This Blog is NOT meant for Attention Whoring...

StarN

United States2587 Posts

October 05 2008 15:42 GMT

...I just need a place to vent/read my own thoughts.
Oh and I like hearing what you guys have to say. ;o

Part 1. Acknowledgment

Many of you may or may not know that I am a music major. More specifically, I am a classical saxophone performance major. Which you should know a degree in music performance w/ Saxophone can only get you jobs in clubs and maybe a gig once or twice with a small orchestra playing either Ravel's Bolero or Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Most if not ALL classical saxophone performance majors go on to grad school so that they can get their masters, and then their doctorates, and then become Saxophone professors at post-secondary institutions and then train other classical saxophonists to do the exact same thing. That or they have the option of joining a military band, which is a job with many benefits (starting pay of 50k$, great for a musician). Or they can be a private music teacher within their local area. The latter two you pretty much don't need any degree for though (surprisingly I found you don't need a degree for joining a military band).

I love music. Even the music that we play as Saxophone performance majors (which is A LOT of contemporary music)

example 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuW5Slml0Ps
Trivia: That player was my teacher last year at the conservatory I went to, he's considered by many to be one of the best classical saxophonists in America

And that piece, the Berio sequenza VIIb is (as surprised as you may be) quite popular within the classical Saxophone community. The first time I heard it I thought it was stupid and random noise, but now I don't, hmmm I still wonder why. Oh also it's probably the one of the hardest pieces in the classical Sax world.

(and to be fair here's example number two of what classical Saxophonists play)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ofluh9t-E
Carnival of Venice is honestly not that hard of a piece for saxophonists, my teacher prepared that piece a few days before that concert. It'd probably take me 1-2months to prepare it for a concert

[EDIT]
Here's a clip of me playing Live in the Concert Hall at my high school about six months ago (I've gotten better since then... thankfully)
http://www.myspace.com/andrewparksaxophonist

Part 2. Resolution
For the past year I had been debating what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I made a couple threads on it because I had no idea what I wanted to do. Even up to this point... I still have no idea what I want to do.

I want to do a lot of things.
Not just Saxophone. And my perspective has changed in that I find it rather silly that classical Saxophonists are stuck in this cycle of teaching Saxophonists to teach other Saxophonists and play music that only other Saxophonists enjoy listening to.
That reason I just mentioned is not enough for me to quit being a Saxophone major honestly though. As ignorant as most Saxophonists are, and many of whom think that we have HUGE audiences that love us, I still would stick to the Saxophone if that were my only reason to switch majors.
I had this preconception that going to music school would accelerate my skill by 9001%, but it didn't. The teacher here is considered to be one of the greatest Saxophone teachers in the world (and I can see why) but honestly when it comes down to it, the individual player makes up 95%-99.9% of his own skill, through his work ethic and what not.
Also, as I stated before one can get a job as a military band member, or just teach privately without a degree in music, as long as you prove yourself as a great player. For this reason, I see no use in getting a Music Performance degree, as I no longer want to be a Saxophone Professor at a University.

On a more personal level, I was pushed in many different areas to pursue a music degree in the first place, and many for the wrong reasons.

1) Myself - Up until my Junior year I was a pretty good student. Had a 3.7 and took as many Honors/AP classes my schedule would allow me. But Junior year I went through serious depression (met with a counselor once/twice a week). And I had no motivation to do anything during that state so I almost failed my AP English class and got a few C's in others, dropping my GPA to 3.3 and my class rank from 8th to 40th (out of 535, my weighted GPA was still pretty good which is why I didn't drop even more). But back then I didn't understand the fact that I could bounce back from this if I worked hard, and it was my dream to just go to UNC Chapel Hill (at worst) or an Ivy League school. And in my state of stupor I decided I should just quit being an academic and go into music as a profession (yes I did overreact,,, ;o)

2) My Mother
My mom doesn't know much, but she loves the fact that I am good at something and am really dedicated to it. So she strongly supported my pursuance of music. Mainly because I accomplished small things like going to Governor's School for the summer of 07, and getting a full ride to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts for my senior year. So when I told her that I wanted to pursue something else, she was like "why would you give up something you're already so good at?" And I can see where she's coming from, but I don't think she'll understand that I'm NOT giving it up... But she continued to push me to go to music school.

3) My teacher Professor Sullivan
I was too scared to tell my teacher, after two years of knowing him, that I wanted to not be a music major. I just wasn't ballsy enough. It would have been incredibly awkward.

So a few bad reasons for why I decided to come to music school this semester...

Part 3. Pursuance
POINT OF THIS BLOG!
(drum roll)

I'm switching majors, and transferring schools.

I originally wrote "I'm dropping Saxophone," but that is not what I'm actually doing.

My plan is to transfer to NC State University, since it will cost less than half of what I am paying to come here (gotta love in state tuition). And also is a close drive from my house so that I won't have to pay for housing, and from there I will major in... well... something. I am thinking either Business (Marketing), or Computer Science (or possibly English or Psychology). But I will take the next couple months to think hard about it.

I still consider Saxophone something very important to me, and I intend to continue practicing at least 2-3 hours a day. And taking lessons every week from my old teacher who is only a 90 minute drive away. I'll try to teach private lessons for some extra spending cash, and I will enter some competitions when I feel that I am ready.

I will try to transfer again to UNC Chapel Hill, and then go to Harvard/Yale/Princeton/etc. (my childhood dream) for grad school.

Part 4. Psalm
Many of you may not think of this as a big deal. But I have been very concerned about this. Since the course of my entire life will easily be changed by this.
I also feel like this is the first time that I have been relieved with a decision... because I have always had thoughts in the back of my mind saying "this isn't just right..." but now it is saying "This is the right thing to do." I would love to hear anybody who thinks I am a dumbass and I should try a different plan. I certainly need to see things from many perspectives and make sure that I am not making any rash decisions.

If you read the whole thing. Thanks! I'd love to hear your comments.
If not... I'd still love to hear your comments!

I am going to work very hard for the coming years, I have a strong determination to succeed in life (must be my Korean blood). So I want to make sure that I can do my best so that one day I can help those around me, and in the world!

Thanks for Reading,
-Andrew "StarN" Park

JohnColtrane

Australia4813 Posts

October 05 2008 16:12 GMT

interesting read, here is my perspective

music is great because the energy and passion it creates can occur in many many different situations, not only from a professional career playing or teaching. no matter what career path you take, you will always have the opportunity to play the sax and feel all that passion, whether that is in a large orchestra, teaching students, or playing with a few mates in a garage. i think that getting a solid dependable career outside of music and having spare time devoted to sax would be just as beneficial and enjoyable as doing music full time, with less risk of burning out and getting fucked over

i dont know how much money and opportunity is involved with music careers, ive never thought about making music, playing music or teaching it as employment, so im a little sketchy on the details. but id imagine there is less there than for other degrees at uni.

if you truly want to have a career as a music major then i say go for it - if thats what you really want. if you love playing the sax but are a bit hazy on whether you want to committ yourself full time to something with limited possibilities, id say try another pathway. either way, even if in the future you find out it was the wrong pathway, you can always go back and switch, game isnt over.

it sounds like other people are influencing your decision more than you are, just look inside and ask yourself what YOU want to do, ignore your mums and your professor and their personal opinions, because i think if you do what other people think youll only end up dissatisified personally

hope it all works out for ya man

o3.power91

Bahrain5288 Posts

October 05 2008 16:18 GMT

Thx for sharing

I like your idea of studying in university while pursuing the saxophone as an extracurricular activity and as a hobby.

I love playing the piano and I'm also planning to study business when i graduate high school while still playing the piano as a hobby (if i can get my hands on one while im in college T_T)

Myrmidon

United States9452 Posts

October 05 2008 17:02 GMT

It's not a rash decision, but in any case it's not one you couldn't go back on later anyway. From what I see in you this time around, though, I'm going to bet you won't turn back on this choice. You've gone through a lot of deliberation and self-questioning to get this far along already, and all that's helped you come to these conclusions. But don't make soul-search mode a permanent habit-- you won't need it again for a while.

One word of warning: if you're still not sure what your new major will be, you don't need to plan so far out in advance where you might transfer to. About Ivy Leagues for grad school...you said yourself getting the best sax teacher doesn't make you better instantly. Yes there's advantages to being at one school instead of another, but it might be better not to view the school itself as a destination or goal in of itself.

Deleted User 31060

3788 Posts

October 05 2008 17:10 GMT

duuuuude

you're better than me and I know it, and I think you know it too

double major or something so I don't feel like a complete noob; or you could transfer here and get a degree from Oberlin college as well as being at a conservatory. That's what I wanted to do because I knew that I didn't want to become a performing classical saxophone player. Somehow I doubt most classical saxophone majors end up becoming performers at the instrument anyway. There's some statistic that says 50% of people don't end up doing what they major in for a job.

Not sure what I'm trying to say. I guess I find it alarming that somebody much better than me at my major would do something else.

StarN

United States2587 Posts

October 05 2008 17:14 GMT

On October 06 2008 02:02 Myrmidon wrote:
It's not a rash decision, but in any case it's not one you couldn't go back on later anyway. From what I see in you this time around, though, I'm going to bet you won't turn back on this choice. You've gone through a lot of deliberation and self-questioning to get this far along already, and all that's helped you come to these conclusions. But don't make soul-search mode a permanent habit-- you won't need it again for a while.

One word of warning: if you're still not sure what your new major will be, you don't need to plan so far out in advance where you might transfer to. About Ivy Leagues for grad school...you said yourself getting the best sax teacher doesn't make you better instantly. Yes there's advantages to being at one school instead of another, but it might be better not to view the school itself as a destination or goal in of itself.

Dude that's really insightful, Thanks Myrmidon!

StarN

United States2587 Posts

October 05 2008 17:16 GMT

On October 06 2008 02:10 Sunyveil wrote:
duuuuude

you're better than me and I know it, and I think you know it too

double major or something so I don't feel like a complete noob; or you could transfer here and get a degree from Oberlin college as well as being at a conservatory. That's what I wanted to do because I knew that I didn't want to become a performing classical saxophone player. Somehow I doubt most classical saxophone majors end up becoming performers at the instrument anyway. There's some statistic that says 50% of people don't end up doing what they major in for a job.

Not sure what I'm trying to say. I guess I find it alarming that somebody much better than me at my major would do something else.

Haha, thanks Suny. I'm still gonna definitely find time to work really hard at the Sax though, so don't count me out or anything!

SiegeTanksandBlueGoo

China685 Posts

October 05 2008 17:49 GMT

On October 06 2008 00:42 StarN wrote:

I am going to work very hard for the coming years, I have a strong determination to succeed in life (must be my Korean blood). So I want to make sure that I can do my best so that one day I can help those around me, and in the world!

ROFLMAO