regarding difference between piano major and piano performance

[diabola]

Hello,

I am currently applying for universities and I am wondering what is the difference between piano major (general studies) and piano performance? I know that in piano performance the professors teach students at an advance level. If I am qualified for piano performance but decides to take piano major (general music study) because it will give a more flexible schedule, will the professors teach me at my level? or will they teach students not as focused and in depth because they are not in piano performance?


Thank you in advance,

diabola!

[m19834]

Well, I think by far what is going to make the biggest difference(s) in how you are taught will be the individual teacher and what your rapport is together.  Either way, if the focus of taking any form of private piano studies is on the craft itself, then they would teach to the student individually, according to what the student is capable of handling regarding the craft, and not just the "major."  But, politics are strange matters, and these can definitely come into play within the world of music, whether at Universities, Conservatories, privately, etc., and these may pose some challenges (or they may help you) when it comes to being classified into programs.  Again, what really matters is the individual teacher and your rapport together.

[diabola]

thank you for the reply karli! I am now more a sure on which program to choose now ^^

[m19834]

Sure, I am happy if that was helpful for you .  Best to you !

[Bob]

Check with your universities too.  Things vary from place to place.

If you can, maybe do both, or do performanc with teaching (if they mean piano pedagogy and not music education).  It's probably not that much extra work to throw in the teaching coursework and then you'll have that along with the performance.  If you're going performance, there's a good chance you'll be teaching and that course will help.  And it may just be a few extra courses or slightly different perspective.  And understanding the teaching perspective is not going to hurt you as a performer in terms of understanding how teachers think. 

Even if you're very serious about the performance side, you could always slack off and slide through on the teaching stuff.  You'll still get exposed to it that way and still end up with the degree.  You wouldn't be the first or last to be on the performance doing some teaching coursework just in case.

The when you graduate, you can advertise yourself for teaching as having a degree (or something, certificate, coursework, etc.) in the area of teaching.

The more extreme difference would be general piano meaning "music education."  That would be a completely different thing.  And piano in music education might also mean "general music" which could be related to where a piano performance ends up teaching, if you end up doing anything with early music teaching.

[keyofc]

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