Any comeback players go back to school for music?

FunkySmurf · Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2002 10:40 pm Post subject:

Hi,
1st post on this forum.
I'm a comeback player who had ~5 yrs off since playing in college. In the future I am determined to go back to school to get a double major in performance/music ed, with the goal of being a HS music teacher who also plays gigs on the side.

My comeback story is typical from what I've seen on comeback players.
- 1st trpt in HS.
- competent in college, 1st trpt in Jazz my freshman year until I burned out, then came back on 3rd book and then 2nd book.
- Played in brass ensemble, concert band, and studied privately.
- Never cured my strong arm approach until I read materials from Clyde Hunt, Pops, and others on this forum.
- I'm less than a year on a new embouchure, but my tone and base I feel is stronger than all of my development from 5th grade through college, so much that my enjoyment of playing is at an all time high!

I plan on going for a career change from my current high tech field to something I love to do, play trpt and teach.

My timeline is to try and do this in the next few years ( delay so I can build up my new embouchure to pass some auditions, and as my wife and I save some dough, pay off debts.. so I can take time off to go back to school.)

I was wondering if any others have done this, or played with other students who did it.
What school did you go to? How was the experience for you? or attitudes towards the older students in your classes/ensembles? Any tips? I'm currently 30, and I am blessed that my wife is supportive.

I'm really in pathfinding for this, so any feedback is appreciated, even if it is "You're crazy!"....
Hopefully this post isn't out of line for this forum.

Thanks.
Rob

Emb_Enh · Veteran Member Joined: 29 Oct 2002 Posts: 455

Not outta line at all...

...may I wish you every success in your endeavour. GO FOR IT!!

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"E M B O U C H U R E___E N H A N C E M E N T"
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[Self Analysis and Diagnostic Trumpet Method]

PH · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 5:11 am Post subject:

Some schools are more appropriate for this than others. What is near you?

It would probably be lot tougher to do this at a higher powered music school/conservatory, but some community colleges have excellent programs for getting your feet wet.

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2002-09-05 08:12 ]

_Don Herman · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 6:33 am Post subject:

I have email friends who have, or are, doing this very thing. Nice to get back to something you love, and away from the "just a job" blues. Wish I could! If you are really committed -- and you must be -- go for it!

One thing you might do is to enroll in a class or two at a local college. Teaching credentials require some extra classwork in most states, and you can pick up (in CO, anyway) enough credits to substitute teach in a semester or two of night courses, or an intensive summer session (nights and weekends). Or, take a music oriented class (I never had theory, and would love to take a class). You can get a feel for school again (study habits, handling homework, etc.) and build up some credits along the way. Do be aware that most grad schools will only transfer a course or two in your main field; the rest you must take with them.

FWIW - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

[ This Message was edited by: Don Herman on 2002-09-05 09:35 ]

KevinInGeorgia · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 7:12 am Post subject:

Good Luck! I’ve toyed with the idea of going back to Music school, but haven't committed to it yet. I was music major in college until I burned out my junior year.

A few things you might do to help you succeed in the future:
1) Start working with a good trumpet teacher ASAP! You will learn so much just having someone around that knows what you are trying to achieve & can constructively push you. You will also make new contacts.
2) Take on a few beginning trumpet students to see if you enjoy teaching. Also you will learn a LOT from them.
3) Start working on Music Theory & Ear Training. Music education is not about playing trumpet; it is about developing people’s music skills in a very broad area. The part of music school that most new students struggle with the most is music theory & ear training. Next on the list of struggles is Piano/Keyboard competency.
4) Play in as many different types of groups as possible. Play in bands, jazz ensembles, orchestras & chamber groups. Learn all the different types of playing.
5) The most IMPORTANT thing. Enjoy it. There will be tough times ahead. Going back to school is tough; going back to music school is even tougher. Don’t get pulled into the competitive hype at whatever school you go too. You know what your goals are & what you want to achieve.

I would recommend going to a smaller school around your area. If you can start studying with that school’s Brass/trumpet teacher now. That’s even better. It will be a little weird at first being the oldest around but in time the students will come to appreciate the life experiences you bring. In my music fraternity we had an older gentleman that was working on his PHD in Musicology. We respected his input & experiences. He became know as “Uncle” around the frat.

_________________
Kevin Myers
Alpharetta, GA
georgia_trumpeter@yahoo.com

[ This Message was edited by: KevinInGeorgia on 2002-09-05 10:13 ]

FunkySmurf · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 7:19 am Post subject:

Excellent responses. Thanks.

PH, The schools near me are Mt Hood Community College and Portland CC.
4 yr are PSU, OSU and maybe some schools in WA.
The question for us will also be to balance any out of state fees as well. Excellent suggestions on starting the course work early to get back into it, so that is another avenue I could pursue.

The schools I am most familiar with are MN, WI. For the teaching, I might like to move back to our home base roots in upper Midwest.

I've browsed the web and interesting schools to me are UofM Morris (just seen on web), ... UWSP (1st hand). UWEC (1st hand) (maybe this is on your idea of the high powered schools). Someplace with a good jazz program, more than 1 jazz ens. One thing I would not want to do is be in the position to 'take' a young music major spot in any ensemble so they did not get the experience.

That is something I am looking for... where the school is in need of players, or there are enough ensemble spots to go around. However, I do want the opportunity to STUDY and PLAY music, and not just play it as I did before as a non-music major. This background is what I need to motivate as an educator.. the understanding of the history of pieces, I find discussions on the history of solo pieces extremely interesting and motivating for myself. I also think that educators who play well are the best teachers, as such my goals. Seeing UWEC Jazz I trumpet sections at UWEC jazz fest made me hit the practice rooms like crazy. Unfortunately, the amount of practice with my previous setup did no good, and only discouraged the more I practiced.

Care to elaborate on what characteristics might make a school more/less appropriate?

Thanks.

[ This Message was edited by: FunkySmurf on 2002-09-05 10:21 ]

Vessehune · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 7:52 am Post subject:

I am presently doing this!! After a four year lay off I have returned to scool!! I'm presently going to Washington State. It's a great school for music in general and especially for trumpet. The instructor is Dave Turnbull. He is a big Monette head, but a great teacher who can help almost anyone. The school is starting to attract better and better players. One of the finalists in ITG's jazz improv contest is from WSU. The out of state thing may hinder, but you could always move to Vancouver and commute to work for a year and gain residency. Hope this helps.
_________________
---Brian Vessey---
Calicchio 1s-7 Ultra; ML Bore
Mouthpiece = ?????

_latin_trumpet · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 8:42 am Post subject:

Funky Smurf.

I am considering going back to school for a degree in music as well (although not in the near future). I also have a high-tech career, but music is my true passion. Let me know of your progress.
_________________
LTD

"There is no substitute for practice".

PH · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 9:22 am Post subject:

I don't know anything about trumpet @ Mt. Hood, but they have a tradition of outstanding jazz education.

If Jim O'Banion is still in Eugene I would seek him out for trumpet lessons and advice. I suspect some of those other schools you list have fine programs, too.

John Harbaugh just joined the faculty at Central Washington U. in Ellensburg. He is one of the truly great teachers out there today. It might be worth a drive up to catch a lesson.

IMHO, the most important things to look for (in this order) are:
1) The quality of trumpet teaching
2) The personality of the trumpet teacher
3) The quality of the ensembles
4) The musical level of the other trumpet students
5) The attitudes & personalities of the other trumpet students
6) The quality of academic courses.

Good luck! You are definitely NOT crazy.

BeboppinFool · Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2002 12:03 pm Post subject:

FunkySmurf · Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2002 8:58 pm Post subject:

Hey everyone,
Thanks for the encouragement!

To those who posted that they are doing the same, best of luck, and I hope you get what you want as well.
-Rob

hineyr · Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2002 1:11 am Post subject:

I went back to school as a come-back trumpet player this past year. I went to the Unversity of Miami and played in the concert jazz band there from 1988 - 1993. I then took some years off to go to law school. During those years, I played very little, eventually graduating and moving to the North East. I played in a Senior Drum & Bugle Corps (Hawthorne Caballeros) for two years, but did no other playing. Then in january of 2001, I decided that I was happier playing seriously. I found a teacher (Darren Barrett) and started practicing. The first couple of months were pretty rough, but by August I was ready to return to Miami to finish my master's degree and play in the concert jazz band again. It was GREAT! The band was excellent, as usual, and I got to study with Gil Johnson again (he passed away this past week). The daily "pressure" of playing with so many great players around was very effective in getting me "back on the horn."
I say, go for it. You won't regret it, in my opinion.