Beyond the Classroom

A person cannot be entirely self sufficient. Technically, yes, a person can live alone and avoid all interaction to survive. But realistically, people need to communicate, share, and contribute to community to have a fulfilling life. School cannot teach students just rote memorization of facts. That could get students passing marks on standardized test such at ACTs, but do little in developing individuals that uniquely contribute to the community.

Next year, I will be attending a conservatory. Many people think that conservatory students spend all their time locked up in dim practice rooms, only emerging for lessons and classes. While there are some students that go to that extreme, the majority don’t because that lifestyle would make them crazy. There needs to be a balance of rigor and focus with communication and interaction with others.

One of the most important things I’ve learned from being a musician is how to work with anybody. I have to take whatever sparse work I can get. That means that I rarely choose who I play music with. In orchestras, I have to be able to work with even the weirdest, most annoying people you can imagine. Because in the end, people are hired for their musicianship but keep their job by being able to work with others. This means I need to keep my cool and stay focused in rehearsal, share bowings, and be courteous. Music is all about connections. The more acquaintances I make throughout my career, the more likely it is for me to get a job through recommendations or auditions. Musicians help other good ones out, but make note of the not so good. Even if a player is fantastic, refusing to pass on information about bowings could lose them a job. An overall antisocial attitude can be seen as a lack of interest or motivation. This person may not get called back to a job and word may spread that this person isn’t good to hire for any job. I know of a few high-powered employers (conductors etc.) that have a “blacklist” of people they will never hire again or recommend.

Where did I learn effective communication skills? In school, of course. Group projects, class discussions, and even just being in a classroom environment has given me effective tools to communicate in the classical music world. If anything, I’ve learned to value the variety of education I’ve received. Anyone can search facts on a database, but nothing can perfectly replace the class discussions and collaborations. School should continue to emphasize not only rote facts and formulas, rather an integrative learning experience.