Considering a Music Minor: Insights from a Professional Musician
Deciding whether to minor in music is a personal and thoughtful process that involves several factors. Here are some considerations to help you make an informed choice:
Passion for Music
If you have a strong interest in music and enjoy playing an instrument, singing, or studying music theory, a minor could enhance your college experience. Pursuing a minor in music allows you to delve deeper into the art form that you are passionate about, providing a well-rounded education that integrates your love for music with other academic disciplines.
Career Goals
Consider how a music minor aligns with your career aspirations. Whether you're pursuing a career in education, therapy, or any field that values creativity, a minor in music can be incredibly beneficial. It can help you develop a unique skill set and demonstrate your dedication to creative pursuits, making you stand out in the job market.
Workload
Evaluate your current academic load and determine whether you can manage the additional coursework that comes with a music minor. A music minor typically requires a significant time and effort commitment, including attending lessons, practice sessions, and performances. Ensure that you have enough time in your schedule to dedicate to this additional workload.
Skills Development
Studying music can help develop skills such as teamwork, discipline, and creativity, which are valuable in many professions. These skills are not only transferable to other areas of life but can also enhance your resume and make you a more well-rounded individual. Music education also fosters a deeper understanding of theoretical concepts, which can be beneficial in various career paths.
Opportunities
Look into the opportunities available at your school, such as performances, ensembles, and networking with other musicians. Participating in these opportunities can provide you with invaluable experience and connections that can benefit you both during and after your college years.
Personal Fulfillment
If music brings you joy and fulfillment, pursuing a minor could enhance your overall college experience. It is a field that can enrich your life in ways that go beyond academic achievements, offering you a platform to express your creativity and connect with like-minded individuals.
Ultimately, reflect on your interests, goals, and the potential benefits of minoring in music to make an informed decision. If you're still unsure, consider speaking with an academic advisor or faculty members in the music department.
Personal Perspective
My advice to students has always been, 'If the music within you is so strong that you can’t not major in music, go for it.' Fortunately, what I wanted to do was to go to school every day and teach people to play instruments. I had a wonderful 38-year career doing this and in retirement, I’m working as a church musician. This still involves helping average, everyday people include the joy of music-making in their lives.
It is essential that you have a plan that allows you to make a living. If you're really going for music, I suggest you work to develop the plan. In college, a lot of students enjoy performance-based classes, lessons, and rehearsals. Many don’t enjoy theory. Studying theory helps you understand music in a new way and can be a lot of fun once you get into it. It will help if you start now to learn as much theory as you can. Keyboard skills are important to understanding theory and music in general. The keyboard is a map of the relationships of the notes, and with a keyboard, you can play the whole harmony and texture by yourself. Most high schools don’t prepare music majors as well as they prepare students for other majors, so it will be good to seek the knowledge on your own.
As a music major, you will probably take some classes where you do more work for each hour of credit. If you love what you're doing, you won't be counting the hours but you will be enjoying every minute of it.
Many times, guidance counselors, academic teachers, and even parents don’t understand the field of music. You can seek out music teachers as well as experienced musicians outside of school to advise you.