Having been married to a professional musician for 20 years, we often discussed how the performance degree musicians get in college falls short of actually teaching a performer how to have a career in music. My husband did his doctoral dissertation about entrepreneurship in music to hopefully help fix that problem.
The short answer from me (the wife) is that you must think of your sons career like a table top and your son will always have four or five table legs (representing varied streams of income) needed to hold it steadily firm. The more legs he adds, the sturdier it will be.
When we were first married Mark had been a professional performer for 7 years and we were able to live on his income. Some of his streams of income were cd sales, gigs, teaching private lessons, teaching as a college adjunct, publishing articles in music magazines and journals, writing and selling arrangements, etc. it was all music related work. If you are worried about your son working hard, I can assure you, it was hard work with long hours, and the hardest part might be generating/finding the work, but it’s doable. He will have to make his own career - if he’s driven he can do it.
The biggest challenge we faced was finding affordable health care. We ultimately solved that problem through my employment, but when our children were born, I began staying home, so Mark auditioned for a military band and was hired as the guitarist for the band at the West Point US military academy. If your son is willing to go through basic training, the military does have some great opportunities for musicians.
After my husband left the band, he joined Millikin University in Decatur, IL, which has a heavy emphasis on student-run ventures (experiential classes) in which students get hands on experience running performance related businesses while they major in music. I might also add that even though my husband is the head of Millikin’s Guitar program, he still performs on a regular basis, records music, and publishes guitar instructional books. Having multiple income streams will always be part of a musician’s career.
Hope it helps to know it can be done.
LINDA ALDERMANJuly 22, 2019
We own a Photo Equipment sales and Photography business (42 years) All our children went to college except for one son. He chose not to attend college. He had a job(s) While in High School and before he left on his mission and when he was soon to return from his Mission,one of the businessmen wrote him and offered him his job back in a print shop, When he returned, he reluctantly took the job but also worked in Insurance sales. My son soon realized his best opportunity was at the Print shop and focused on that.....Long story short, he now owns Quality Printing. He and his wife and 2 children are doing well and he did not have to go to college to make his way. We advised him along the way when he sought out our advice and experience. But he's a self made man and doing well.
CodyJuly 20, 2019
Gentle parents - I so get this! If music is the chosen path for your son, there are great tools to give him practical preparation and give you peace of mind about it. Is your family aware of the Commercial Music Program at South Plains College in Levelland, TX? I can’t say enough good about this amazing program! Top-notch instruction & mentoring in musicianship development, recorded and live-sound technical skills, music industry & entertainment business skills, and lots of performance opportunities. SPC is a public community college - personalized instruction, reasonable tuition, degree granting, transferable credit to 4 yr “U” if that ever becomes his desire. My high school aged daughters have been taking a live band performance class @ SPC over the last year & I am simply amazed at the program. Diverse music offerings - rock, jazz, blue grass, experimental, country, inspirational, and hybrids of all! If your son wants to explore the world of professional music, he would be hard-pressed to find a more supportive, professional environment in which to do so.
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Shaunna TonelliJuly 30, 2019
Having been married to a professional musician for 20 years, we often discussed how the performance degree musicians get in college falls short of actually teaching a performer how to have a career in music. My husband did his doctoral dissertation about entrepreneurship in music to hopefully help fix that problem. The short answer from me (the wife) is that you must think of your sons career like a table top and your son will always have four or five table legs (representing varied streams of income) needed to hold it steadily firm. The more legs he adds, the sturdier it will be. When we were first married Mark had been a professional performer for 7 years and we were able to live on his income. Some of his streams of income were cd sales, gigs, teaching private lessons, teaching as a college adjunct, publishing articles in music magazines and journals, writing and selling arrangements, etc. it was all music related work. If you are worried about your son working hard, I can assure you, it was hard work with long hours, and the hardest part might be generating/finding the work, but it’s doable. He will have to make his own career - if he’s driven he can do it. The biggest challenge we faced was finding affordable health care. We ultimately solved that problem through my employment, but when our children were born, I began staying home, so Mark auditioned for a military band and was hired as the guitarist for the band at the West Point US military academy. If your son is willing to go through basic training, the military does have some great opportunities for musicians. After my husband left the band, he joined Millikin University in Decatur, IL, which has a heavy emphasis on student-run ventures (experiential classes) in which students get hands on experience running performance related businesses while they major in music. I might also add that even though my husband is the head of Millikin’s Guitar program, he still performs on a regular basis, records music, and publishes guitar instructional books. Having multiple income streams will always be part of a musician’s career. Hope it helps to know it can be done.
LINDA ALDERMANJuly 22, 2019
We own a Photo Equipment sales and Photography business (42 years) All our children went to college except for one son. He chose not to attend college. He had a job(s) While in High School and before he left on his mission and when he was soon to return from his Mission,one of the businessmen wrote him and offered him his job back in a print shop, When he returned, he reluctantly took the job but also worked in Insurance sales. My son soon realized his best opportunity was at the Print shop and focused on that.....Long story short, he now owns Quality Printing. He and his wife and 2 children are doing well and he did not have to go to college to make his way. We advised him along the way when he sought out our advice and experience. But he's a self made man and doing well.
CodyJuly 20, 2019
Gentle parents - I so get this! If music is the chosen path for your son, there are great tools to give him practical preparation and give you peace of mind about it. Is your family aware of the Commercial Music Program at South Plains College in Levelland, TX? I can’t say enough good about this amazing program! Top-notch instruction & mentoring in musicianship development, recorded and live-sound technical skills, music industry & entertainment business skills, and lots of performance opportunities. SPC is a public community college - personalized instruction, reasonable tuition, degree granting, transferable credit to 4 yr “U” if that ever becomes his desire. My high school aged daughters have been taking a live band performance class @ SPC over the last year & I am simply amazed at the program. Diverse music offerings - rock, jazz, blue grass, experimental, country, inspirational, and hybrids of all! If your son wants to explore the world of professional music, he would be hard-pressed to find a more supportive, professional environment in which to do so.
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