Thinking about Majoring in Music?

MajoringInMusic.com recently hosted it's latest Thinking about Majoring in Music? panel discussion. College-level music faculty, staff, students, and alumni provided a wealth of insights for students, parents, and teachers.

Your Child Wants to Major in Music: What Do You Say?

For many parents, myself included, it’s one thing to hear your middle-school-aged child say he or she wants to major in music in college –– and a whole different ballgame when they talk about it as a junior or senior in high school.

Ranking Music Schools

Ranking music schools is a disservice to students who must do the important personal exploration necessary for finding the right fit school to call "home" for the next few years.

3 Tips for Parents of Music Students Who Weren’t Accepted

Parents of music students who weren't accepted by their schools of choice have been contacting us. Most have needed an objective ear to listen to their stories and help them overcome their own sense of sadness and even loss around this. Others needed to vent their feelings about their offspring not getting what they wanted and felt they deserved.

Paid vs. Unpaid Internships

Internships can provide excellent training in many fields of music. They can also lead to job opportunities for students who demonstrate their ability to learn quickly, work well as part of a team.

What Do You Do Before You Perform?

We asked several jazz musicians to tell us what they do right before they get on stage, to prepare themselves to perform at their best. Their responses were surprisingly consistent.

Why Wait?

A local plumbing and heating truck passed me as I was taking a walk. Its giant-font logo, adorning its right side, screamed “WHY WAIT?” Obviously, the message referred to the small faucet drip that can mutate without warning into a major, expensive plumbing job. But what if the message were read differently? What if “Why wait?” meant “Why act so fast?” No one likes to miss a good opportunity. And often, opportunities must be pounced on before they disappear. But when does it make sense NOT to immediately jump on something the moment it comes across your screen? Sometimes, the

Stand Up for Music in the Schools Now!

Take every chance you get to stand up for music in the schools. Send an email, sign an online petition, write a letter, or speak out at a school board meeting when you hear that music programs are on the chopping block. And not just in your own neighborhood.

Music as an Employable Major

So, is music really an employable major? These days, every major in music seems to require some kind of business and communications savvy: the ability to fundraise; the ability to use social media and stay on top of its rapid-fire changes; the ability to promote yourself and your ideas; the ability to communicate well with a broad range of people, from business owners and funders to audiences, parents, students and fellow musicians (depending on your area of emphasis); the ability to keep your books and pay your taxes if you are self-employed; the ability to advocate for your particular emphasis in music. Sometimes these skills are associated with the label "entrepreneurship." But regardless of what you call them and regardless of what aspect of music you major in, you will need them to be viable in your field in the 21st century.

Response to a Worried Parent of a Music Major

A worried parent of a music major confided in me that the four years her daughter had spent as a music major might have been put to better use. The daughter, who had joined the Peace Corps after graduation, discovered an interest in public health, and wanted to pursue a master’s degree in that field.

Mary Poppins’ Wisdom for Graduates

Spring graduates of the University of Colorado Boulder chose Mary Poppins to deliver their commencement address. Dame Julie Andrews, as she is now known, imparted far more useful wisdom than “just a spoonful of sugar…”

What to Give a Music Grad

How to best celebrate a high school or college music grad is a challenge. The've probably already received more than their fair share of mugs, instrument sculptures, and neckties, all with musical note themes.

Final College Decision – 5 Pointers for Parents

The May 1st deadline for a final college decision is just around the corner –– if your son or daughter hasn't yet decided on a music school, here are 5 pointers for parents to help you survive the next few days!

6 Tips to Let Music Schools Know You’re Interested

Presenting yourself as a serious music school candidate before it's time for them to make their decisions can work well in your favor, especially when they have two or more candidates with equally strong auditions, grades, accolades, and recommendations.