Career path starting to look "blurry"

[jamie0168]

Hey there,

For the longest time, I was positive that the only thing to do with my piano performance degree was to be a piano professor. When I was younger, and a tad naive, I had the dream of being a piano prof at Yale. Needless to say, we've put that one to rest.

It's just that...now that I'm working on my master's and my boyfriend is thinking of proposing to me, I feel the need to plan my future and be as realistic as possible. With that, I've begun to consider all possible careers that my path could lead me to.

For instance, private piano teachers are a dime a dozen. GOOD ones are a tad harder to find and if you live in the right place, you can charge a heck of a lot for lessons if you've got the goods (and some degrees).

There's also being an accompanist or a church music director. Although, I'm not sure what the salaries of such a position would present.

Then again, you could always go down the path of professorship. But, I've noticed lately, that nearly all the piano profs that I've ever studied with...they love their job, but they seem to hate their life. Stressful, underpaid, dealing with co-workers, etc. I begin to wonder if I'd be happy with such a career.

If you're creative, you could come up with more options.

I'd like to hear your opinions on this subject as I'm sure that this sort of thing has happened to many, if not all, of you before. I'm getting older now and need to focus in on where I'm headed.

[scottical]

I understand your position.  It can be very taxing at this point in one's life when there are so many options to choose from, each with risks and trade-offs, particularly in a music career.  My best advice for you is to go the direction that seems right to you.  Now before I start going into one of those cheesy motivational speeches, I would like to give you some facts.

- As long as you're happy with what you're doing, and you are committed, nothing can stop you.

- Professorship won't be that bad.  No matter what career you choose, any job will have its ups and downs.  You will also have a salary decent enough to live quite comfortably.

- If your future spouse has an occupation or is studying for one, money won't be as big of an issue.  You might decide you enjoy having students.  Even if you charge a relatively low rate, teaching students can still be a valuable source of income.

You might make a thousand decisions before you choose where you want to go in life.  Do what you love - be happy!

[Bob]

I know there's at least one other thread on this topic.  Lots of ideas there.

[m19834]

Hey there,

Hello .

For the longest time, I was positive that the only thing to do with my piano performance degree was to be a piano professor. When I was younger, and a tad naive, I had the dream of being a piano prof at Yale. Needless to say, we've put that one to rest.

Well, I would not write this off altogether, however, I would be inclined to look deeper into what that desire actually is.  Most of the time, whatever manifestation our desires seem to take, whether they be "dreams" or that in "real life," it is simply our highest (yet still limited sense of) representation of that which we feel is our inner need.  I have realized that inner needs are important, and they are important to sort through in terms of our intentions regarding them.  For example, is the need arising from a sense of pride ?  Human ego ?  Or, is it coming from a sense of expressing deeply who you truly are ?  The need to express who we are is simply life being lived, embraced, and it is actually a natural part of the propelling character of existence.  Our being and our soul needs to be expressed through its right channels, and this expression finds the right places by its very nature (like a river).  So, whatever those desires are, look at them, but don't outline how they will be manifested.  That is a toughy thing to do sometimes, I think.

It's just that...now that I'm working on my master's and my boyfriend is thinking of proposing to me, I feel the need to plan my future and be as realistic as possible. With that, I've begun to consider all possible careers that my path could lead me to.

I think it can be good to "plan" to some degree, but at the same time, it's pretty impossible to actually predict what will come next.  In some sense, the only thing we have any kind of control over is what is happening right 'now,' and even then our sense of control in the 'now' has more to do with mentality than anything else.

That's it from me for now, but I may return at some point -- who knows ?