What to do? Advice and ideas please!

[pianoplayer88]

OK, here's the deal. I found out 2 weeks ago that after this month I have to quit all of my music lessons (piano, violin, and voice). My dad is a carpenter and hasn't really had any work for 6 weeks, so we can no longer afford music lessons. I am 15 years old, and have only 3 more years until college. For the past year or so, I decided that I want music to be my career so that's what I would major in, in college. So, for me, lessons are essential if this is what I want to do with my life. I've only played piano for 4 years and would like to continue up until college. We told my piano and voice teachers and they were a little upset, but understood, and so far it's been left at that. These people I have known for almost my whole life, so I will be really sad in having to leave them. When I told my 25-year-old violin teacher (who I've only known for 3 months) that I would have to quit, she seemed to understand and we went on with my lesson at the time. The end of my lesson, my dad came in to get me and to meet my teacher and her husband. They started talking and she told my dad that even though we can't afford it, she'd like to go ahead and continue giving me lessons at no charge because she said I had potential. I was shocked at this. So, we got home and told my mom and that was pretty much all that was said about it.
Now, I recently got a job. It's a babysitting job, that's only once a week, but I'd be getting paid between $20 and $40 each week. Now here's the problem. I am saving up for a music camp for next summer so I want some of the money to go to that. The rest I want to go towards my music lessons. Voice lessons, I decided that my teacher now can't do much more for me, so I'm not going to waste my money on that..Piano and violin...These two I'm not sure which to choose. I think I know enough about piano to continue to teach myself for a few months until we can afford it again. But it may be longer than a few months, I don't know. Violin, I just started in August. It's a new instrument for me, I'm not very good at it yet, and I would like to continue learning it.
I want to have piano as my first instrument in college, but I'm really interested in learning violin, so which should I choose to continue lessons for at the moment? Does anyone have any advice or ideas to help me decide? (I hope this post made sense...)

[pianoplayer88]

Um, should I have posted this elsewhere?

[m19834]

which should I choose to continue lessons for at the moment? Does anyone have any advice or ideas to help me decide? (I hope this post made sense...)

Choose that which guides your entire person and musician through the biggest channel.  I think that multi-instrument playing can be good, but there needs to be something that binds it all together and gives you some kind of common ground to bring all of it to and build from.  I think piano is a very good place for that.

[G.W.K]

Um, should I have posted this elsewhere?

Yes.

You can move this topic to another board without losing everything. Go down to the bottom of the thread and it should say "Move Topic", click it and choose the board it would fit into the most (perhaps Student's Section?). You can choose to leave a message there, stating where this thread can be found.

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

Yes.

G.W.K

Darn. Oh well...

[pianoplayer88]

Choose that which guides your entire person and musician through the biggest channel.  I think that multi-instrument playing can be good, but there needs to be something that binds it all together and gives you some kind of common ground to bring all of it to and build from.  I think piano is a very good place for that.

I know I have to go with what I want to do, I just wanted some advice, etc...Oh, and I didn't mention this...The US doesn't go by grades, so I'm not positive on this, but in piano, I think I'm at about grade 6 or 7...

[G.W.K]

You can move this topic to another board without losing everything. Go down to the bottom of the thread and it should say "Move Topic", click it and choose the board it would fit into the most (perhaps Student's Section?). You can choose to leave a message there, stating where this thread can be found.

Otherwise, Nils will move it.

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

Otherwise, Nils will move it.

G.W.K

I think I'll go with that.

[G.W.K]

I think I'll go with that.

Very well, it is your choice. Just thought it would save Nils any hassel...LOL

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

Very well, it is your choice. Just thought it would save Nils any hassel...LOL

G.W.K

There. I moved it...

[G.W.K]

There. I moved it...

I noticed.

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

I noticed.

G.W.K

Yeah...Kinda hard not to, isn't it?

[cherub_rocker1979]

Well, if I was in your situation I would go with piano.  There's so much wonderful music that was written for the piano and there's more kids who want piano lessons, so that means it's easier to find teaching jobs.  Also, churches are always looking for pianists.  If you don't want to play only classical you can go into other genres like jazz, gospel, rock and pop.  If you get good at playing different genres, you will have more opportunities in the music world.

With all that said, you're the one who has to decide what you want to do with your life.  I'm just telling you what I would do, but you're not me...thank God.  

[communist]

ask God for advice 

[pianoplayer88]

ask God for advice 

Yes, that always works!

[G.W.K]

ask God for advice 

O' Holy Father,

We ask of You to help this struggiling American in her hour of need.
We ask that You impart Your wise knowledge in the form of "pianistimo".
We ask that You present us with a cure to common cold, as I am suffering.

In Jesus's name,

Amen.

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

O' Holy Father,

We ask of You to help this struggiling American in her hour of need.
We ask that You impart Your wise knowledge in the form of "pianistimo".
We ask that You present us with a cure to common cold, as I am suffering.

In Jesus's name,

Amen.

G.W.K

OK...I know that's sarcasm...Stop it.

[G.W.K]

OK...I know that's sarcasm...Stop it.

How could you tell? I was trying very hard to mask it...honestly...

G.W.K

[pianoplayer88]

How could you tell? I was trying very hard to mask it...honestly...

G.W.K

Sure you were...

[thalberg]

My advice:  do not make music your career.  This small gap in lessons will be over as soon as you can afford more lessons.

if you do not make music your career, you will make much more money and then you can afford lessons all your life.

Music careers pay badly for the most part, and as you get older it's much nicer to have money in the bank even if your job isn't music.

[morningstar]

School teachers that specialise in music get paid well-at least they do here.

[thalberg]

School teachers that specialise in music get paid well-at least they do here.

Where are you?  I am in the U.S. where school teachers who specialize in music can hardly even afford to eat in a restaurant.

[richard black]

If you've got to choose between piano lessons and violin lessons, I'd suggest sticking with violin, because I reckon it's easier to teach yourself piano than violin. Though I don't envy you the situation! Here's hoping your dad picks up some work very soon.

[pianoplayer88]

Where are you?  I am in the U.S. where school teachers who specialize in music can hardly even afford to eat in a restaurant.

I am also in the US.

[pianoplayer88]

If you've got to choose between piano lessons and violin lessons, I'd suggest sticking with violin, because I reckon it's easier to teach yourself piano than violin. Though I don't envy you the situation! Here's hoping your dad picks up some work very soon.

That's sort of what I was thinking in the first place...Just wanted to get input from others...

Thanks, I hope he does too.

[theodore]

Presently there are many positions for both high and low level teaching which are available for ochestral  instruments. At the professional performing level each symphony orchestra typically employ a full time cadre of 20 or more violinists, 10 or more violists.

Stage orchestras for musicals, ballet and opera employ a similar number of full time violinists or violists. Violin and viola can be learned simultaneously since they have similar techniques. Normally orchestras employ no pianists on a full time basis

At the teaching level, the number of college, highschool and grade schools in the USA numbers in the thousands and each of these schools employ a violin-viola instrumental orchestra teacher. Community music schools also employ many violin and viola teachers as well as string ensemble teachers. All of the above are normally full time positions.

Universities and colleges typically employ only 2 to 4 full time piano teachers at most. High schools and grammar schools employ none. Most piano teachers teach on a part time level usually in their homes or private studios. There are thousands of part time keyboard (organ-piano) positions at churches and pianists usually try to fill their load with both piano teaching and church work.

The employment numbers are well in favor of violin-viola teachers. However your choice must be left to your love for the specific instrument which you choose.

[morningstar]

Where are you?  I am in the U.S. where school teachers who specialize in music can hardly even afford to eat in a restaurant.

I'm in Australia. Teachers do quite well here, especially those who specialise.

[kelly_kelly]

The employment numbers are well in favor of violin-viola teachers. However your choice must be left to your love for the specific instrument which you choose.

I'm not sure about that. At least around here there are several times as many private piano students as private string students. For example, the statewide music competition has a division for every age in piano (4 yrs through college, so 15 divisions) but only three divisions in total for all strings.