Hello again Hubskinites (it's been a while)
You all have been wonderful when I'm come to you for advice.
Here I am again.
I auditioned and have been accepted to receive a Master's in Jazz Bass at The University of Missiouri - Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance. Since I'm from Kansas City I get in-state tuition. For the 2017-2018 tuition would be $2,680 (and I'm guessing the 2nd year would be comprable).
A benefit of getting a Master's is that it could get me a teaching gig. I'll be honest, I don't foresee myself teaching at a collegiate anytime in the future.
There are gaps in my playing/knowledge that I could fill on my own, but going to school would act as a catalyst to resolve them.
I'm also into the idea of forming connections and playing with people from other facets of performing arts (e.g. avant-garde dance).
It's important to note that I'm still ~$33k in debt from undergrad.
All comments welcome
If not at school I'd continue to play around town and work on music on my own. I currently gig about 4/5 nights a week. Yeah it is a really good price tag. I'm just hesitant about adding more debt. I currently have a day job that I work two days a week that I could keep up once the school year begins. I'm also married and my wife has a salary job teaching at a Montessori school.
What does your wife think about supporting you for another two years? It's definitely an important consideration. You know when people say things in movies like, "I worked while he was in school," like it's a sacrifice? It is, so also consider that her feelings on the situation are important.
She's very supportive of the whole situation, but I haven't asked her that specifically. Our friendship spans 11 years resulting in a very strong bond. I'll talk with her about this today, thanks for providing the consideration!
I've got a masters in music composition. It was incredibly beneficial on a personal level and developed my practice quite a lot in a short amount of time (UK masters are one year). But I would not recommend it as a stepping stone to a better life/career, unless that career is in education and/or you're going to go on and do a PhD.
That's what I'm looking for. Jazz Composition is a part of the program and that's something I really want to delve into even further. I write for a sextet and have [an album](thesextet.bandcamp.com) out of my writing/arranging. I know there's more that I can learn to deepen my understanding in order express myself more thoroughly. I'm also interested in the fact that it'd be a great networking opportunity. "You're network is your net worth."It was incredibly beneficial on a personal level and developed my practice quite a lot in a short amount of time
Well, I can recommend it then, at least on that front. The main differences I found with a masters vs. undergrad are these: 1. You start to be regarded by the lecturers as a peer rather than solely a student. They start to take more of an interest in what you have to say and will seek to involve you in faculty more. 2. There's less direct teaching and instruction (thought it's of course still there). There's an increased focus on listening and analysing you as your own artist/performer and from there offering guidance, cultivation, and suggestions. As such, the feedback you get is actually a lot more useful and actionable. 3. It's what you make of it. This is true for undergrad too, but even more the case here. The course as a whole was lot more loosely structured. Not in a lazy or badly planned sort of way, but in a way where the curriculum becomes a framework for your own direction. I guess this is linked to my 2nd point. So yeah, if you can justify the costs with regards to your already accrued debts, then it can certainly be an artistically fulfilling process. You get lots of time to do and explore what you want.
You're in a different field than I am obviously, but I'd say go for it. Getting a Master's definitely opened me up to way more tradecraft and unusual perspectives than I would have gotten from just undergrad alone. Getting to meet people from different backgrounds is a huge benefit.
What's your field and what unusual avenues did a Master's open?
International relations / National Security. Helped me skip the unpaid intern stage of the career path. I also got to meet people from all parts of the field and people from around the world with different perspectives on security and global issues
I'm thinking I'm going to do it. I'll still be paying loans off for about a decade. But getting a master's will definitely increase my income through connections to higher paying gigs, ultimately decreasing the amount of time I'll be paying off loans. The loan I could get for these two years would be an interest-free one from a friend.
will check out later, quick glimpse looks fruitful