What are music schools preparing students for?

[Bob]

I mean really, I see some that say they prepare teachers, but that's only one class and the rest is lessons.

[m1469]

I don't think they are actually "preparing" us for anything, in the sense of the teachers and the institution being responsible for what we do with ourselves.  And how can they ? 

I don't think that's really their purpose.  I think they simply provide opportunities for an individual to grow and learn.  The rest is up to the individual to use what is available, and in essence, the student prepares him/her self for whatever comes next.   School, or any learning enviroment for that matter is, more or less, merely a tool.

[Tash]

who cares about being prepared? you go to school to learn, and screw everything else. which is why i don't particularly care at this point in time if i don't officially know what i'll do after uni. all i care about is that i'm learning some fantastic stuff and loving it!

[abell88]

I don't think they are actually "preparing" us for anything, in the sense of the teachers and the institution being responsible for what we do with ourselves.  And how can they ?

I don't think that's really their purpose.  I think they simply provide opportunities for an individual to grow and learn.  The rest is up to the individual to use what is available, and in essence, the student prepares him/her self for whatever comes next.   School, or any learning enviroment for that matter is, more or less, merely a tool.

Well...yes and no. Certainly the individual, especially the adult, is responsible for using what is available, as you say. But...suppose all that is available are things that would prepare a student for a solo concert career, for instance? (I'm an outsider, no experience of a "music school" proper, so I don't know if it's like that or not.)

[ted]

Surely in the end it is the responsibility and privilege of the individual to decide how much weight to give to pragmatism and how much to idealism. The educational institute is just a tool in the process. I strongly object to vested business interests, for instance, manipulating university courses toward their own betterment by emphasising things such as commerce and law at the expense of research, the arts and the sciences. So at the personal level I agree with Tash, who expressed the thought somewhat more succintly.

Having said that, I think the schools should provide for all outlooks and life purposes. All they have to do is impart knowledge and hopefully understanding; what the student does with it is entirely his or her prerogative. We need both personalities. If there were no pragmatists day to day civilisation would be in a mess; if there were no idealists we wouldn't have our Chopins and our Einsteins

[m1469]

Well...yes and no. Certainly the individual, especially the adult, is responsible for using what is available, as you say. But...suppose all that is available are things that would prepare a student for a solo concert career (or whatever they focused on in school), for instance?

Well, what would actually *prepare* anybody for a solo concert career ?  I understand that there are certainly places which focus on this very thing, but there are plenty of people in the world who graduate from music school and conservatoire whom are not actually prepared for a concert career.  Why is that ? 

Because there are way more factors than simply walking into a school and then walking out of it with whatever they got from it.  And frankly, anymore, I am feeling like anybody who enters a place, no matter where it is, thinking that's all it takes to become a concert artist (or whatever) is sadly mistaken.  I think even school administration would be "quick" to agree to that.

I am not saying that a school can't help to prepare a person for whatever comes next.  I am simply saying that ultimately, it is up to the person to be prepared (no matter what age they are).  I am not trying to undermine what hard-working, knowledgeable, pertinent teachers are doing for receptive students (and I don't think anybody truly could undermine this kind of work).  My point is more that, the student must be receptive for preparation to take place.  And a teacher cannot walk inside the person and make them receptive, it has to be inspired within them.  So really, all the teacher can do is provide the opportunity and occasion for the receptive student to learn from and be inspired by.  And that's what I think institutions are "designed" for or capable of doing (and really, I think that's all anybody can do for anybody, whether they are part of an institution or not). 

However, there is also an issue regarding the *quality* of opportunity which is offered to the student.  But I think that's a whole different subject  .




m1469 

[pianistimo]

yes.  i've been institutionalized for several years now, and look where i am (searching the phone book for restaurants and thinking about cruise liners).  someday, i might even perform out of the goodness of my heart for free.  do you think i will repay my student loans with my own money (instead of my husbands).  i don't really know.  that is open for debate.  anyone who thinks they will get rich quick may have a sad fact to face later - but for now, the dreams alive.  i see myself on stage.  maybe not at carnegie.  but somewhere, somehow, somethings going to happen.  i can feel it.  i might accompany another choir, or a special soloist (hopefully vocal) as well as solo piano.  at least when i am old (really old) i can say - yes! i did that.  it was really a lot of fun - playing piano concertos (practicing for a year) and getting paid maybe $500.  - it's really investment income.  AHAHAHAHAH.  i will live in my retirement community under the freeway.

seriously, for me, i think the money will be 80 percent teaching and 20 percent performing (in terms of money).  in terms of how much i desire to perform - more like 50/50.  who knows.  it might happen.  i want to make a cd or two as well.  that might be more lucrative than performing gig's (who knows?)

[alzado]

I suspect the music schools are motivated to perpetuate themselves.  They have become an establishment of sorts.  This is not to demean them or imply that they are not very good.

There's little "pay-off" for playing piano once one goes outside of the establishment.  When I say "establishment," this would include the industry of "lesson giving."

The Fine Arts -- including classical piano -- are not supposed to have a goal outside of themselves.   Really, there's nothing "useful" about playing.   There really shouldn't be. 

Perhaps graduates can assist thousands or millions of their fellow citizens to learn, improve, and enjoy the piano.  That seems like a fine goal.  One hopes that they can earn enough to have a good life.

As Pianistimo warns us, you can be an excellent graduate of music schools and still find it a struggle to be employed.

Best to all--