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At an Age for Music and Dreams, Real Life Intrudes

News: A touching article about the difficult choices faced by a young, talented, hardworking violinist in a small USA town

From Karen Allendoerfer
Posted April 15, 2009 at 09:45 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/us/15land.html?_r=1

While I feel bad for the girl having to live on her own so young, I had to laugh at the naivete of some of the commenters.  "Do what you love and money will follow"  no it doesn't work that way.  Success comes from multiple factors like grit, connection, and discipline.  I thought she's pretty smart choosing to study nursing.  It doesn't mean she has to drop violin.  She could keep taking lesson and play for the city orchestra if she qualifies for it.

I think the worst thing is that if she does BM in college with the naieve thought that there will be jobs after graduation and end up homeless, depressed and hating music.  It's ok for someone to hate their day job and still have music to turn to but to not even have a day job and hate music because of it is REALLY depressing.

which is why I decided to NOT use my music to make a living but make a living to support myself playing music. 

Yes, I also choose this option but I am 100% more lucky than this girl for some things and know that what she lives is even worst that my personnal struggle in college sciences.  I know a fantastic nurse who plays music for the patients.  This is admirable too! 

Anne-Marie

Karen - thank you for posting this.

Having read this article, and having known many who have been in similar situations at many stages in life (including myself), I have to say that I find it disturbing to see that people applaud this young woman for her "maturity" if that "maturity" is her decision not to pursue either studies or a career in music.

Mind you, my point is neither to attack this young woman for her way of thinking nor to blast my colleagues here for advocating takign other career paths while maintaining a love and involvement with musimaking:   life should indeed be fair to this young woman.   However, we can only go to an earlier interview with James Ehnes - available for view on violinist.com - in which he shares this from his student days:

"It was shortly after getting that violin that I went to Meadowmount for the first time. Of course, at Meadowmount there were 13-year-old kids playing on Gaglianos and Amatis – there was some serious money. But there were also some kids who were really struggling on not-so-great instruments, people from normal families like my own."

Perhaps what needs to be discussed is the "American way of thinking" about careers, specifically those in the fine and performing arts, as it stands against the philosophies of those from many other nations who have experienced similar if not harsher economic and daily realities - many of whom who have found themselves quite successful....and perhaps someone should truly reach out to help this young woman should her deepest desire be to pursue and maintain a career in music.

_______________________________________________________________________

Post-script:   From the New York Times comments:

The "This Land" column that appeared on April 15th prompted an outpouring of support for both Tiffany Clay and the Newark High School Sinfonia. For those who want to help in some way, here is the e-mail address for Susan Larson, the school's music director, and the addresses for two funds being established to help this young lady and her school.

Susan Larson: slarson@laca.org

Tiffany Clay Benefit Fund
Park National Bank c/o Cindy Neely
P.O Box 3500
Newark, OH 43058-3500

Newark High School Orchestra Fund
Park National Bank c/o Cindy Neely
P.O. Box 3500
Newark, OH 43058-3500

Perhaps we need to have a section of violinist.com where those of us have resources to spare, rather than just writing a check, can directly contribute in a personal and meaningful way to improve the lot and opportunities with students like this in mind?

I can only imagine just amongst the colleagues that I have a relationship with...we run youth orchestras, play in professional ensembles, teach dozens of students, actually have an extra bow or two, a drawer of mutes, or a "few" copies of Unaccompanied Bach lying around.

Over on one of the popular trumpet message boards, old-timers who have acquired more gear than they're able to even be buried with have connected  with younger ones without access to those sorts of resources. A mouthpiece or mute here, a piccolo trumpet there. We have societies that lend amatis, strads, and whatnot to incredible talents, but heck, I'd be more than willing to mail some of my extra hardware that has sat in a box in storage for years if it can help a kid out! Even anonymously, with no other thanks other than the satisfaction of having done *something*?

Sure, it's not like giving them the financial security to go pursue a career in solo violin, but a little bit from lots of people can always make a real difference. :)

I think that guy livin with her needs to get off his butt and get a job.

Gene - Thank you for beinbg a voice of reason.

Apparently, two funds have been set up - one to help the young woman who is the focus of the orchestra, and the other to assist that orchestra program.   The addresses appeared in the "comments" section of the New York Times article, and I posted them in another blog where this article was mentioned.

What Marty said. Dump him and hang out in the bars near the medical school. Marry an orthopedic surgeon, play the violin. Win-win.

I too wondered why she couldn't pursue a career as a music teacher, for example, or a music therapist (to combine that with her interest in nursing), or arts management, or many others that don't immediately come to my mind but that could make use of her musical talents (and other talents--it said she was a top student in many of her academic classes) and would pay a living wage.  One of the comments said she needed a good guidance counselor who could help her be aware of more of the choices available to her, and how to take advantage of those opportunities, and I couldn't agree more.  But I don't think it makes sense to encourage her or others like her (or anyone, really) to become a violin soloist or to major in violin performance with the goal of becoming a "star." I think her teacher is a real hero without being a star--all the kids in that orchestra are. 

One of the lines that bothered me most from the article was when the teacher mentioned her former student in a wealthy school district, who smashed his "spare" $10,000 violin to celebrate his graduation.  That was just painful to read on so many levels.  The excess, the sense of entitlement, the disrespect.  I hope he and his parents read that and were ashamed of themselves.

I somehow doubt that, if he did smash his "spare" violin, it was worth 10,000 dollars.

Karen, thanks for sharing this article.

Ah, memories. I remember the time when I was in my senior year in high school and two roads were spread before me-- nursing or music. What did I choose? Nursing of course. It was my only way to get through college as my benefactor that will support my college tuition fee (in a university) didn't approve of me going to a music conservatory. And then I was afraid of going hungry as  I was quite aware that being music teacher or a performer can't make me earn much. I had to stop most of musical activities by 50% and focused a lot of my time to nursing-clinicals, projects, lectures, research...it hurt at first but I got used to it. It number me psychologically and emotionally.

I don't know how I finished my schooling in the nursing school but it was sort of  a dream-like state to me--four years of having a zombie-like existence. And after four years of nursing education and a bachelor's degree in nursing....where did it led me? To nowhere...still unemployed.

It's the biggest regret of my life. I wish I would have chosen music even though I have to scrape pans and scrub pots just to pay for rent and tuition.

Jan

Karen - thanks for sharing that interesting article.  I suspect that her choices are not quite as constrained as they seem to her and the folks around her.  She probably could use some good guidance counseling at this stage to help her sort out how to make the music work for her in a career sense.  It seems to me that if she can get herself to a state college in Ohio, which is probably the cheapest alternative (particularly if she can get some scholarship money), there is a significant possibility that someone there can help her sort through the issues.  However, I think she needs to make that her priority, if she can.  

Jan, how funny that I know people who did exactly the contrary. What they did, went in music at very very good levels (even the symphony), traveled to Russia, studied with very good violinists and didn't have the job they want.  Some got back to school in something they dislike at as old as 42, some of course turn themselves towards teaching jobs (which I respect as much as the performers because their role is SO important too).  A pianist even told me that he couldn't eat every meal...  I was terrorised, of course....  My teachers at high school told me it was the door towards burn out and my maker advise me to consider this very seriously.  But, I know that I happened to met mostly unlucky musicians and that I can not judge the profession by only those I met.  Some succed and I see this on this site as well as in other articles.  I just wanted to tell that some will be lucky or unlucky in many fields not just music even if art is not the most easy field to get job+security.  In general here, (Canada) nurses are run after by hospitals because we miss them so much.  It is a very secure job here. I'm sorry for you and wish you good luck!

Anne-Marie

I agree with Marty.  He looks like a complete loser.

I read in my local paper (Oklahoma city paper) that Oklahoma City University, a school with a very good nursing program and music school, has offered her full tuition, and Sonic, where she works and which is headquartered in OK City, has offered to pay her room an board. I understand that she has accepted and will be coming to OKC for a visit next week. I'm really happy this story has a happy ending! I'm very happy for her.

She is being very logical and realistic...she will always have her music, may play in a symphony and even teach the instrument, but the wisdom comes from knowing that spending money on music as a career unless you are super talented or the child of very wealthy parents is NOT wise. I agree with her.

Read "Future Shock" by Toffler

Marty, that's great to hear!  Not that my opinion really matters, but I think combining music and nursing at a good school for both was the best path for her to take.  It would be a shame if she had to give up either one.

 Wow, what a story - both there in the article and in these interesting responses it has elicited. It does indeed sound ultimately like a happily ever after for the young woman. Thanks for posting the link to the article, Karen.

I would like to remind everyone that there have been some truly outstanding musicians, like pianist Jon Nakamatsu, who don't go to college or conservatory for music (he studied German) and end up having succesful carreers in music.

Personally, I don't think any single carreer path offers true security. I read a story of a gentleman with three master's degrees from Ivy League schools who ended up operating a forklift at a farm because of the job market crisis.

"But I don't think it makes sense to encourage her or others like her (or anyone, really) to become a violin soloist or to major in violin performance with the goal of becoming a "star."

Valid point.    It is wonderful that many things have opened themselves for this young lady - and while these events do seem to be a bit of a "happy ending", this is only the beginning...

Music Giveaway

Mark O'Connor's method books -- released this week -- teach students using many styles of American music. Enter to win a set of the books this week, on Violinist.com. Photo: Deanna Rose

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