hey, music teachers/those with music degrees

the_instrument_player · Wed Jul 31, 2002 6:54 pm

I see from reading some of the threads that quite a few of you whistlers out there are music teachers or have music degrees. Cool! Right now I am on my way to earning a degree in music ed, piano. I love it--- I love classical music, I love piano, I love music education. BUT I also have love celtic and folk music so much!! I collect instruments, and I just absolutely love playing whistles. So what I'm wondering, you who have been there/done that, gotten your music degree, teach music, and are into the traditional music thing all at the same time.... how do you achieve a balance?? I find it so hard to figure out which thing to spend time on... I NEED to practice piano (and I want to) but I love playing my other instruments, and going to festivals... so I'm just wondering how you strike a healthy balance and stay into both. Thanks!
Rachel

Byll · Post by **Byll** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 8:28 pm

Hello, Rachel. I'm a 30+ year veteran of public school teaching. My undergraduate and graduate degrees are in Music Education, the Musical Arts, and Composition. My main 'classical' instrument is piano. On the 8th Grade level, I teach a Sociology of Music course. On the college level, I teach a practicum in Advanced Sound Recording Technology.

Your question is an interesting one. For years, I made a significant part of my living as a choral composer, and used the piano mostly as a tool, in that endeavor. In teaching Music Theory on the high school level, the piano was also a tool. I played piano and synthesizer for a lot of years in a praise band, AOTA (All of Thee, Above). There, the keyboards were played for pleasure and worship, with a classical and jazz slant...

I deal with 'music' and its social and technical ramifications in my job, 9 hours a day. Seems crazy, but after work is finished, I shift gears, and truly enjoy working with music of the British Isles - Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, et.al., combined with American folk music - with my band. It is so different - and this difference creates a beautiful counterpoint in my life.

There is no way I can turn off my classical training when I work with my hammer dulcimer, bowed psaltery, and whistles - nor should I...but I feel a freedom and an enjoyment that I rarely experience in the classical musical world, alone.

How to strike a balance? I personally try to combine the attributes of both in performances... My band often does medleys that in one 3 minute vignette, could begin with the Shaker tune, 'Come Life, Shaker Life, and segue immediately into the Faure 'Pavane', and then back again...We will combine Bach, Mozart, Mouret, and others, with O'Carolan, Dougie McLean and a host of composers of jigs, reels, and the like...

The life and freedom of the folk genre shows up in the attitude of my 'classically' based performances, and in my choice of favorite composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, who based much of his work on British Isles folk tunes. I have even been known to enjoy hammer dulcimer versions of classical music by Jem Moore, and others.

For me, I guess the balance between the two genres lies in their combination...Each adds to the other and makes both more enjoyable.

Cheers and the best.
Byll

Post by **rich** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 8:58 pm

Offtopic to the_instrument_player:

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Thanks,
<ul>-Rich</ul>

[ This Message was edited by: rich on 2002-07-31 22:58 ]

DrGiggles · Post by **DrGiggles** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 11:03 pm

I received my Masters of Arts in Composition and Performance. (So, what do I do for a living? I'm a programmer...talk about a 180 career change.)

My primary performance instrument was Flute, but I studied Clarinet, Saxophone, and Piano as well. At the height of my studies, I would practice flute 4 hours a day, 6 days a week, and then approximately an hour on two different instruments at least 3 days a week. However, I really loved to play.

Later on, I would practice all of my instruments at least an hour or two a week. If I had a gig, that would usually dictate a couple more hours a week on the focused instrument(s). In fact, when I was in the pit orchestra for West Side Story, I had to play Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone, so that ended up being a 4 hour workout for my embouchure every day for 18 weeks. (In fact, my first experience with a whistle was when I was in a pit orchestra, but that's another story altogether...)

Instead of looking for balance, let balance find you. Do you enjoy playing? Wonderful! What instrument are you in the mood to play? Do you have a piano recital coming up in the next week? Then PUT THE WHISTLE DOWN!

I'll be the first to admit that I SUCK!!! at Irish ornamentation on the whistle. For me, at this point, it's just a hobby. I'm improving, but I'm not putting any serious practice time on it (maybe 3 hours a week). I've improved over the last 6 months, but I'm no authority on Irish Whistle playing. But I'm having fun, and since nobody's paying me to play, having fun is what's important.

Once again, I caught myself rambling... sorry.

-Frank

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 11:21 pm

Hey, I have a degree in music, and a clear credential to boot. That's why I'm teaching science to elementary school kids. To tell you the truth, I'm happier teaching science than teaching a halftime show to a high school band, or taking them on busses to a game/parade/festival. I do teach band after school and play the piano for the 1st and 2nd graders. They are a lot of fun. As for balance, I had to put down the violin I'm learning, to write this post. I find that message boards like this tend to take up more time than doing other things. I could go on and on, but I'd rather kill my left arm by practicing the violin. Oh, and if you need any answers to any of the music history questions, or need a lesson plan for a pedagogy class, there are plenty of people on the board to contact.

Take Care,
John

the_instrument_player · Thu Aug 01, 2002 11:45 am

Thanks for all the great replies. It is neat to hear some different perspectives on this whole classical/trad music thing.... I thought it was neat that one of you said something about how your classical music knowledge contributes to your playing of folk music, and visa versa. I find that as well. I think being trained in music certainly makes it easier to learn traditional instruments. Probably the most frustrating thing for me is that during the school year, as anyone who has ever gotten a music degree knows, there is NO time, absolutely NO time for anything except for my college music. As much as I love that stuff, I sure do miss my folk music during that part of the year. I have a little celtic band at college, but we are hit and miss because of the lack of time. But, I guess when I finally graduate from college (if I survive!), I'll hopefully be able to be involved in both kinds of music all year long. I'm hoping to teach elementary general music and incorporate all my "unusual" instruments into my classes-- kids are so fascinated with instruments they've never seen before! Anyways, thanks for all the thoughts, and I would welcome more....

Another Whistler · Post by **Another Whistler** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 1:49 pm

I think I am in the same boat you are! I play classical flute as my main instrument(I love it)and am looking to major in flute performance and maybe minor in music theory in college. Due to the very competitive nature of most performance programs I have to practice a lot. I still find time to practice my whistle. Sometimes I even think that it helps. It takes my mind off of the Mozart Concerto in G Major that I have been working on. Good luck!

DrGiggles · Post by **DrGiggles** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 2:56 pm

OT:

Ohhh... I love K313 (Flute Concerto in G). I had a chance to play it with my college orchestra my sophmore year.

Are you working on it for a performance or just to learn it?

The third section (Rondo/Tempo di Minuetto) is probably one of my favorite pieces of all time. Just remember, the three high D's that start off the piece, they set the feel for the entire piece.

Which recordings of this are you listening to? Galway has a wonderful version of this (of course), but if you can get a hold of J-P Rampal performing this, you'll get a completely different interpretation - one that I actually prefer. Depending on your resources, if you can get a copy of the Japanese flutest Shigenori Kudo performing this, you'll get one of the freshest interpretations of this piece. Kudo can be an astounding player if you ever get a chance to hear him live.

Okay, back to whistles... Putting the Irish Spring in my mouth...
Frank

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 3:30 pm

I have no music degree (my wife almost does), but I really don't see that it makes a difference what your profession or other hobbies are, you still have to make tradeoffs and decisions about what's important that day/week/month.

I'd REALLY like to practice half an hour a day, but after working 9 hours or so, cooking dinner, playing with the baby for awhile, and whatever else, I sometimes don't have the time and often not the energy. It doesn't matter that I'm a physicist and that my other hobbies are brewing, cooking, woodworking, winemaking, and sundry household projects. I try to get an hour or two each weekend day, so probably average playing 3 hours a week or so.

There have been other threads on how the portability of the whistle helps in getting in a few minutes here and there -- during commuting, in the kitchen, various rooms in the house, at work, etc. You can't do that with a piano.

Charlie

the_instrument_player · Thu Aug 01, 2002 6:31 pm

Hey, "Another Whistler"---
How cool, that you play classical flute (and are thinking of majoring in it!! Woo hoo!) and whistle too. That is such an awesome combination! I bet you see lots of relationships between the two instruments.

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Thu Aug 01, 2002 9:45 pm

Well, we sure are a lot of flutists, here, now aren't we? To tell you the truth, I had to get a supplementary credential, a couple, in fact, because the school district cancelled the music program, due to lack of funds. I think that if one is going to teach, especially music, they had better have another credential to back them up. I do feel fortunate that I got to learn another teaching job besides music. Like I said, I teach science to elementary kids, but I also teach them music, using my piano skills. (You should learn guitar, too.) Talk about cute when a class full of first graders are going through the hand movements to a song, and I can just sit back and watch as I play. And they would be pleased as punch to do the same song over and over and over...

JP

the_instrument_player · Fri Aug 02, 2002 11:09 am

Oh yes, I love first graders! Seems they are adorably whether they can really sing or not! =)

Another Whistler · Post by **Another Whistler** » Fri Aug 02, 2002 11:10 am

I am working on the Mozart Concerto in G first for solo and ensemble competition (first movement only), then I will probably be using the entire piece as part of my college auditions. I currently only have a recording of Rampal playing it. Thanks for listing the other names, I would like to hear some other versions of it as well.

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Aug 03, 2002 8:37 am

Hi!

As a teacher of guitar, lyric composition and songwriting, I only find balance when playing services with my praise band. All the years of music study comes together and flows from your heart to your instrument in a way only you can do.

To quote Lee Marsh, "Enjoy your muisc!"

Gary

Whitmores75087 · Post by **Whitmores75087** » Sat Aug 03, 2002 9:02 am

Hey Byll, try combining "Jesu joy of man's desiring" with "The Irish Washerwoman". There are enough similarities in the pieces to string them together easily. I call it blended piece "The Irish Catholic Washerwoman".