Surviving as a Music Major

[dblomd]

I am a junior music education major. When I was getting ready to go to college I was so scared. Maybe we could all post advice about surviving as a music major.
My tip would be to practice practice practice but know when it's time to take a break.

[lukebar]

Burn out is a serious problem among music majors, and it's wise that you realize the importance of balancing hard work with some time off.

You are right on with the practice-practice-practice part of things. No matter if you are majoring in education, composition, performance, history, theory....practice as if you are expecting to have a performing career. You will never again have so much "free" time on your hands as you do now. There is where you really establish the technique and proficiency you will have on your instrument for the rest of your life. (Whenever I say this to college students, that are completely unbelieving about the "free time" part of that lecture. But believe me, life only gets busier and more complicated after college.)

Living a passionate life outside of music is equally as important in your development as a person and as a musician. I remember studying for one summer in Siena, Italy. Most of us would all go out in the evenings to enjoy the food, landscape, historical sites, and people that were available in this magical place. But some of the students never left the practice rooms when they were not attending classes. They were certainly becoming more technically proficient at the piano, but boy were they missing out on a wealth of life experiences- experiences which are, hopefully, what inspires us to create and perform music in the first place. A musician who has a fulfilling life outside of music will acquire a great imagination and creativity that will make their own music making that much more vibrant.

[asiantraveller101]

Set short term and long term goals. Balance one's practice and study, with recreations and free time. (I loved those regular coffee and bagel breaks when I was in univ). One cannot compare oneself to classmates or other music majors. There will always be someone who can practice for hours on end, or play bigger and faster. Set a practice time duration and try not to exceed it, even if one feels that one has not accomplish much. Personally, i don't think one should practice 7 days week at full capacity. A fun and exciting time of life, but can also be treacherous and extremely intense. One has to make the best out of it.