Will a high GPA in music school translate to artistic success?
What other important skills are necessary?
There seems to be a prevailing insinuation in academia that good grades will translate to success. Is it really that simple?
The Definition of SUCCESS?
What exactly is success and should musicians and other artists prescribe to someone else’s opinion about what success is? What does the idea of success mean to a musician? Does obtaining success mean:
1. having the ability to earn a high salary in a profession,
2. is it to obtain an extremely high level of artistic skill,
3. is it the ability to obtain advanced degrees,
4. is it the ability to be recognized and celebrated as a great artist,
5. or some combination of the above?
I certainly see a disconnect between what students do to get good grades — to “check the boxes” — with the demands of the real world. Surely there are some extremely valuable musical skills that students get in school, but there needs to be an understanding that a music school curriculum might not provide all of the skills needed in the real world.
Here are some skills often needed in the music profession that are not taught in school:
-The ability to talk to people
In order for musicians to have work, they have to be able to communication with other people whether that means direct conversation or it means answering emails and texts in a timely fashion. The communication occurs amongst musicians and with non-musicians.
-The ability to learn MANY pieces of music quickly
So often in school, students spend months working on a single piece of music. That is not reflective of the real world, where musicians commonly have very little time in rehearsals or practice sessions to prepare hours of music.
-The ability to memorize material and/or sight read
So much music happens without music stands. If reading is happening on a gig, it is really just enough to jog the memory and musicians try not to bury their faces in charts during the gig. Sight reading is very common, too, whether it is melodies or chord changes.
-Entrepreneurship
Students do not often learn how to market themselves in school. This includes posters, websites, or other tools that generate an audience. Often, when playing original music, the only way to get paid is to bring an audience so publicity is crucial.
-The ability to handle logistics
In order for musicians to have work it is necessary to always be on time, in the right place, and with the right materials. More often than not, we are mapping our own itineraries and making calls putting bands together.
-A strong desire for achievement and capacity to work hard
It is extremely important to be self-motivated in order to get work as a musician. In the real world there is no teacher to answer to so there are no weekly assignments and no deadlines and no exams.
-Lots of talent
As we know, some musicians have more of a developed ear, an innate ability on the instrument, or the capacity to learn more quickly than others.