1127 Park Street -- Grinnell, IA 50112-1690
Phone 641-269-4940; FAX 641-269-4946
Contact Us
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1127 Park Street -- Grinnell, IA 50112-1690 Phone 641-269-4940; FAX 641-269-4946 Contact Us |
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American
Studies
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Music
Choosing your major was one of the most significant decisions of your college career. Your passion for music is one you share with your peers, professors, and alumni/ae. Students choose to major in music for different reasons. Read some of the reasons alumni/ae chose a music major: Alumni/ae Comments "I had always been involved in music and played the violin since age 7. I still play the violin today." "The real reason I majored in music was because I had no choice. When I thought about the courses I wanted to take, many were in music. Music has always been a huge part of my life. I knew that by majoring in music at Grinnell I wouldn't be limiting myself. A Grinnell education would teach me to think." "Majoring
in music was my only option and had been my main focus. I was
best in this area and had focused my talent in music." "I majored in music because I loved music and had always taken private lessons. I wanted to participate in an off-campus study program in India and my music major allowed me to do this." Faculty Comments "What type of student should major in music? People who love music; people who have played instruments or sung for years and want to understand music more deeply as a cultural expression and a creative medium; people interested in cultural studies or the creative application of technology. It is
not a particularly marketable major, although there are new opportunities
in multimedia, sound design, cultural criticism, and medical
therapy for which a musical background can be excellent preparation.
Music is multi-faceted and integrative, shedding light on the
workings of the human mind, cultural and social values, the application
and impact of technology, and the relationship between understanding
and doing (analysis and performance). Its study illuminates one
of the most powerful forces in many people's lives and deepens
understanding of the values and practices of diverse cultures." You will use the skills you develop as a music major every day in whatever environment you decide to work. Alumni/ae and faculty offer their thoughts about the kinds of skills a major in music will provide: Alumni/ae Comments "My music major gave me the ability to get up in front of people and keep my wits about me." "Writing skills, and cross-discipline learning." "Gave me additional lessons and choral experience." "Majoring in music developed my performance skills. The major helped me to have more breadth. I was in the process of redefining myself from being a violinist to being a musician." Faculty Comments "Self-discipline, confidence and collaboration through study of solo and ensemble performance. Critical thinking in understanding how music is put together and what it says. Ability to integrate diverse sources of information." Music majors have selected a wide variety of careers from opera singer to marketing director, from theatre director to banker. As you can see from the following list of alumni/ae job titles of music majors, you are not your major! Alumni/ae
Job Titles Spanish
Instructor How will
you decide what kind of career to pursue? Will it follow your
major? In what way? Both alumni/ae and faculty emphasize the
importance of researching different kinds of careers. There are many ways to research career fields of interest to you. The most common way is to complete an internship. Alumni/ae who have held internships or participated in career previews have lots of advice to offer. Alumni/ae
Comments "Don't expect to come out of Grinnell ready for a job. You can do the special training afterwards." "Remember that at Grinnell you are not your major. Just because you choose to major in something people may consider frivolous, you are developing so many skills. Enjoy your major!" "Keep an open mind. Don't limit yourself. Music is always a part of your life. My music is an avocation and an underlying theme of my life as opposed to being how I make my living." "I'd give this advice to any student, no matter what the major. Explore the opportunity of off-campus study and explore early (as early as freshman year). Follow your joy and don't worry about where it will take you." Faculty Comments "Pursue intensive research, creative work, internships, or summer performance studies between the junior and senior years - possibly after the sophomore year as well. Think intentionally and early on about how your coursework prepares you for these experiences. Build on these experiences with your senior project in music, challenging yourself to accomplish something that transcends typical college course work, contributes something original, and represents your best effort to bring together threads of your Grinnell studies. As graduation approaches, examine where your real passion in music lies. Contact alums in your area of interest. Audition for challenging summer performance institutes and music festivals. Look up graduate school and professional requirements as you begin to get a sense of focus in the major - don't wait until the last semester for this." If you are thinking about graduate school, there are graduate programs in the field of music as well as other professional degree programs. These links provide more information about the different paths you can follow: graduate school, jobs, or other paths. The following are first-hand accounts of the experiences of alumni/ae after Grinnell who have graduated with a music major: Alumni/ae Comments "I
began working in a bank because we moved to this town for my
husband's job as a teacher and this was the best job I could
find. It evolved into more of a career. I had always wanted to
play in a symphony and I play in three now. My very first job
out of Grinnell was as a secretary and I got this job because
of my typing skills!" "I always knew I wanted to work in arts administration although it was kind of by accident that I got into marketing. I originally was interested in operations, but found I had a creative bent and marketing was a perfect match." "The
career chose me. I was good at organizing and all of my volunteer
activities had focused on fundraising, volunteer organizing,
membership. When I went back into the job market when my children
were in high school, I got a master's in non-profit management." "At the age of 36 I'm just now actively committing to my career. My work started with my Grinnell off-campus study program in India when I studied improvisation. This started me on the path to studying creativity. Through the years I've had different opportunities. I never wrote a resume and always found new opportunities to pursue. I've been a carpenter, a landscape architect among other things." Faculty Comments "Careers
of music majors include teaching, performance, multimedia development,
arts management, music therapy, music production, broadcasting." Of course, Grinnell's Music Department provides advising as you consider questions about your major, internships, gaining experience, and making career decisions. The departmental web page also offers detailed information about the music major, outlines requirements for its completion, and lists courses. |
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