” stuff. Actually spending the time, filling out every single detail of your life from your dog’s name to your social security number and everything in between.

Suggestion #1: Fill out your applications and have a rough draft of your essays BEFORE school begins.
Accomplishing all of this early will save you hours and hours of headaches when stressed at the beginning of the year with IB and AP classes, marching band seasons (if you’re a band participant) and every other rehearsal that may take up your time. It may be difficult to get that work ethic going before school is in session, but just take the week before and fill out everything you need to. Also, see how many schools of yours accept the CommonApp Application. This saves you a lot of time as well, but don’t get too excited- there are always supplements!

Suggestion #2: Know your limits.
Please know that for simply applying to schools, there is a fee. To send SAT scores there is a fee, which must be paid for each school you wish to send them too. To send ACT scores there is also a fee, which must be paid for each school you wish to send them too. Applying can get pricey so make sure that whoever is laying out the money for applications is okay with the amount of schools you are applying to.

Suggestion #3: Uniqueness- It’s Essay Time
This part you can actually have fun with. You can write about almost anything for the CommonApp, and a lot of the time individual schools with their own applications have fun with the essay portion, and give you a very out-of-the-box topic. Be creative. Think of a completely random experience that you can look back on as if it was a movie scene, and you know you’ll never forget it. Or think of the time that you realized who you truly were. I can’t tell you which experience or person or place to talk about as I have not lived your life. But think of something that no one else can say “Oh, that happened to me too!” Be unique. Be original. And if you have fun writing it, the schools will have fun reading it.

Suggestion #4: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
The minute school begins, knock on your English teacher’s door and say “Can you read this?!?” Ask for as many opinions as you can find – guidance counselor, teachers, parents and all. Do not be afraid to ask for opinions and don’t be afraid of a little constructive criticism. The school officials and family members are only there to help you. No worries!

The added stress of college applications is not what anyone wants, especially when beginning your senior year of high school. But, it will be much less painful if you get the dirty work done in the summertime. Remember to always be yourself and let that show in everything you write. Let colleges hear your voice and don’t stress!

Choosing Audition Repertoire

Sari Feinstein — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:46:39 +0000

Alright so you have your schools all listed out, you have created that handy dandy chart so all is laid out in front of you on one simple sheet, but you’re left to do one more thing before the mad practice sessions begin. What will you play? I’m here to help you choose some repertoire.

Step 1: Take a look at that chart you’ve made. When looking at every school’s audition rep list- Is there an overlap for any of these pieces?
Now, I most likely guarantee that you won’t be playing the same program for every school but if you could possibly find a program that you could play at more than one school, you are in good shape my friend.

Step 2: Take a look at the dates for auditions. Do you think you are going to be able to play this music at the same caliber, three months apart? You must look realistically at the big picture here. If you are a disciplined practicing musician, then I definitely say you’ll be fine but if you know after the first audition you won’t want to pick up the piece again, then maybe it’s not so smart to choose the same program.
Step 3: This is massively important I tell you. Do you like the music? If you don’t like the music, and it shows when you play it, don’t choose it. Times spent trying to make yourself love something you simply are sick and tired of, may not pay off as much as you would think. Make sure you’re excited and eager. Go to YouTube right now and check the pieces out! Find ones that you love.
Step 4: Which pieces that you have narrowed this down to, really show your strengths as a musician? You want to show off what you got in a sense. You want to have a well- balanced offering of pieces and a strong and equal stance on all. These pieces need to help you, not hurt you. So choose wisely! And make sure you like them. Trust me, you don’t want to be stuck drawing hearts on your sheet music to make you play with joy. Have fun with it!

New music, get excited. And break a leg!!!

Majoring in Music Education: Graduate vs Undergraduate

Russ Callahan — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:10:49 +0000

Coursework

I think the biggest difference between undergraduate work and graduate work is the depth of coursework. The scope of undergraduate coursework is typically very broad, as universities want to prepare students for a variety of possible teaching scenarios. Consequently, the courses you take in your Bachelors are not always the most interesting or even directly related to teaching music. Graduate work is much more in-depth and specific to music education. Most Universities typically require only a few specific courses for the degree, which typically include some type of introduction to research course and some type of bibliography course. The rest of the degree programs are outlined by elective categories and or a specialization track you choose. You may be have the ability to focus on performance, pedagogy, research, etc. depending on the school you attend, and the resources they have available. I don’t think the degree defines the person, but the person defines the degree. With careful planning, one can hone in on very specific skills within the music education Masters program. I want to really emphasize how important this point is because I believe a number undergraduate music education majors have an impression that they have to get a conducting degree to be an excellent conductor. One can have the best of both worlds!

Course Loads and Class Time

Reflecting on my undergraduate experience, I’ll never forget the semester I took 21 hours or the semester when I had 13 classes! This is a familiar story for many undergraduate music education majors. In graduate school, course loads are much more reasonable. Full time graduate students typically take between 9 to 12 hours, which translates into 3 to 5 courses. I tend to focus more on the number of classes rather than the number of hours since each course will require a lot of work regardless of how many credit hours you will earn. It’s also important to take into account any time commitments that an assistantship may bring.

Final Thoughts & Things to Consider

Many schools require proficiency exams in music history, music theory, aural skills, piano, and possibly more. All I can say about this is good luck!
Prior to entering a program, get familiar with some of the most common music education journals and read a few articles (hint: skip the statistics-laden results sections for now).
Be prepared to do a lot more reading and writing than you have ever done!
Finally, I think it is imperative that a person goes into graduate work with very specific goals. For me, the key to establishing my goals was spending a few years outside of the college environment teaching. This may not be the route for everyone, but it certainly can’t hurt anyone to enter graduate school with some time away from higher education.

College Applications: Prioritizing Schools

Sari Feinstein — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 14:00:03 +0000

Are you finding yourself bombarded by tons of brochures? Junk college mail? E-mails? The amount of information you receive is impossible for even the most organized person to keep track of. But no worries college applicant, you are in luck!!! I have developed a simple and easy way of keeping track of all this overwhelming info. Just follow these steps.

The Process:

Open up a Word document, make the page layout in landscape form, and create a table. You want 4 rows, and each college you plan on applying to will have its own column, plus one more column for labels.
In the first column, use these labels in order, for each row
1. “College”
2. “Audition Dates”
3. “Possible Degrees”
4. “Audition Repertoire”
Use each column after that to fill in the criteria based on whichever school you are looking at.
For “Possible Degrees” you might be wondering why it’s necessary. For those who are unsure which music degree we want to eventually go into, this helps use prioritize which school caters the most to our interests. Also, after visiting schools I found out that for example, the University of North Texas’s music education program is 5 years, which is something I definitely took note of in this section. At UMiami, if you take part in the marching band, all your book expenses are covered, which I also took note of in this section. Since I eventually want to go into ethnomusicology I wrote things like “minor in anthropology” at Ithaca College because it’s good prep for a graduate program and they have a great anthropology program at Ithaca. Or “African Drumming Program” at SUNY Fredonia and “specialized study in ethno” for UNT.
For “Audition Repertoire” I simply went to each school’s website for audition repertoire and copy and pasted the requirements into each box. Over the year as I realized what I was going to play, I highlighted the piece in red (you may choose whatever color you desire!).
You will soon find the handy dandy use of the first row, the “audition dates.” When trying to book your trips, your flights, your weekends of auditions it gets overwhelming due to the amount of audition dates available for each school, and figuring out what school you will go to when. Having all the available dates on one piece of paper was by far the greatest benefit. It saves all the stress and chaos of having all those music brochures around your dining room table, certain schools getting lost in the sauce and then you realize that you need to adjust everything to work with another school that you might have forgotten about. This is all the good stuff on one piece of paper- all you need is a highlighter, your school calendar and parents help too when deciding when you can travel where! Just highlight the dates you believe will suit you and your family best.

Hint: Go to your top choice schools during their first few audition dates offered. You have a better chance of getting accepted when you show early interest in the school.

So with these steps, you can organize your entire musical collegiate experience!!! It’s as easy as pie. And I must say, I made this chart back in about January of my Junior year (which is way early, so don’t panic applicants, you have time!). I went back countless times to edit it and add things and to find my audition rep. And, I still use it, after all my applications are through and auditions are booked. This chart is beyond helpful and I highly recommend any college applicant to try it out. Make one!

And let me know how you like it! Any questions, feel free to comment! I will always try and help! Suggestions to make the chart even more helpful! Comment! This chart is still a baby, and I am 100% open minded to improvements and additions, so please let me know what you think! Hope this is a helpful start.

Happy prioritizing!

Teaching Abroad

Brian White — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:00:57 +0000

Here’s a question for all of the music education majors on this site: how many of you have heard of or know of someone teaching abroad – not the English language lessons used to fund backpack trips though foreign countries or the Department of Defense Schools at US military bases overseas? Have you heard of the the American School in Singapore, London, Tokyo and Paris. What about the International School of Bangkok, Beijing, the Hague, Prague, Quito and Manila? Have any of your professors mentioned the thousands of schools throughout the world that hire US teachers? Probably not. It seems like it’s a secret club that very few educators know about…including your professors. My wife and I stumbled upon it by chance and our lives were changed forever.

In 1998 after my second year of teaching high school band, we were on a backpacking trip though Europe. In a little village outside of Innsbruck, Austria we ran into another American teaching couple and shared classroom stories over a few beers. It turned out that they were teaching at an international school in Narobi, Kenya (http://www.isk.ac.ke/). Their school had over 700 students and offered the American as well as the International Baccalaureate diplomas. They also told us that there were schools like this all over the world. We had no idea.

We did research over the next few years and decided to make our move in the fall of 2003. By that July we were living in Singapore and working at the Singapore American School (SAS); a pre-k through grade 12 campus with 3900 students. I currently run a middle school band program with 230 students grades 6-8. We have five general music teachers that work with the K-5 students, we have band, choir, and orchestra in both the middle and high school as well as AP music theory. There are over 800 students in our performing ensembles taught by thirteen music teachers.

I have made friends with music teachers from all over the world through my involvement in the Association for Music in International Schools – AMIS (http://amis-online.org.uk/ ). Through this organization I have been able to take students on festival trips to Beijing, Shanghai, Manila, Bangkok, Paris, Rabat (Morocco), and Jakarta. I have been invited to guest conduct international music festivals in Beijing, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.

When I was in university, I would never have dreamed any of this was possible. At this point in our lives, we don’t ever plan to work in the US again…and neither do most of the other teachers I talk to who are currently working abroad. Teaching abroad is that good and I can’t believe that it took us so many years to find out about the international teaching scene. I have been doing my best to tell all of my friends in the US about it and when I was invited to post on this site, I jumped on the chance. I want you to know about it so that you have more options. Teaching abroad is not for everyone but for those that have a sense of adventure, I believe that you must look into it. Below I have provided some information that I hope will be useful for you.

Pros/Cons

This list of pros vs. cons is based on my personal experience and I have only worked at one school. I know many teachers at other schools and tried to provide anecdotal evidence from discussions with them.

Pros

Salary: Many international schools pay extraordinarily well but it depends on the school and the region. Schools that are for private will pay a lot less than those that are non profit. The best places to make an exceptional salary are in Asia and the Middle East. Most western European schools have low salaries with very few benefits. There are a some that pay well, but job openings at those schools do not come available too often. I’ve been told that many schools in South America are for profit so the salaries are low, but then again, the cost of living is also very low.

It’s hard to compare salaries when you know nothing about the cost of living in a foreign city. What you have to look at is the benefit package the school offers. For example, at my school, besides the basic salary, we receive an overseas salary supplement each year (extra money for working overseas), a monthly housing allowance that pays for our condo plus we get that balance back in cash of we don’t use the entire amount, a flight to get you to the school when you sign your contract and one home when you contract ends, flights to the US once a year for each family member, free tuition for your dependents, moving allowance, and the annual wage supplement- an extra paycheck in December. This seems unreal, but, international schools are private schools that need to attract clients (students). They best way to do this is to hire great teachers and one of the ways to attract teachers to move overseas is with great hiring packages.

Travel/Culture/Diversity - Working overseas has allowed me and my family to experience so many different cultures. The traveling we have done during holidays to over fifteen countries is something I would never have been able to afford while working in the US. Secondly, we have over forty different nationalities at my school. I have learned so much from my colleagues and my students about their home countries and cultures. With students and friends I have had the chance to celebrate Hari Raya Pusa, Deepavali, Hari Raya Hajii, Chinese New Year, Singapore National Day, and The Hungry Ghost Festival. I’ve trekked though the Indian Himalayas chatting with sherpas about their home in Nepal, attended a traditional Indian wedding, built lanterns for a festival in Thailand… The list goes on and on. Growing up in a small town in Illinois I never dreamed any of this. I am truly a global citizen now because of my choice to work abroad.

School Climate – At many international schools the arts are completely supported and the constant worry of having your program cut is not a concern. For many schools, a quality arts program is a great recruiting tool when it comes to getting parents to enroll their child. The students are usually quite motivated and work very hard. If you think about it, many of the international schools cater to foreign businesses that have their executives overseas. These are highly motivated and successful people and their children tend to be the same.

The parents are usually very active in school and support their children in any way possible. They are also usually well off financially and this has increased benefits for your classroom. For example, at the end of each year I send out an email asking 7th grade parents to consider upgrading their students beginner model instrument to something better. I often see the 8th grade students the next fall with Bach strads and Buffet clarinets.

Private international schools can also be quite financially independent. At my school, I have a substantial budget that allows me to purchase enough rental instruments (the larger ones) to give every student one to have at school and at home. Also, we are not allowed to fund raise at our school and there really isn’t a need. When I took my students on the trips I listed above, I told the parents the price of the trip, and they wrote a check. No fund raising period! Based on my conversions with other teachers in AMIS many of the schools are similar in this aspect.

Oh and by the way… there is no marching band ( I consider this a “pro”). Marching band is a product of the US and is not widely accepted overseas. Even if you wanted to have one, you can’t have a summer band camp because everyone has gone back to their home country for the summer. I can only think of one intentional school in all of Asia that has a pep band. Your Friday nights are free to enjoy as you wish.

Cons

Stress on the family- If you are very close to your family, living overseas can be stressful. You will miss everyone’s birthday parties and holiday gatherings or you will have to be a long distance observer through Skype. Again, it depends on the school and where it is located, but if you want to work in Asia making it back home is a long and arduous process. It takes my family 22 hours to get to Chicago from Singapore. The jet lag is awful and lasts a week. Conversely, there is a great school in Monterrey Mexico where many teachers can take a road trip to Texas to do their shopping. Location, location, location.

Transient nature of Teaching Abroad – There are two cons in this category. The first is that most teachers that teach abroad move around often. Should you work overseas for any given period of time, you will have to say goodbye to many of your friends. There are some schools where teachers stay put, but that is not the norm.

Secondly, and this applies mostly to music teachers and coaches, it’s tough to build a program. Companies can decide at the drop of a hat to move an employee and when that happens, their whole family is relocated too. You may lose your 1st chair violin or best trumpet player over the Christmas break. However, this also means you may gain new students at anytime too. One year when I was thinking I was going to have a weak trumpet section, two new good players moved in over the summer and the section turned out to be one of the strongest.

Retirement/Contracts/Tenure- Many schools abroad do not have any forced retirement savings plan. There are no 401K’s or teacher retirement systems. At our school we are handed a lump sum each month for retirement ( I forgot to mention that above in the salary “pros”) and we have to figure out what to do with it. If you are not good with money…this could defiantly be a “con.” This could also be a “pro” because you are allowed to invest your money however you wish.

Initial contracts at most international schools are given for two years and if you are unhappy at a school and break a contract after a year, you’ll have a hard time getting a job at another international school. While there are thousands of schools around the globe, it’s a tight knit community and all the heads of schools seem to know each other. You’ll be blacklisted. When you complete your initial two year contract, for each year following you will probably be offered one year contracts based on your performance. There is no tenure and there are no government regulations to protect you. You work hard because you may not get invited back if you don’t.

You Might Wear Many Hats – I have the luxury of working at a very large school that has enough students to support separate band choir and orchestra programs. I only teach the middle school bands. Many international schools are small and you may have to wear many hats. I have a colleague in Aberdeen Scotland that is the music teacher at the school. It’s a very small school and he teaches all of music classes from K through 12. This is not a “con” for him and he loves it. However, you need to be prepared that you might be asked to teach just about any music class.

How to Get Started:

If you are interested in teaching abroad, recruiting for happens very early. We found that out the first year we started to look for jobs overseas. We began the process in March and by then, most of the positions were already filled -especial the music positions. Many international schools have a December 1st deadline for current employees to notify administration if they are returning the following year. Recruiting fairs happen in January and February. A late one occurs in the summer to fill all the left over positions that couldn’t get filled earlier.

I would start by buying the online guide at the “Joy Jobs” website. We started here and found it incredibly useful. http://www.joyjobs.com/ This is a comprehensive guide to finding positions overseas. Next, sign up for a recruiting fair. Many schools will not accept cold emails and only recruit through the fairs. there are two main recruiting firms. Search Associates http://www.search-associates.com/ and International School Services- http://www.iss.edu/education-careers/for-educators/ host the largest fairs. The University of Northern Iowa also hosts a fair http://www.uni.edu/placement/overseas/ . Be aware that there are fees involved to get invited to the fairs. To get an invite, you will have to submit a CV and letters of recommendation to your chosen recruiting firm. Please note: many recruiting firms may tell that they don’t offer invites to a fair unless you have a minimum of three years teaching experience. Don’t let this deter you. This is sometimes overlooked for music teachers because these positions can be hard to fill.

The biggest key to getting hired for a school abroad is to be flexible. If you get invited to a recruiting fair, don’t go with the hopes of getting one specific position or with the idea of working in one specific country. Schools want to save money and sending administrators overseas to recruiting fairs is expensive. If they can fill the position in advance the will. The job you see posted on sites like TIE Online (you can sign up here- http://www.tieonline.com/ to receive immediate notices when jobs are posted) may be filled before you even get to the recruiting fair. Don’t get stuck on teaching in Europe.

There is also a hierarchy to who will get hired first at an international school. If a school is paying for your housing, wouldn’t it save them more money if two teachers lived in the same house? Teaching couples get hired first before single teachers. You may be more qualified than a competitor for the job you want, but your competitor may be more affordable. Be flexible. If you are single, con your friend into teaching abroad and tell the schools you interview with that you will live in the same house. Just make sure your friend is not another music teacher. Your options will be severely limited if you are looking for two music positions at the same school.

I hope I have provided you with some useful information to help you get started with your career teaching abroad. By no means is the information above comprehensive. As stated before, this is my experience based on my career overseas and discussions with my colleagues. Every countries laws are different and every international school is different. Do your research, expand your possibilities, and go to the fairs with an open mind. You won’t regret it.

Moving From Student to Teacher to Student

Russ Callahan — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:01 +0000

Student…

The life of an undergraduate music education major is incredibly busy. Most students will take on ridiculous course loads filled with all kinds of classes, performances, proficiency requirements, and part-time jobs. Some of these obstacles seem incredibly important while others seem vaguely relevant. Somewhere in the midst of all of this, the new graduate has also managed to complete at least a semester of student teaching, and is ready to take on his or her own classroom. The new graduate is deployed into the world with a stack of official university transcripts, a pending teaching certificate/license, letters of recommendation, and an enormous collection of three ring binders containing nearly half a decade’s worth of important handouts.

Teacher…

New graduates should be proud of their accomplishments, confident of their knowledge and skills, and prepared to enter into a classroom as “The Teacher” rather than “The Student.” It is the last part of this equation that I think is the most important in terms of preparedness. After all, new graduates have been living the role of a student since kindergarten, and now must adjust to a different routine and lifestyle. While we are never truly done being students, there is a transition or redefinition that takes place after graduation. Graduates should not be frightened by this change, but should see this is an overdue rite of passage. Following are a few of the challenges you will face, along with some helpful tips for easing these transitions:

Time management: Your daily schedule is going to contain much less down time than when you were a student. Make the most of your scheduled planning time*. This is where being a self-starter and creating “to do lists” based on priority will preserve sanity. Also, remember there comes a time when you have to make yourself stop working and go home. If you find yourself lacking time to get important things done, rethink how you are doing things and simplify.
Accountability: You are already familiar with accountability, except when you were a college student, you were only accountable for your own learning. Now, you are accountable for others’ learning as well. This might be a good time to revisit that philosophy of music education paper you likely had to write in one of your undergrad classes.
Time Off: When you were in college, you were spoiled with dubious amounts of time off during the months of December and January. This will change dramatically; however, adjusting to this is not that hard if you take whatever time you get and relax! Put the job on hold! Don’t be that director who never stops working. It’s unbecoming. Your students deserve a teacher who has spent some time resting.
Employed: Here is the part you didn’t get to experience as a student teacher. You are now an employee of the school district, and with that comes certain responsibilities. This is unfortunately an area where you will have to do quite a bit of discovery learning, as every job comes with different expectations. People skills and asking questions are key!
Context: Lastly, what I remember most about this transition was the sudden existence of context for decision making. Undergraduates spend a lot of time discussing the ins and outs of teaching, but largely this is done in a vacuum where students are not given contextual factors that may place realistic restrictions on decision making. I think this leads to a lot of “best case scenario” thinking, but rarely does a first year teacher end up in such a position. Ask lots of questions early and often so that you have sufficient time to wrap your head around the contextual factors of your new position. While your still in school, spend some time considering challenging “what if” scenarios:…What if I show up and there are no chairs in the room? ….What if I have purchasing needs, but no budget money until December?…What if my predecessor forgot to send off instruments for much-needed repairs?… etc. Get creative with these ideas and write down multiple solutions.

Student

Returning to the role of full time student while pursuing a graduate degree also has it’s transitional challenges (much easier though!). Having taught for a few years, you have a better idea of what you don’t know, and continuing your education gives you the chance to remedy that. In a future post, I will compare the differences between music education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

*You should have a plan/conference period in your schedule. If you do not, this is a battle worth choosing.

College Shopping- School Visits!

Sari Feinstein — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:00:07 +0000

This is the realization moment for all of us youngins. We will end up one of these prospective campuses soon, and we will be waking up every morning to an either breathtaking view, or a sandy beach or some beautiful architecture. The feeling of college hits us! But while in the midst of this dreamlike reality, be sure to take action! This is your time to determine if you can truly live here for the next four years. Follow these simple steps and you’ll be sure to be on your way.

Roam aimlessly around the school before the big events begin - You get to see the students walking around on their everyday routine. It’s a perfect time to ask, “Hey, do you like it here?” Look at the campus. Too big? Too small? Spread out for miles on end and unable to walk anywhere? How’s the weather? Just get a general vibe from the students and the departments. You can most likely walk inside the buildings. Peek your head into classes! Although college might seem intimidating, don’t worry, the people don’t bite.
Take a tour of the music school – If you want to be a music major, make sure you become acquainted with the building(s) you will spend hours on end in, practicing, in class or simply just hanging out. Are dorms in walking distance to the music school? Also, when on tour, stop by the professor of your particular instrument’s door. Most professors have bulletin boards outside filled with information. I find myself lost in bulletin boards at every school I visit. They’re filled with such interesting information! If you just so happen to see the professor walking through the hallway, introduce yourself! Don’t be a stranger!
Take a tour of the entire school – If you happen to know someone at the school, ask them to give you a tour. I’m telling you, they’ll most likely give you the “all-exclusive unabridged and completely true” tour. All those tours that sound completely memorized and rehearsed, you can find all that information on the website. You want to learn something new and exciting about the school! If you don’t know anyone, take the school’s tour. Most of the time the tour guides are very nice and you can keep in contact with them, in case any questions pop up along the ride home.
**AVOID: “Open Houses” and other huge Prospective Student Events**

Why do you ask? You lose a sense of the school. You want to go visit on a normal weekend, an ordinary time for college students. On huge open houses, it’s jam-packed with prospectives that you don’t know who to talk to and most of the college students are advised to watch out for the big crowds so they avoid the scene.

It’s time for a little short story! When I visited UMiami, it was the only open house I attended. It was HUGE! So many students, and at first I really was not loving the school. They brought us all into a gym the size of my town and then separated us into our prospective schools. This was the realization moment for me. The crowd for the Frost School of Music was much smaller, much more intimate. I actually really enjoyed the music school! I took a complete 180 from the morning spent at the school. I met Andy and found a way to contact him because I knew as another trumpet player, music education major, he would be perfect in answering all the questions I would have on the plane ride home. Which is exactly what happened! If you happen to attend an open house, just don’t lose hope when overwhelmed by the size of prospectives. It’s hard to hear and see during the general tour (especially if you’re really short like me) but if the school gives you the opportunity to break out into your department (yours being music) it shall definitely help!

IF YOU CAN…

If possible, take a lesson with the professor! It helps getting to know the vibe of the professor, but in no way is it necessary. You can still prove yourself perfectly well through the audition! No worries!
Also, if you know someone at the school, ask to spend a night in a dorm! They’ll most likely let you! You get to go out with them at night, and see what the social life is like. You get to go to class with them and see how their professors are. It is a win-win situation!!!
Some schools like Boston University have a program like that, where you don’t even have to know the person! You can simply spend the night in a dorm and just get a feel for the life there. Check it out before you go. Programs like this are sure to have more information on the website.

And there’s just one thing left to do. Travel! Happy shopping fellow music majors!

Researching Schools: Where Do I Look?

Sari Feinstein — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:00:27 +0000

So, you’ve decided you want to study Music Education. Now, it’s time to find the right school for you! Are you finding yourself stuck? Out of the countless music schools across the country and over the world, which one is right for you? There are tons of fantastic schools out there, so the first step to finding the right fit for you is narrowing it down. Here are five steps to choosing the right school for you:

Step 1: CONSERVATORY vs. UNIVERSITY

I can tell you right now the easiest choice I ever made, but for some it can be really difficult. A conservatory (for those who have not visited) is strictly music. You will not find any other majors offered, and conservatories are primarily performance based (although more and more now offer music ed. degrees).

At a university you can find departments, each offering different subjects like math and English. In case you want to take a walk and possibly have a conversation in an area other than music, a university is a good choice. You may have interests in other areas and choose to double major or minor in something else, where you will most likely find the option at a university.

OH, and if you are a band geek like me and wish to take part in a collegiate marching band, and have an exciting sports scene at your school, it’s a university all the way.

Step 2: LOCATION

Here are some questions to consider when debating location:

Am I financially stable to travel as far as a plane ride away?
Do I want the ability to come home on some weekends?
Do I want a cold or warm environment?
Is the car ride going to be unbearable?
What is surrounding the campus? Is it in “no man’s land?” Is it in a city or near one?

These questions are very important. Personally, I do not want to be in the middle of nowhere. If it has a big college town, that is great, and I know I will be fine. But if you need one narrow little road to get there, that you must stay on for eight hours, it is not my ideal choice.

Step 3: DEPARTMENT

Which area of music do you wish to go into? If it is music education, take a look at their website. See what other degrees they offer to get a sense of the school. When I visited the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami I saw how they have a contemporary songwriting program. A lot of opportunity offered, and you can see they are a bit more flexible than say, Julliard’s music school.

Since I want to eventually look into ethnomusicology (after music ed, of course) I look to see which schools are more diverse and culturally friendly. The University of North Texas, for example, offers approximately 15 different percussion ensembles alone- many of which are from other cultures. And Ithaca College has an awesome liberal arts school where I can take a minor in anthropology.

Step 4: PROFESSOR TIME

Take a look at the professor(s) of your instrument at the schools you look into. Then type their name into Google and see what comes up! YouTube them and see if you like their playing. If you are able to, take a lesson and see if you enjoy his/her teaching styles/personality. If you know someone at the school who plays the same instrument or knows the professor, have them introduce you two, one day. It is all a system of networking in addition to your musical talent. If not, send the professor(s) an email if you have any concerns. They do email back, most of the time!

At the University of North Texas I received a lesson from one of the trumpet professors. It was an extremely helpful lesson and I could get a sense of what college would be like there. I have friends from high school up at Ithaca College who introduced me to trumpet professor and took me on an all-inclusive tour around what isn’t necessarily explained on the generic campus tour. At the University of Miami I met Andy Zweibel who I am in constant contact with, asking an infinite amount of questions about the school. From my connections with Andy, I found the blog of the trumpet professor, Craig Morris, who I love reading about and listening to! And also, that is how you know me today! It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s fun. And it could help your college acceptance that much more!

Step 5: VISIT

[But that’s for a whole other article!]

I cannot stress the importance of making connections. Learn about others who go to the school. Facebook request friends of friends of friends who go to a college of your interest. A simple question doesn’t hurt, and you have nothing to lose! The more eager you are, the more contagious it is. But I do ask that you do not take this the wrong way. Networking is not how you get into music school, it is solely a little bit extra. Your musical talent will come first. What I am trying to say is that networking is not harmful in any way so you have nothing to lose! Try it!