
For high school seniors applying to music schools this fall, I know you’re right in the thick of it all. You’ve already begun to feel the weight of expectations as you turn your musical hobby towards the conservatory mindset. You probably have a slate of auditions and interviews lined up across the country (welcome to your first tour!), or you’re waiting on decisions that could come any day. If you’re a junior, feeling yourself more and more drawn to music higher education as your passion continues to thrive, I’m sure those feelings are coupled with endless questions and newfound doubts. I write with you all in mind today as I turn my thoughts inward and towards my own musical goals for the year, and propose a question designed both for you and for me: Is your passion for music, and your drive to create and perform, strong enough to power you against the oncoming headwinds inherent to a career in the arts?
Now, right off the bat I want you to know you don’t have to have a definitive answer to that question; after all, you’re just beginning to explore what that could even mean to you. Here’s something I always implore prospective students and their families to keep in mind: The music school application process is often the first time a young musician will face the kind of daunting expectations that become the day to day norm should they continue on the path towards music higher education, and hopefully a thriving career. It is important to sit with those subsequent feelings, the highs and lows, and take inventory of where that lands you with regards to the desire to pick up your craft, nurture it and carry on.
This is all a bit of a long-winded, but hopefully thought provoking way to say this: trust your gut. For me, I have experienced the boom and bust cycle inherent in this career enough times to know that even in periods of great doubt, after the dust settles and the uncertainty subsides, I know my purpose is to create, teach, and perform music. Aspiring music school candidates, your passion and drive to do the same can be a powerful force, and something you must learn to tap into as you convert your extracurricular hobby into a career. And if the joy of creating and performing feels overcome by the uncertainties that accompany a career in the arts, listen to those feelings as well. Give yourself the space to connect with those negative feelings, because they could be telling you something important. It’s ok to acknowledge that the trials and tribulations of music school applications, or conservatory pressures are mounting to a point that overtakes the joy of the craft. While some adversity will be essential to your growth, it is important to protect your passion and love of music, for it will always be your most important asset.
Comments