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My buddy dropped out of berklee college of music because he didn't feel it was worth it. He had been a musician for years and didn't need a degree to prove it
Out of curiosity, what did u get a degree in ryhoyarbie? I have been wondering the same thing. The only job thay provides a decent wage and job security in my opinion would be teaching
I'm always somewhat taken back with the subject of "useless degrees" and while I can see the concerns from a student or more to the point a parents point of view (I'm an indentured servant to Pitt) I was browsing through a musical instrument catalogue and was taken aback by the price of musical instruments for aspiring musicians.
$3,000 for a French Horn, $6,000 for an oboe, $21,000 for a bassoon!!!
How absurd! Who would spend that kind of money on the off chance that their child MIGHT be lucky enough to get some low paying job with a medium sized symphonic orchestra? Insane!
But then I thought, what kind of society would we live in without young people who could play the introduction to Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, understand the beauty of Mark Twain's colloquial prose, know how to preserve the artistic integrity of an Andrew Wyeth, or understand the intrinsic value of a Gustav Stickley chair and its importance to the history of American design and craftsmanship?
We need students who study "useless degrees", I would hate to think of what kind of world this would be without them.
That's what children of the rich study---Prince Charles studied Art History....they have to have something to do until they are old enough to marry
Out of curiosity, what did u get a degree in ryhoyarbie? I have been wondering the same thing. The only job thay provides a decent wage and job security in my opinion would be teaching
History. Interesting subject though. Teaching doesn't provide job security as evident to the layoffs around the metropolitan area that I live in.
You definitely don't have to spend that kind of money for a student model horn...
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Originally Posted by marigolds6
While not necessarily true with brass and woodwinds, string instruments in the high 4-figure and up range almost always appreciate in value. They are actually mutual funds based purely on investment in string instruments.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdJS
You know that you can rent musical instruments, or buy used instruments, both for much cheaper than those prices. That's what anybody would do until they were sure they were into it for the long haul.
While I used the price of instruments as a point of entry for the topic, so, while I appreciate your comments the price of instruments isn't the topic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EdJS
For many people, the sole purpose of a degree isn't to monetize it. There are also less tangible reasons people study what they study, beyond just making a living.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marie5v
I doubt anyone would pay that much money for a musical instrument unless 1-they were rich, or 2-their child really was a musical prodigy who had already proven they could excel at playing that instrument. Same for useless degrees - they are for the rich or for those with a proven interest and high ability in an area. I mean, what would you think of a single mom on food stamps who purchased a 21K bassoon for a child who had never played the bassoon and showed no special aptitude for music? It's about as smart as shelling out 100K for an average student to get a degree in medieval basket-weaving techniques from a mediocre college.
And isn't that a societal tragedy. Because music and art aren't "vocational" course of studies they are the first things being cut from public school curriculum. Who knows how many young Coplands, Martha Grahams, Wyths are lost because of public policy myopia.
A good musician doesn't need a college degree in Music to make a career in music. He only needs to play very, very well and 4 years of college doesn't make him play any better. It's about talent....and practice.
And in some genres it is about theory, lots and lots of theory. And, I might also point out that as a general rule only those who already exhibit considerable talented are accepted into music programs at the college level to begin with.
I'm always somewhat taken back with the subject of "useless degrees" and while I can see the concerns from a student or more to the point a parents point of view (I'm an indentured servant to Pitt) I was browsing through a musical instrument catalogue and was taken aback by the price of musical instruments for aspiring musicians.
$3,000 for a French Horn, $6,000 for an oboe, $21,000 for a bassoon!!!
How absurd! Who would spend that kind of money on the off chance that their child MIGHT be lucky enough to get some low paying job with a medium sized symphonic orchestra? Insane!
But then I thought, what kind of society would we live in without young people who could play the introduction to Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man, understand the beauty of Mark Twain's colloquial prose, know how to preserve the artistic integrity of an Andrew Wyeth, or understand the intrinsic value of a Gustav Stickley chair and its importance to the history of American design and craftsmanship?
We need students who study "useless degrees", I would hate to think of what kind of world this would be without them.
maybe i've just be out of the loop, but i don't remember ever hearing a degree called useless "in the old days". it seems that this is a newer idea based on the crappy economy and what degree is now useful and useless for employment. way back when, any degree was useful for employment and many times the field somebody worked in had nothing to do with their degree at all. this no longer seems to be true.
maybe i've just be out of the loop, but i don't remember ever hearing a degree called useless "in the old days". it seems that this is a newer idea based on the crappy economy and what degree is now useful and useless for employment. way back when, any degree was useful for employment and many times the field somebody worked in had nothing to do with their degree at all. this no longer seems to be true.
Well I think it's safe to say that changes in the economy will lead to changes in mentality of the people. College was way cheaper back in the old days also. Add up a terrible global economy and rising university prices and you've got the reasoning. How do you expect people to behave when there are no jobs out there?
At $21,000 for a musical instrument, a beginner would probably get a used one, or one made in China. When you're playing at Carnegie Hall that's when you shell out $21,000 (or a lot less; they probably run a lot of sales).
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