Hi Ava,
I too am currently trying to decide which musical route to go down.
I remember months ago ther was a note in the newsletter from a guy who was a session musician on the whistle. That, for me, is a very attractive option. I didn’t realise such a job existed before - I can’t tell you anything about it.
Just a possible idea.
Jo.
Well, I have a degree in music education, and that’s why I am teaching science to elementary kids. Actually, I prefer to teach science, but I do have the freedom to teach music to my classes whenever I feel like it.
I also direct the church choir, which amounts to mainly picking the songs, since my singers all play instruments and don’t need my advice, and they also harmonize by ear, which again, doesn’t need much of my input.
Then there are the occassional weddings, which uses up a Saturday, and the infrequent funeral, which doesn’t pay, since the bereaved aren’t even thinking along such lines.
The person who said that one must also have a good business head is absolutely correct. A high school band director must write halftime shows and teach them, hire busses every week to get to the games, manage uniforms, parent groups, fundraiser, fight for their job when music gets cut, teach kids berfore and after school. No wonder there is much band director burnout, and that’s why I am perfectly happy not teaching high school band.
Merry Chistmas,
JP