Dreaming of becoming a professional musician

[Suffolkcoastal]

Well, I'd have loved to have been a professional composer/teacher, but guess at 48 I'm now too old. My problem was that my musical and compositional abilities (if I do really have any) developed relatively late (early 20's) and this combined with some earlier mental health problems, scuppered any chance of getting anywhere. I suppose I could have made a bit by writing commercial 'pop' tunes, as I find writing popular tunes that have moved people, very easy, but I've always been drawn towards trying to composer more 'serious' music.
Failing that I'd love to have been a Radio 3 presenter (but certainly not under the present regime), presenting programmes on the less well known pieces I so admire and installing enthusiasm and giving the opportunity for more listeners to hear them.

[Extended Play]

Failing that I'd love to have been a Radio 3 presenter (but certainly not under the present regime), presenting programmes on the less well known pieces I so admire and installing enthusiasm and giving the opportunity for more listeners to hear them.

As one of many here who have been following your symphonic journey, SC, I have no doubt that R3 would have been enriched by your contributions.

[rauschwerk]

The lady teacher sat down at the piano to play for us and, to my surprise, I found that I was crying.

That's exactly what happened to me when, at the age of 5 or 6, my first proper piano teacher came to see if he would take me on. When he played Chopin's 'Raindrop' prelude I wept. That response disappeared a long time ago. The last time was when I was 20.

Thanks for your posts, Hornspieler.

[teamsaint]

Well, I'd have loved to have been a professional composer/teacher, but guess at 48 I'm now too old. My problem was that my musical and compositional abilities (if I do really have any) developed relatively late (early 20's) and this combined with some earlier mental health problems, scuppered any chance of getting anywhere. I suppose I could have made a bit by writing commercial 'pop' tunes, as I find writing popular tunes that have moved people, very easy, but I've always been drawn towards trying to composer more 'serious' music.
Failing that I'd love to have been a Radio 3 presenter (but certainly not under the present regime), presenting programmes on the less well known pieces I so admire and installing enthusiasm and giving the opportunity for more listeners to hear them.

you should start your own internet radio station. I should do that little project I had in mind. money and time, though.... i know what I am going to do when those numbers come up....

[MrGongGong]

Well, I'd have loved to have been a professional composer/teacher, but guess at 48 I'm now too old. .

Elliot Carter ?

[EdgeleyRob]

Elliot Carter ?

There's hope for me,have to learn to play a musical instrument first.
Does stylophone count ?

[teamsaint]

There's hope for me,have to learn to play a musical instrument first.
Does stylophone count ?

of course. Rolf is still playing big festivals, and he must be in his 80's. Should be seeing him next summer.....

[Serial_Apologist]

Like this you mean ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AifKIcQuMpk

Hilarious!!!

I've bookmarked that link - thanks GG

[MrGongGong]

Hilarious!!!

I've bookmarked that link - thanks GG

Thanks

Most of the musicians I know (and this was true for me ) were endlessly told as youngsters that they could
"do it as a hobby" and
"always have something to fall back on"

Bill Drummonds take on this , in The Manual - How To Have A Number One The Easy Way
is

Firstly, you must be skint and on the dole. Anybody with a proper job or tied up with full time education will not have the time to devote to see it through. Also, being on the dole gives you a clearer perspective on how much of society is run.

Which has a certain charm...........

though as has been said, some professional musicians would be much happier if they did get a "proper job" and played music they loved for fun .

[Zauberfloete]

From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a professional musician. I remember singing in the choir at my junior school and many of the songs we sang were classical pieces set to words (e.g. minuet from "Don Giovanni" and a bit of the second movement of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony). The one which got to me most of all was Schubert's "An die Musik" but with different words from the original. I could hardly sing for the tears in my eyes at the beauty of that song, which I still find exquisite beyond words.

However, I was also fortunate to be introduced to orchestral music by my parents and, from being about five years old, I wanted to play Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. I was duly bought a clarinet when I was ten and, in fact, did play that concerto with my senior school orchestra when I was seventeen. Something made me realise that I'd never be able to cut the mustard as a soloist (I've always had a lack of confidence) but, having always loved orchestral music, I was very keen to be a clarinettist in an orchestra. It was when I got to university that the clarinet teacher there (who shall remain nameless) completely shattered the little confidence I had by saying that I was doing EVERYTHING wrong and it was very hard to accept that I'd never, EVER be good enough to have a career as a professional musician. (I later had lessons with a wonderful teacher and it made me wish that he had taught me from when I was ten - I might have been good enough then!).

I went on to gain several academic qualifications in music, although I have never done anything with them in terms of a professional career. Even now, despite the first-hand stories from other contributors, I still wish that I could have had the chance to have been a professional clarinettist, even for a short time. Sad, really.

[salymap]

From as far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a professional musician. I remember singing in the choir at my junior school and many of the songs we sang were classical pieces set to words (e.g. minuet from "Don Giovanni" and a bit of the second movement of Beethoven's Eighth Symphony). The one which got to me most of all was Schubert's "An die Musik" but with different words from the original. I could hardly sing for the tears in my eyes at the beauty of that song, which I still find exquisite beyond words.

However, I was also fortunate to be introduced to orchestral music by my parents and, from being about five years old, I wanted to play Mozart's Clarinet Concerto. I was duly bought a clarinet when I was ten and, in fact, did play that concerto with my senior school orchestra when I was seventeen. Something made me realise that I'd never be able to cut the mustard as a soloist (I've always had a lack of confidence) but, having always loved orchestral music, I was very keen to be a clarinettist in an orchestra. It was when I got to university that the clarinet teacher there (who shall remain nameless) completely shattered the little confidence I had by saying that I was doing EVERYTHING wrong and it was very hard to accept that I'd never, EVER be good enough to have a career as a professional musician. (I later had lessons with a wonderful teacher and it made me wish that he had taught me from when I was ten - I might have been good enough then!).

I went on to gain several academic qualifications in music, although I have never done anything with them in terms of a professional career. Even now, despite the first-hand stories from other contributors, I still wish that I could have had the chance to have been a professional clarinettist, even for a short time. Sad, really.

Wow, forget that later comment. How wonderful to have played the Mozart Clarinet Concerto once at least.
It seems to me that some of our pro's and ex-pro's spent most of their time worrying about failure. I think the right attitude of mind is as important as the musical training. It just wasn't meant to be.

I would have been hopeless as I hate being on a platform or standing up to speak ata meeting.

[Zauberfloete]

Thanks, Salymap.

[Hornspieler]

That's exactly what happened to me when, at the age of 5 or 6, my first proper piano teacher came to see if he would take me on. When he played Chopin's 'Raindrop' prelude I wept. That response disappeared a long time ago. The last time was when I was 20.

Thanks for your posts, Hornspieler.

I'm sorry, but I must add another note of caution for the intending music professional.

What about your , husband, partner, fiancee?

a) Would they be content to come home after their day's toil and embrace on the doorstep as their "other half" leaves for the concert hall, returning usually after 11 pm and often the other side of midnight? So you hardly see each other on most days?

b) Or would you hope to meet and marry a fellow musician? No guarantee that you will gain positions in the same orchestra, so which one should give way?

If the two of you are in the same orchestra, you are together for 24 hours a day. You can't get a little personal space and privacy.

The one situation is as bad as the other. So should someone give up their dream of being a professional?

a) The girl who I wanted to marry at age 18 suddenly turned me down. No explanation, just a few words of goodbye.

b) Five years later, I met and married a professional violinist of rare talent and we joined the BSO together. We discovered that there were no fewer than seven married couples in the orchestra. Within ten years, they had all split up! We were not exempt. There was always something missing in our relationship and it developed into no more then a polite and convenient arrangement.

Twenty five years later, when I had retired from playing and adopted a new profession in management consultancy, I happened to come by chance on the telephone number of the girl from (a) and suggested that we should meet. It turned out that she too was in a dead marriage and she said that she had only turned away from me all those years ago because she did not want to spend her evenings alone after an exacting day's work, teaching school children.

We have now been married for 30 years and still delight in each other's company. Our former spouses (spice?) still maintain friendly (or at least, civilised) contact and for us, we did the right thing.

There's more to dreaming about turning professional than just the job itself. There are also social (and family) pressures to take into account.
It is a decision not to be taken lightly.

HS

[beakon]

I am a happy professional musician! My mother is a musician, and while she didn't push any of us in the same direction, she gave us endless encouragement and as many opportunities to learn instruments and play in orchestras as we could afford on a tight budget. Three of the four of us ended up at music colleges, although we have all done different things with our music.

I went to the RNCM as a pianist, thinking I wanted to be a repetiteur, but changed my mind - we had some inspirational sessions on teaching our instrument as well as the opportunity to do some supervised teaching of second-study pianists at all levels and I was hooked. Although I did Manchester's Joint Course with the university music department and so ended up with a respectable degree as well as my conservatoire training, I knew that classroom teaching wasn't for me. I saw too many of my contemporaries go through their PGCE courses and barely touch their instrument once they'd left music college - it made me wonder what was the point of having spent five years practising for hours and hours every day if that was the outcome. I have been lucky enough to work as a piano teacher in the junior department of a leading conservatoire for many years, as well as in some very good schools - my current one takes music incredibly seriously and so the visiting instrumental staff feel valued, rather than a nuisance.

Ever since I was a child I have been happiest when playing in orchestras - I play the viola, not terribly well but I love it. Part of me would have loved to have been an orchestral player but my gifts lay elswhere. But I have a sibling who is an orchestral player and many friends who are. It should be (and can be) the best job in the world, but as HS and others have already eloquently described, it can also be a very stressful life. So perhaps I am in the best place for me - I love working with pianists and chamber groups of all standards and trying to nurture their enthusiasm for music in the hope they will come to love it as I do. I feel very lucky that my profession is also my hobby - practising is work, yes, but it's fun too.

[Zauberfloete]

We have now been married for 30 years and still delight in each other's company. Our former spouses (spice?) still maintain friendly (or at least, civilised) contact and for us, we did the right thing.
HS

That's lovely, Hornspieler. Nice to know that you found personal happiness as well as having more than one fascinating career!