How do you feel about your A.A. in Music and what do you think you are qualified to do?
I have one myself and throughout it I went from Electric Bass to String Bass, Performed in atleast 3 Ensembles throughout (minimum was 2 but Jazz was Electric, Orchestra was Upright). Still used my Upright in Jazz later on but just not at the beginning. Took two year long workshop classes for Brass and then Woodwind instruments where you learn you to play them correctly as well as how to maintain, repair and a bit of info on how to budget as a music teacher. Theory and Sight Singing obviously, gotta love that and the Piano class where you can finally just relax and play.
Not looking for any of the negative comments or, “That’s it! I did this and this and this!!!!” In theory we also did some light audio engineering work working through Sibelius and Garritan during compositions for finals.
Right now, I use that degree as a credential to give part time lessons. I have been playing Violin and Cello since I was 8, am now 24. It came into question when I was talking to someone with a Bachelor’s in Music Education a month ago and he’s teaching a small music academy. Receptionist, open for about 9 hours a day (when receptionist is there) and have a setup of up to a dozen split practice rooms. We had both been out of studying for a few years so we picked out a piece and did some harmonic analysis as well as sight reading it. We found a Phillip Glass score and went from there. From what I had understood when I was aiming to transfer into Performance, unless you’re doing some kind of Comp major theory stops after two years. As it turned out, I remembered more than he did and he couldn’t identify N6 or G6, didn’t even remember how to write them. My sight reading was better than his as well for the one fact that I could transpose on sight and he couldn’t but I was going for a Performance degree so that wasn’t as much awe. Still though, my sight reading on Violin trumped his Guitar (classical, not electric, just so there’s no confusion).
I feel that I am a proficient teacher when it comes to demonstrating skill as well as teaching it. I also teach theory later on in my lessons and while I’m not at par to teach band in public schools I also had considered taking a comp course and focusing on film scores but John Williams beat me to it. Really though, is anyone out here using their A.A. to do anything else?
The only other thing I’ve heard so far is to write jingles at $50 a pop for local radio commercials. Please not smart remarks like, “go on to get my next degree…”. Just want to hear what people have done to make use of it.
Sight Reading Music
