Saturday, May 08, 2010

The Whole Truth



Thanks Emily for pointing the way to this, and thanks to Jason for making it. It's about time someone, even if it is in the form of a hypothetical animated discussion, told the truth about the attitude and practices you find in non-conservatory musical higher education.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

That was wonderfully funny. Years ago a rather honest professor of music asked in earnest if there were not in fact simply too many music departments all turning out music graduates who will never work in the industry -- except to maybe usher at a concert or take tickets. This candor caused quite an uproar, but I think the question was prescient. The number of serious students I encountered in my time was a mere percentage of the larger "wanna be a musician" types whose "wanna be" did not include discipline, work habits and drive. For them, I was often accused of "bringing up the curve" in classwork, because they never thought they were "bringing down the curve." Hurray for the whole truth. Much of non-conservatory type schools' music departments are merely supporting themselves with tuitioin from kids who will never earn it back. Thanks for posting this; guard yourself from "incoming fire."

Emily said...

I'm bracing for my own "incoming fire" too! Sometimes the truth is unpopular, but I'm too far gone to start backing down now. :)

Much love and respect to you, Elaine! (and I won't burst into applause between any movements you may perform, I promise!)