I ask for your opinion

[paulgreen]

Hello everyone!

I've been around this forum for a while, and I liked it so far! So I decided to make my first post here. I think there are similar threads out there, but I'd like to tell you my story nonetheless))

I'm 23 now, I've graduated this year in biology and currently work as a molecular biologist. The problem is, I don't like my occupation, and I love music so much. The latter has been with me all along - as a child, I attended a music school, not without good results, but I played accordion back then. I won a few local competitions, including those in music theory, played in a folk band, touring my home country as well as abroad, mostly well received. Everybody around saw me as a promising musician.

Then in came biology. I was quite obsessed with it, then my interest had faded out, as I entered the University. Being a second-year student, I started to play piano for fun when I was home at weekends (it had been bought for my sister). Gradually my interest grew, culminating in my buying a DP. Now I can practice everyday))

Now we're coming closer to my question. I've got to chose one more time, as I did before in my life. I want to be a performer and composer. I love playing, even more I love seeing audience being touched by performance. The latter feeling I remember so clear from my childhood band time, and I do believe it's one of the greatest I've ever experienced. I do not fancy I could be one of the world's greatest pianists or something, but I do want to play classical repertoire before audience, and by this (and probably teaching and so on) make a living.

I live in one of those "non-EU" countries in Europe, and I wish to abandon it. There is one clear way to do it for me - take a PhD in biology, there are a lot of scholarship and funding, it doesn't seem impossible at all. But the I'll have to abandon music as well. I don't know if there are so many scholarships in music, and how applicable I am. Maybe you do)) Perhaps you know, too, of some people from your experience who took up music career in their twenties. Please tell me, that will make me feel more sure))

Awaiting your feedbacks,
Paul

P.S. I'm sorry if my message is mixed up, it's because English isn't my native tongue, and I'm quite anxious))

[nanabush]

I almost did that with economics.  After two years, I switched into piano performance.  My marks were mediocre (lots of B's), and I was spending more time practicing for piano exams than studying for my economics midterms.

Audition, see if you make it; there's no harm in trying that out.

I just turned 20, and am first year music.  There are ALOT of people in this program who did a year or two of another program, and a few who are in their mid 20's, who decided to take the leap into a program that many people look down on.

Contact the faculty of a music school nearby, they can probably give you the exact answers you are looking for.  I e-mailed the profs at my university lots, and got a much clearer view on what music offers.

I'll know after 4 years if I want to go to teacher's college and possibly teach at high school (I actually do like teaching, so this is a pretty good possibility), or I could go through all of the school, master's, PhD, try for a teacher's assistant job, then possibly teach at university level.  For me though, I'm mostly interested in teaching theory/history, so I probably wouldn't do a PhD in performance.

[brahmslover]

My main advice for you is to follow your dream. But it doesn't necessarily mean you can only pick one from the two. Keep reading, I'll explain later.

It depends on how good you are with piano and where will you be studying. I was a biology student too (I didn't choose music b/c I thought I wasn't good enough); then in my second year of study I decided to double major in piano. I practiced a lot, auditioned and got in!
I personally know there are a lot of scientists out there who are good musicians; some of them even play together during weekends for fun. And so science and music are not as far as you think.

Music programs at any level (BS, Master, Phd) are almost always VERY competitive. You have to be of certain caliber and have good networking connection to consider applying. But there are always new or not-so-popular schools in other countries that are easier to get into. For example in the US, there are some public schools that have a small and not-so-famous music programs. Not that many people audition each year. You can go talk to the piano faculty and see if they are taking students. Americans are very lucky in that they have lots of opportunity for higher education. Schools are there waiting for them as long as they want to attend.

But how do you go about studying in countries like the US?

It depends on how good you are in science and how well do you know where to find opportunities. If you are good in science, I suggest you apply for graduate school in America, if you get it, you get a study permit. Once you are there, look for opportunities for music degree. Some schools even have part-time programs. That way you can keep your main occupation in case music doesn't work out.

Hope it helps.

[richard black]

I studied science at university and worked in it for several years afterwards. Now I spend most of my time playing piano for a living (though I do other things as well). I don't have any qualifications in music at all, and no one has ever asked me if I have. I don't play solo (except occasionally for a laugh) but do every sort of accompanying imaginable. I suppose you get more help with career advancement if you go to a conservatoire but I never planned a music career as such, and I've bumbled along slowly. However, on the way I have ended up a better player, with more repertoire and experience, than most of the conservatoire-trained folks doing the same sort of work as me. It all depends what you want to do and what you're happy to accept. I'm sure some of the work I do would be considered demeaning by many pianists (e.g. accompanying undergraduate trombone students for exams) but screw them, I'm very happy doing it and I'm also earning a (small) living.