going to college/ college auditions in the future

[gmck2102]

Hello all, my name is Galen, im 18 years old and im currently a post-graduate at the Interlochen arts academy. coming into this year my college list included schools like the university of michigan, Florida state, the university of north Texas and Indiana university. but with the way that my playing is now and with the amount of stress that's been coming up in regards to performing and auditioning, my teacher thinks that trying to go to college as a euphonium performance major might not be a good fit. the schools listed previously have really competitive studios and at this point they all seem like stretches.

I have little desire to be a music teacher like in the sense of being a band or orchestra director, and currently like the aptitude for composing or arranging music. my ambition is to be a performer, wether that be in a military band or a wind symphony, I've always dreamed about traveling the world playing music.
I think that teaching euphonium or trombone would be really cool though so a music education degree would apply there. I know how competitive military bands and the like are to get into, so its good to have a plan b. with that in mind, I've recently discovered an increased interest in the ecological and biological field, and having an involvement in nature as a career path is very alluring at the moment.


I have a few colleges that I think could be safety/less out of reach schools. they include St. Olaf, University of Minnesota Morris, Lawerence University, and the university of Iowa. I have decent academics so I have an alright chance to get into the schools I mentioned previously, but im wondering if I for example get into lets Indiana university as a music ed major, will I still be able to be in the euphonium studio? I feel like my chances of getting into high schools of music are slim, should anyone recommend any colleges that might be more along the lines of a target school?


thanks in advance for any responses!
I hope everyone is well

[Shawn]

Oddball suggestion:
BA (Hons) Music, Open University, UK
https://www.openuniversity.edu/cours...course-details

+ve
--Minimal residency requirement, year 3 as a capstone in the performance class; otherwise online
--Live/travel where you like when you study
--Not difficult to gain entrance
--Not expensive compared to many places

-ve
--Little emphasis on performance
--School has reputation of grading harshly

[bpwilliams]

Hello Galen.

If you have little desire to be a music teacher, do not major in music education.
If your teacher thinks that majoring in performance is not a good fit, do not major in performance.
Take lessons, practice and play as much as possible and pick a major in a field that could start you down the path of economic security.
Keep music in your life, but don't depend upon it to earn your living.

[RickF]

Galen, BPwilliams gives some good advice. I have a friend who plays euphonium very well. He got his BA in euphonium performance at Indiana University, continued on at FSU working towards his master's. Didn't get the gig so tried teaching band but didn't care for it. He's now a cook. He still plays euph but as an avocation and still loves playing.

[Richard III]

Don't fall into the trap of getting into huge debt for college. If you can't afford it, go to a school you can afford. Student debt follows you for a long time and can make life miserable.

[euphlight]

Have you considered going to University of North Dakota? Dr. Joel Pugh is a really great euphonium and trombone player. A plan B like ecological and biological field would be a good fit and keep playing on 'the side' at an university which has a strong low brass program. BPwilliams gave really good advice.

[enhite]

As I'm sure you're aware, Demondrae Thurman is professor of Euphonium at Indiana University Jacobs school of music. As Bloomington, Indiana is within driving distance of Interlochen, perhaps you could arrange a visit and a meeting with Dr. Thurman to discuss your education and career options with him. (I've only talked to him very briefly, but he seemed nice and is certainly in the top ranks of euphonium players. His contact information is on the School of Music website.)
(Afterthought: If you arrange a visit, be aware of road construction between Indianapolis and Bloomington. Also might want to avoid weekends with a home football game.)

[aroberts781]

Good luck in your decision Galen! Ultimately nobody on this forum can make it for you so listen to the advice of those close to you as well as the voice inside you and do your best!

When I was in high school I really wanted to study music in college. After listening to the advice of people close to me and also my own, I ended up with bachelor's and master's degrees in geology (which I also don't think was very high on the list of some of those offering me advice haha).

I went to a fairly small liberal arts school for undergrad and was active in the music department while majoring in something else. I did lessons, wind ensembles, tuba-euph quartets, performed on the occasional recital, marching band, pep bands,etc... I still find personal enjoyment playing music as a hobby on the side as an adult.

Just wanted to share my experience with you so you have an idea that music can still be part of your life without entering the incredibly competitive world of professional touring musician, as others have shared. That said, if it is possible financially/academically/emotionally/etc then maybe give it a shot. What do I know after all?!

[BrassedOn]

In music schools, there are more options than Music Ed and Performance.
Music Business, great for someone wanting to do know all aspects of the industry, including marketing management and recording depending on the school. Great for someone wanting to be a touring musician.
Music Theory and Composition, if that your thing.
Music History, likewise.

And I think, unless something is really wrong, any music major is a member of the studio. You may not have a recital requirement as a history major, but you can probably schedule a recital even if not “required”. I think most ensembles were by audition, not which music program.

At my school, non majors could take lessons with the grad assistant, play in the tuba euph ensemble and the concert band. So that would keep you in the music world while pursiung other nonmusic major. Also had friends who played at the nearby community college while at the university. Preference for the top band to majors probably.

There are also school options for recording and music business like Full Sail. And they do have accredited BA degree programs.

Programs Include:
Audio Production Bachelor's
Music Production Bachelor's
Recording Arts Bachelor's
Show Production Bachelor's

ALSO, Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu has a great biology and ocean science department. And ecological science (like doing site evaluations to protect wildlife) AND playing in their pep band can come with a significant scholarship. May need to play trombone, but trombone is easy, only one moving part. They used to do auditions by video.

[enhite]

Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana has a music program that you might wish to explore, especially since you are a euphonium student. Michael Colburn is director of bands and also the euphonium instructor. In case you don’t immediately recognize the name, Prof. Colburn was not only principal euphonium player for “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band but also its Director for many years. His contact information is on the Butler University School of Music website.

[ann reid]

If you “like” music, even quite a bit, you are in a good place to explore other potential options.

If music is your passion, the most important thing in your life, something that inspires and invigorates you like nothing else can, you will need to plan very carefully so that you are always able to regain your contact(s) with the level and type of music you NEED.

If you get too far way, you may reach a point at which a re-start may be VERY difficult. Take my word for that.

[gmck2102]

this is a more organized and concise phrasing of my dilemma


I've been doing a bunch of deliberating in regards to what I want to go to college for, and where in fact I would like to go. I know what I want to do (for now at least) say 15 years from now. I want to be a performer and play music all over the world, whether that be in a military band or in a chamber group etc etc. this means that i need to get really really really good at playing the euphonium

I understand that competition is high and finding a job along with a decent income would be really challenging, so I feel like I should have something to fall back on. My teacher Tom Riccobono has talked about majoring in music education, but in terms of being a band director etc, I have no desire whatsoever to be a music educator at this time. However the idea of teaching euphonium or low brass does sound interesting (I also have an interest in tuba and trombone)

What does sound very appealing to me is zoology. I am very enthralled with studying and learning about animals and how they function in their different ecosystems. For example, a dream job of mine would be finding and preserving endangered species.

What's causing so much stress at the moment is that I have a great desire to be a euphonium soloist, a position requiring a level of proficiency that seems light years away.
I know that with my current performance ability, auditioning and getting accepted into my current list of music programs is a reach. I know that I want to be in a low brass studio environment, take lessons, and play in wind bands in college, but can I do all that without being a performance major?


Right now, what I want to do in college is to get really good at euphonium and get a degree in zoology. then maybe try and get a degree in euphonium performance afterwards. The problem I'm having is that I now have no idea what colleges to apply to and how I could have some kind of double major or major minor combination that would fulfill the goal of getting really really really good at euphonium as well as getting a degree in zoology.


The issue I'm having is that I don't think that I'm good enough to be accepted as a euphonium performance major, and in my head at least, that's the only way I could excel at euphonium. I feel like if I went for music ed (which I don't really have any interest in) I may or may not be a part of the studio, and I would have to take education classes and try and learn all of the instruments and that would take up time spent practicing euphonium, which would already be being taken up by getting a zoology degree, which I want to get because I am very interested in it, and also because i need a source of financial income.

[Richard III]

This subject comes up all the time in a trumpet forum. For all the performance oriented people, I always ask the same question. Are you gigging now? Are you involved with outside groups making money? If not, why not? Are you not that interested? Are you not that good?

Second topic is college majors. People say they want to major in something they have some interest in. Are you doing anything in that field now? If not, why not? And with that interest, what is the exact job you would be training for? I don't mean some vague idea of a job, but an actual job. What does it pay? What kind of benefits do people earn with that job?

These are the kind of questions once answered can lead to solid planning.

[DaveBj]

Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana . . .

. . . also had a top-level pharmacy program when I was there in the late 1960s. Several of our top musicians were actualy pharm majors. If one's interests run in that direction.

[tokuno]

Can't hurt to contact your local Marine recruiter and ask about MEOP - Musician Enlistment Option Program.
My two oldest chose this path, in part to scratch the music itch, but also to pay for their own educations, serve their country, travel, and expand their life experience.
My daughter's still deliberating whether music will be more than a hobby in her future, but in the meantime the Marines have given her terrific experiences (she just came off a week's machine gun training that she loved), and are paying for her undergraduate degree (remote classes) while she's getting paid to play music and max her 401K contribution.
It's not soloing, but here she's with her section buds at a recent engagement https://youtu.be/1PNrZhT_OMc Notice the expert rifle & pistol badges she's wearing. This is the young lady who hated exercise, organized sports, and PE class, but is now working on her 3rd-level martial arts belt. We're thrilled & a bit envious of our kids' interesting opportunities.
And they have break-out bands, too - e.g. big band, brass band - that offer plenty of limelight to shine as a soloist.
Her older brother is in a similar situation: he got paid to play while figuring out that he prefers music performance as a hobby, not a career, instead of outlaying six figures in college costs to realize it. To the contrary, he has accumulated well into multiple six figures in savings (military doesn't pay great, but he's extremely frugal and the market has been going full tilt).
He just began his second enlistment and while his primary MOS is still music, he has found a passion as the resident IT specialist, crafting custom solutions like specialized databases & automation scripts, and thinks this industry will be his undergrad & future career.
Btw, he enlisted pre-Covid Lockdown, so he has enjoyed quite a bit of travel - France, Canada, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, Louisiana for Mardi Gras, and up and down the East Coast, and it looks like he'll get the posting to Okinawa that he requested - it's been a fabulous experience for him, as well.
Child #3 is a senior in high school and just submitted to the Naval Academy, but as his safety, he auditioned for (and was accepted into) the Marine Band on euphonium. He's a good player & dynamite sight reader, but nowhere approaching prodigy level. I think the Marines are unique of the services in that they recruit high school grads, so the playing level requirement might be not as high as you think. I encourage you to check it out.