Re: Teaching and reality


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Posted by Doug Whitten on December 17, 2003 at 22:24:09:

In Reply to: Teaching and reality posted by no name on December 17, 2003 at 21:30:12:

I will address only your first question regarding why encourage tubists to study tuba when there are few jobs for them after graduation.

I teach at a small college and have a studio of 9 tuba/ euphonium students. Although a few have indicated a desire to be performance majors, I highly encourage them to consider music education instead. I realize this is hypocritical since I have performance degrees. None the less, if someone really wants to be a performance major, I don't think it is my job to tell them their dreams are an impossibility. I do make sure they know what they're getting into.

As to why you would actively recruit performance majors, that's simple. Job security. To be a teacher, you have to have someone to teach. If you look at almost every single job posting for a tuba teacher, you will notice that the ability to recruit and maintain high quality studio is the expectation.

There may be little need for a ton of performance majors, but there are jobs for a few of them. For the majority who will use their degrees to open up other doors, such as teaching... that is fine, too. The reality is that many people don't work in the field that they majored in in college.

Last proclaimation from the soapbox: I don't have near the talent of a lot of other tubists out there. However, I have carved out a great little life for myself. I have a great job with good students and get to play my tuba everyday. Just because I won't be a serious threat to Mr. Baer's new position in NYC, my performance degree wasn't a waste.

By the way, I am really searching for 2 new euphonium majors for next fall.

-Doug Whitten
Pittsburg State University




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