Changing course to classical music career later in life
February 7, 2016 10:10 AM Subscribe
I am feeling torn between my life as it is and my life as I think it could have been and wondering whether it is even possible to change tracks at this point, and how I would go about it if it is.
I once planned to be a classical musician. I have a B.A. in music. I am not good at any instruments but am a very good singer, which is the thing I have done professionally part time, in my old city.
I struggled after college and I ended up...going to law school because it seemed like a structured path I wanted to “do something meaningful.” That actually worked out, and I have been working in my chosen career path in the legal profession for the past 2 years. I have done very little music since I started my job and moved to a new city because I wanted to get on my feet with work.
But I find myself plotting my escape. I can’t just quit now, but I think, maybe 5 years and go be a musician? 10 years if I can make it? Maybe there is a middle road where I can somehow do both things seriously without being exhausted? (There are many pros and cons about my current career but I deleted everything I wrote about that because I want to focus on the feasibility of the hypothetical scenario where I quit to do music.)
Pros of trying to be a classical musician again: Not spending 50 hours a week in an environment that sometimes seems tailor made to feed into my depression. Ability to focus without constant distractions. I decided to start playing viola again and am taking lessons--I played as a kid, never worked hard enough to get past an intermediate level--and have been brought to tears thinking, “I can’t believe I gave this up.” My work ethic and ability to concentrate and get things done has improved astronomically in recent years due to improvements in my mental health treatment. I don’t want to have kids, probably don’t want to get married, so I legitimately could spend most of my spare time on music. I am NOT happy with it as “just” a hobby--I don’t enjoy anything unless I’m serious about it.
Cons and concerns of changing course: I feel like I couldn’t leave my job unless/until I have the skills to do it, I am “too old” to learn to play viola at a professional level (I’m 30, but classical music is a special beast) and the fact that I spend so much time at my job means I won’t have enough time/energy to ever get to a point where I can leave. My impression is there are not many professional opportunities for singing in my current city, and unless you are into opera (I’m not) it’s near impossible to make it a full-time career anyway no matter where you are. I don’t really want to move again and uproot my life. Currently, I have a good salary and benefits (about $50,000), and though that’s not a lot for a lawyer with over $100,000 in student loans, I can do PAYE and my school actually pays that for me because I am in public service. If I do this for 10 years I will be debt free. I’m also afraid of floundering without the structure of my current job and losing the great professional community I’m a part of now.
Any advice? If it’s possible...how can I do it? Any words of wisdom very much appreciated.
I once planned to be a classical musician. I have a B.A. in music. I am not good at any instruments but am a very good singer, which is the thing I have done professionally part time, in my old city.
I struggled after college and I ended up...going to law school because it seemed like a structured path I wanted to “do something meaningful.” That actually worked out, and I have been working in my chosen career path in the legal profession for the past 2 years. I have done very little music since I started my job and moved to a new city because I wanted to get on my feet with work.
But I find myself plotting my escape. I can’t just quit now, but I think, maybe 5 years and go be a musician? 10 years if I can make it? Maybe there is a middle road where I can somehow do both things seriously without being exhausted? (There are many pros and cons about my current career but I deleted everything I wrote about that because I want to focus on the feasibility of the hypothetical scenario where I quit to do music.)
Pros of trying to be a classical musician again: Not spending 50 hours a week in an environment that sometimes seems tailor made to feed into my depression. Ability to focus without constant distractions. I decided to start playing viola again and am taking lessons--I played as a kid, never worked hard enough to get past an intermediate level--and have been brought to tears thinking, “I can’t believe I gave this up.” My work ethic and ability to concentrate and get things done has improved astronomically in recent years due to improvements in my mental health treatment. I don’t want to have kids, probably don’t want to get married, so I legitimately could spend most of my spare time on music. I am NOT happy with it as “just” a hobby--I don’t enjoy anything unless I’m serious about it.
Cons and concerns of changing course: I feel like I couldn’t leave my job unless/until I have the skills to do it, I am “too old” to learn to play viola at a professional level (I’m 30, but classical music is a special beast) and the fact that I spend so much time at my job means I won’t have enough time/energy to ever get to a point where I can leave. My impression is there are not many professional opportunities for singing in my current city, and unless you are into opera (I’m not) it’s near impossible to make it a full-time career anyway no matter where you are. I don’t really want to move again and uproot my life. Currently, I have a good salary and benefits (about $50,000), and though that’s not a lot for a lawyer with over $100,000 in student loans, I can do PAYE and my school actually pays that for me because I am in public service. If I do this for 10 years I will be debt free. I’m also afraid of floundering without the structure of my current job and losing the great professional community I’m a part of now.
Any advice? If it’s possible...how can I do it? Any words of wisdom very much appreciated.
How far would you be willing to go to get rid of that debt? This guy went to extraordinary measures to reduce costs (which involved an unusual living situation, and family willing to go along with it). You could cut things down to the bone, maybe get some financial advice and invest aggressively. I'm not sure how living that way would impact your mental health, though, it would probably require a lot of self-care and involve some personal risk that way. But if you don't care about family/kids etc. - and are prepared to live in what sound like extreme conditions - it might be possible to free yourself from your debt sooner than 5 or 10 years from now.
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:42 AM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by cotton dress sock at 10:42 AM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hey, my mother is a classically trained vocalist, and my sister is a classically trained clarinetist. Both of them made music their careers.
My mother gigged throughout college, singing with a group of her classmates and doing part-time work in church choirs. She married my father not long after graduation and did secretarial work as her full-time job while gigging occasionally. She also gave private lessons. After my sister and I were in school, she became a middle-school music teacher, which she has done on a full and part time basis ever since. She has always given voice lessons - some of my earliest memories are people coming over to our house for lessons. Recently she has expanded to teaching piano and guitar as well. She teaches music one day a week at a private K-8 school. This has all been possible because DadFreedom has always had a good full-time job.
My sister got her B.A. and M.A. in clarinet performance. She gigs all the time with friends, and plays regularly in an experimental group for basically no money. She also teaches lessons out of a music shop. She prefers to live alone, but has had to live with roommates to cover her rent costs. MomFreedom and DadFreedom still pay quite a lot of her bills, because they want to support her in the professional music career that MomFreedom never had. Recently my sister won a principal chair position in a new orchestra, but will probably be losing it in a contract renegotiation and reaudition to an older male clarinetist. Sexism and ageism are rampant in the orchestra world. So it's back to the drawing board for her.
If you hustle and you live in a big city, you can always gig forever and you won't starve. It's easy to make $50 or $100 a pop for an informal event and more if the people hiring you are established like a church or a professional group. However, there is no guarantee that this will lead to anything permanent or even long-term, and if you prefer a certain quality of life, it's pretty hard to come by unless you have a full-time school job or a spouse/family member supporting you.
posted by chainsofreedom at 10:43 AM on February 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
My mother gigged throughout college, singing with a group of her classmates and doing part-time work in church choirs. She married my father not long after graduation and did secretarial work as her full-time job while gigging occasionally. She also gave private lessons. After my sister and I were in school, she became a middle-school music teacher, which she has done on a full and part time basis ever since. She has always given voice lessons - some of my earliest memories are people coming over to our house for lessons. Recently she has expanded to teaching piano and guitar as well. She teaches music one day a week at a private K-8 school. This has all been possible because DadFreedom has always had a good full-time job.
My sister got her B.A. and M.A. in clarinet performance. She gigs all the time with friends, and plays regularly in an experimental group for basically no money. She also teaches lessons out of a music shop. She prefers to live alone, but has had to live with roommates to cover her rent costs. MomFreedom and DadFreedom still pay quite a lot of her bills, because they want to support her in the professional music career that MomFreedom never had. Recently my sister won a principal chair position in a new orchestra, but will probably be losing it in a contract renegotiation and reaudition to an older male clarinetist. Sexism and ageism are rampant in the orchestra world. So it's back to the drawing board for her.
If you hustle and you live in a big city, you can always gig forever and you won't starve. It's easy to make $50 or $100 a pop for an informal event and more if the people hiring you are established like a church or a professional group. However, there is no guarantee that this will lead to anything permanent or even long-term, and if you prefer a certain quality of life, it's pretty hard to come by unless you have a full-time school job or a spouse/family member supporting you.
posted by chainsofreedom at 10:43 AM on February 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
Unless you are exceptionally talented, forget it. Even if you are, it will not be easy to make a living. Having a passion that you pursue passionately need not be regarded as a mere hobby. It can be infinitely rewarding. Believe me when I tell you that scrabbling for a buck can suck away all the joy.
posted by Jode at 10:44 AM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Jode at 10:44 AM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Don't leave your day job just yet. Start your music endeavors, but ramp them up slowly. If it feels right, then go for it. Doesn't mean you won't regret it later. There are no guarantees in life.
posted by 0cm at 10:45 AM on February 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by 0cm at 10:45 AM on February 7, 2016 [10 favorites]
Looking at this entirely from a financial perspective:
Okay, you have $100k in student loan debt and you make $50k a year. Even with income-based repayment and public service loan forgiveness, I have to assume that your monthly loan payment is quite high. And unless you live in an incredibly cheap place to live, your post-loan payment income must make things pretty tight. 10 years is a long time to have this monthly debt, especially when these are your prime years to be contributing to retirement. A dollar put into retirement now is worth a lot more than a dollar put into retirement in 2026. So I have to ask, what are your retirement savings looking like? How much are you putting into your retirement accounts each month? You're 30 years old, not making a ton of money and have a lot of debt.
If you go toward this goal of classical music (and I know little about that field but I have to assume that the pay is low and the opportunities are rare), how on earth are you going to be able to pay that monthly student loan payment, how are you going to put money toward retirement, AND if you leave public service, you're going to lose your status for loan forgiveness, right?
Sorry, but I think that you should look for other stable public service job opportunities. Good luck.
posted by k8t at 10:47 AM on February 7, 2016
Okay, you have $100k in student loan debt and you make $50k a year. Even with income-based repayment and public service loan forgiveness, I have to assume that your monthly loan payment is quite high. And unless you live in an incredibly cheap place to live, your post-loan payment income must make things pretty tight. 10 years is a long time to have this monthly debt, especially when these are your prime years to be contributing to retirement. A dollar put into retirement now is worth a lot more than a dollar put into retirement in 2026. So I have to ask, what are your retirement savings looking like? How much are you putting into your retirement accounts each month? You're 30 years old, not making a ton of money and have a lot of debt.
If you go toward this goal of classical music (and I know little about that field but I have to assume that the pay is low and the opportunities are rare), how on earth are you going to be able to pay that monthly student loan payment, how are you going to put money toward retirement, AND if you leave public service, you're going to lose your status for loan forgiveness, right?
Sorry, but I think that you should look for other stable public service job opportunities. Good luck.
posted by k8t at 10:47 AM on February 7, 2016
You also don't mention your gender, but if you are a tenor, choirs will be dying to hire you. If you are a mezzo-soprano, say you're an alto - choirs will similarly be eager to hire those who can read music.
posted by chainsofreedom at 10:48 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by chainsofreedom at 10:48 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Whew. First, I made the jump from IT to composer (in the classical tradition). Or more accurately I let my life get so bad that once I hit the bottom it was easy to just be a composer. I don't recommend that path.
I only compose now and the very little income I get comes from that. But it's not enough to afford a place to live. I accept that consequence since I'm only responsible for myself.
Also, I switched over when I was like 43 or so. Older than you and therefore theoretically more difficult.
But, and here's some serious stuff here, I'm a composer and not a performer. When you say classical music is a beast, for performers this is a gross understatement. The competition is fierce in what is a dwindling field. Composers make far less money than performers do but we can create niche audiences for ourselves. Unless you are equally adventurous then it's going to be very tough going for you.
But if you are willing to be adventurous in where you make money then it is possible. Still mind-destroyingly difficult but I would think easier than becoming a violist in a decent professional orchestra. I could be wrong about the difficulties of professional performance but I doubt it.
And if you want to still pay down your debt and be part of normal society while you try to build your career as a classical musician then I'm not sure it's possible. And you are correct, doing it part time won't get it done. I could get a part time job at Walmart flipping burgers but the delay it causes me in my ability to make a living with music is not proportionate. Ie, losing three days a week by working does not equate to three days lost in composing. By my estimates its more like 10 days. I'm getting old, I can't afford those losses if I want to reach old age and feel like my life has been meaningful. My life has been meaningless so far. I don't want it to end that way. And there's a lot of work to do.
So yeah, it's going to be super duper super hard. So hard that you shouldn't do it.
But let's say you want to do it and learn from my mistakes and do it smartly (so you don't even up homeless living in a tent next to a Sasquatch mating pit). Here's what I would suggest:
Don't panic. Falling precipitously into sub-poverty isn't nearly as bad as it looks. I didn't think I could survive the fall. Seriously, I thought literally I would die. I didn't. It's not that bad. It's bad. Just not that bad.
You've got to get out of whatever apartment/house you're living in now and move into something dirt cheap (but safe and clean). You have some money and, hopefully, savings, and good credit. You have to maximize the shit out of all of that. If you can get something mobile and pay it off then that's even better.
Get rid of all your stuff (ideally sell it) and just keep the minimum. In case you have to move suddenly (for any variety of reasons) you want to be able to do so quickly and easily and not just have to lose everything (my liquor collection/bar alone was worth over $1500 -- all gone).
Come up with good explanations for all the people who are going to think you are insane, irresponsible, lazy, etc, for giving up everything to pursue a hobby (here's something someone said to me "yeah, I'd like to spend all my time doing my hobby -- playing video games -- but I'm not an idiot"). It's harder than it sounds. Moving far away and keeping people in the relative dark is much easier. But still. When talking to Christians I tell them it's like giving up everything to be a missionary. Sometimes that works for them. I get what you want to do but the vast majority won't so you need to figure out how to deal with that.
Don't use your credit cards unless you are super desperate. That's just debt that won't die and will make getting out of the hole you're putting yourself in that much harder. Also, if you think you are super desperate you aren't. Give it some time then you'll see what super desperate really means.
If you make this life-change sound reasonable then I think friends and family will be more willing to help/support you in your new life's plan. Mine came as a surprise to everyone and it's been tough-going because of it.
Now for some good news. People do need performers. You can make some money on the side performing. I don't have that (20 years ago, yeah, but not anymore).
Explore other alternate revenues of musical income. Teaching is the obvious one. Forming an ensemble is another. If it's original or niche music you don't even have to be at a professional level of skill. But as you get better then more of those kinds of opportunities will open up.
In the end, having worked through my thoughts while writing all this, starting with a plan and having a marketable skill (performance) means you can do this but it will be hard. Your debt situation will probably get worse. Maybe so bad that it'll never feel like it was worth it but hopefully that won't be the case.
posted by bfootdav at 10:54 AM on February 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
I only compose now and the very little income I get comes from that. But it's not enough to afford a place to live. I accept that consequence since I'm only responsible for myself.
Also, I switched over when I was like 43 or so. Older than you and therefore theoretically more difficult.
But, and here's some serious stuff here, I'm a composer and not a performer. When you say classical music is a beast, for performers this is a gross understatement. The competition is fierce in what is a dwindling field. Composers make far less money than performers do but we can create niche audiences for ourselves. Unless you are equally adventurous then it's going to be very tough going for you.
But if you are willing to be adventurous in where you make money then it is possible. Still mind-destroyingly difficult but I would think easier than becoming a violist in a decent professional orchestra. I could be wrong about the difficulties of professional performance but I doubt it.
And if you want to still pay down your debt and be part of normal society while you try to build your career as a classical musician then I'm not sure it's possible. And you are correct, doing it part time won't get it done. I could get a part time job at Walmart flipping burgers but the delay it causes me in my ability to make a living with music is not proportionate. Ie, losing three days a week by working does not equate to three days lost in composing. By my estimates its more like 10 days. I'm getting old, I can't afford those losses if I want to reach old age and feel like my life has been meaningful. My life has been meaningless so far. I don't want it to end that way. And there's a lot of work to do.
So yeah, it's going to be super duper super hard. So hard that you shouldn't do it.
But let's say you want to do it and learn from my mistakes and do it smartly (so you don't even up homeless living in a tent next to a Sasquatch mating pit). Here's what I would suggest:
Don't panic. Falling precipitously into sub-poverty isn't nearly as bad as it looks. I didn't think I could survive the fall. Seriously, I thought literally I would die. I didn't. It's not that bad. It's bad. Just not that bad.
You've got to get out of whatever apartment/house you're living in now and move into something dirt cheap (but safe and clean). You have some money and, hopefully, savings, and good credit. You have to maximize the shit out of all of that. If you can get something mobile and pay it off then that's even better.
Get rid of all your stuff (ideally sell it) and just keep the minimum. In case you have to move suddenly (for any variety of reasons) you want to be able to do so quickly and easily and not just have to lose everything (my liquor collection/bar alone was worth over $1500 -- all gone).
Come up with good explanations for all the people who are going to think you are insane, irresponsible, lazy, etc, for giving up everything to pursue a hobby (here's something someone said to me "yeah, I'd like to spend all my time doing my hobby -- playing video games -- but I'm not an idiot"). It's harder than it sounds. Moving far away and keeping people in the relative dark is much easier. But still. When talking to Christians I tell them it's like giving up everything to be a missionary. Sometimes that works for them. I get what you want to do but the vast majority won't so you need to figure out how to deal with that.
Don't use your credit cards unless you are super desperate. That's just debt that won't die and will make getting out of the hole you're putting yourself in that much harder. Also, if you think you are super desperate you aren't. Give it some time then you'll see what super desperate really means.
If you make this life-change sound reasonable then I think friends and family will be more willing to help/support you in your new life's plan. Mine came as a surprise to everyone and it's been tough-going because of it.
Now for some good news. People do need performers. You can make some money on the side performing. I don't have that (20 years ago, yeah, but not anymore).
Explore other alternate revenues of musical income. Teaching is the obvious one. Forming an ensemble is another. If it's original or niche music you don't even have to be at a professional level of skill. But as you get better then more of those kinds of opportunities will open up.
In the end, having worked through my thoughts while writing all this, starting with a plan and having a marketable skill (performance) means you can do this but it will be hard. Your debt situation will probably get worse. Maybe so bad that it'll never feel like it was worth it but hopefully that won't be the case.
posted by bfootdav at 10:54 AM on February 7, 2016 [8 favorites]
Best answer: The previous commenter's name is appropriate. I don't want to be a buzzkill, but a classical music career is unrealistic. Impossible? Of course not. But let's look at things objectively. You're 30, in pretty serious debt, with acknowledged mental health issues. Leaving a stable, albeit unfulfilling career is bad advice for anyone in your situation. Leaving that career for one that's extremely competitive, poorly paying, with a high rate of burnout, and widely perceived to be dying... I mean, I own a rotary phone, but I wouldn't advise anyone to go into the rotary phone sales game these days. It doesn't help that viola (my own former instrument, full disclosure) and non-operatic voice are two of the least popular instruments.
What you should do instead is to be a dilettante. Keep your job, but keep doing what you're doing at night and on the weekends. Make use of the glories of modern telecommunications. Start a YouTube channel. Post videos to Facebook and Instagram. Blog. Start a podcast. (On preview, I would loooove a viola podcast.) Eventually you could start self-releasing CDs, even. If you can't make it within the industry, it's never been a better time to make it without.
You're actually in a pretty good position in that you can afford to indulge your passion. A lot of people who don't make it right away can't afford to keep going, so they have to give up and move to plan B. Take advantage! There are plenty of artists who worked day jobs. William Carlos Williams was a doctor. Kafka worked at an insurance company. Bukowski was a postal clerk. (There's a book called The Artist in the Office by Summer Pierre that includes the line, "when Bukowski was at a party and somebody asked what he did, do you think he said he was a postal clerk?") Whatever you do, don't stop playing. And keep us informed about what you do. I'd really love to hear you play, and I'd support you however I could.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:00 AM on February 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
What you should do instead is to be a dilettante. Keep your job, but keep doing what you're doing at night and on the weekends. Make use of the glories of modern telecommunications. Start a YouTube channel. Post videos to Facebook and Instagram. Blog. Start a podcast. (On preview, I would loooove a viola podcast.) Eventually you could start self-releasing CDs, even. If you can't make it within the industry, it's never been a better time to make it without.
You're actually in a pretty good position in that you can afford to indulge your passion. A lot of people who don't make it right away can't afford to keep going, so they have to give up and move to plan B. Take advantage! There are plenty of artists who worked day jobs. William Carlos Williams was a doctor. Kafka worked at an insurance company. Bukowski was a postal clerk. (There's a book called The Artist in the Office by Summer Pierre that includes the line, "when Bukowski was at a party and somebody asked what he did, do you think he said he was a postal clerk?") Whatever you do, don't stop playing. And keep us informed about what you do. I'd really love to hear you play, and I'd support you however I could.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:00 AM on February 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
I think that, if you are a very good singer who performs regularly and has some connections, you might be able to piece together a living giving lessons if you are good at teaching. Honestly, I know a number of people who do this who are not good at teaching or, particularly, their primary instrument. I can pretty much assure you that at this stage in the game it's never going to happen for you with with performing alone.
I teach music in schools for living, though, and know a lot of people who piece together a semi-living through lessons and gigs in my small city. I would not recommend anyone leave a stable job with benefits to do this. Most are supported through family money or a spouse's salary. In my city of 400,000 I can think of 0 people who support themselves through full-time singing and 5-10 who do it through a combination of performing and teaching privately (not counting the public school/university teachers). It's just not a reasonable financial goal and it's a hard life besides, even if you start much younger with a broader base of experience and education than you seem to be doing.
Re: the note above about choirs dying to hire people- most non-professional choirs charge tuition to their members. The only choral performing groups in my city, for example, do not pay anyone besides the director Professional choirs that pay you enough to live on are, like professional orchestras, extremely, mind-bogglingly selective and 10 years out of music school with no connections is not the time to audition in to one.
Re: the making it as a violist thing above: nope, no, not going to happen if you are not already playing at a very very high level now. Full-time symphony gigs are absolutely not a realistic dream for someone starting afresh in his/her thirties. They were barely a realistic dream for my instrumentalist friends who graduated from a top-10 music school in a huge musical city with all kinds of connections after playing 5+ hours a day since they were in elementary school. You may be able to put together an amateur quartet that does wedding gigs etc. if you get really good. Maybe.
TL;DR- this is a pipe dream. Unless you want to be really poor, broke and disappointed, do it on the side and look for another regular job that fulfills you more than your current one where you might actually have a tiny chance of supporting yourself.
posted by charmedimsure at 11:01 AM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
I teach music in schools for living, though, and know a lot of people who piece together a semi-living through lessons and gigs in my small city. I would not recommend anyone leave a stable job with benefits to do this. Most are supported through family money or a spouse's salary. In my city of 400,000 I can think of 0 people who support themselves through full-time singing and 5-10 who do it through a combination of performing and teaching privately (not counting the public school/university teachers). It's just not a reasonable financial goal and it's a hard life besides, even if you start much younger with a broader base of experience and education than you seem to be doing.
Re: the note above about choirs dying to hire people- most non-professional choirs charge tuition to their members. The only choral performing groups in my city, for example, do not pay anyone besides the director Professional choirs that pay you enough to live on are, like professional orchestras, extremely, mind-bogglingly selective and 10 years out of music school with no connections is not the time to audition in to one.
Re: the making it as a violist thing above: nope, no, not going to happen if you are not already playing at a very very high level now. Full-time symphony gigs are absolutely not a realistic dream for someone starting afresh in his/her thirties. They were barely a realistic dream for my instrumentalist friends who graduated from a top-10 music school in a huge musical city with all kinds of connections after playing 5+ hours a day since they were in elementary school. You may be able to put together an amateur quartet that does wedding gigs etc. if you get really good. Maybe.
TL;DR- this is a pipe dream. Unless you want to be really poor, broke and disappointed, do it on the side and look for another regular job that fulfills you more than your current one where you might actually have a tiny chance of supporting yourself.
posted by charmedimsure at 11:01 AM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Best answer: If you want to make a go at changing your career path, you have to start planning.
Start by doing some performing on the side. You say you have very little time right now to pursue music - make time. You need to keep your skills sharp. Find an ensemble and make time to rehearse with them. Start doing performances with them. Build up your CV and your network. Yes, you will need to do all this alongside your FT job, but so be it.
Outline where you want to be, then work backwards all the steps you need to take to get there. Start planning and start getting real about the level of commitment you need to have to fulfil your dream. It'll take longer than you think right now.
Anecdata: I changed my career path and I now run my own creative business. It took me 5 years in an industry job plus working FT on building my own business (so, working two jobs at the same time & crazy hours) before I could launch. And I had no debt to pay down.
posted by kariebookish at 11:06 AM on February 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
Start by doing some performing on the side. You say you have very little time right now to pursue music - make time. You need to keep your skills sharp. Find an ensemble and make time to rehearse with them. Start doing performances with them. Build up your CV and your network. Yes, you will need to do all this alongside your FT job, but so be it.
Outline where you want to be, then work backwards all the steps you need to take to get there. Start planning and start getting real about the level of commitment you need to have to fulfil your dream. It'll take longer than you think right now.
Anecdata: I changed my career path and I now run my own creative business. It took me 5 years in an industry job plus working FT on building my own business (so, working two jobs at the same time & crazy hours) before I could launch. And I had no debt to pay down.
posted by kariebookish at 11:06 AM on February 7, 2016 [4 favorites]
As someone who has worked as a classical singer for over 30 years, my advice is: Don't. You will be competing in a rapidly contracting industry against people who have been making connections and honing their craft for decades, many of whom will be younger than you. Even for advanced singers with reputations and demonstrated reliability, it is fewer than 1% who make their sole living from singing and it is a meagre living indeed. Everyone else has to string together day jobs, etc. in-between jobs. At the end of your projected five years of serious work you will find yourself many, many thousands of dollars lighter and with extremely limited prospects of getting a professional gig. I wouldn't say zero, but pretty darn close to it. Rejection, by the way, is part of the daily life of a professional musician trying to get gigs. I would really suggest that you figure out where some nearby professional auditions are happening and hang out to listen and get an idea of how good the competition will be. Then think about the fact that probably none of those singers will "make it" in any meaningful sense. The prospects are not any better for instrumentalists, by the way, so everything I'm saying applies there too.
But there is no reason you can't be serious about whatever fork of classical music appeals to you and also have a viable and money-earning career with a future in some other field. Plenty of lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc. are also very serious amateur musicians. Many cities have excellent and highly competitive community and semi-pro community orchestras, chamber ensembles, opera/operetta/ theater companies, choruses, and so on. In fact, there is a good chance that the chorus your local professional symphony orchestra uses is paid but comprised of "serious amateur" singers. And there may be good opportunities for serious amateurs to form up chamber ensembles, work up lieder recitals, etc. and get on to regional concert seasons. It's also possible for a serious amateur singer to network him/herself into being a "go to" singer for churches and smaller orchestras that want to perform oratorio works. All of these things can be done while earning a living in a non-musical field.
posted by slkinsey at 11:14 AM on February 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
But there is no reason you can't be serious about whatever fork of classical music appeals to you and also have a viable and money-earning career with a future in some other field. Plenty of lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc. are also very serious amateur musicians. Many cities have excellent and highly competitive community and semi-pro community orchestras, chamber ensembles, opera/operetta/ theater companies, choruses, and so on. In fact, there is a good chance that the chorus your local professional symphony orchestra uses is paid but comprised of "serious amateur" singers. And there may be good opportunities for serious amateurs to form up chamber ensembles, work up lieder recitals, etc. and get on to regional concert seasons. It's also possible for a serious amateur singer to network him/herself into being a "go to" singer for churches and smaller orchestras that want to perform oratorio works. All of these things can be done while earning a living in a non-musical field.
posted by slkinsey at 11:14 AM on February 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
Re: the note above about choirs dying to hire people- most non-professional choirs charge tuition to their members. The only choral performing groups in my city, for example, do not pay anyone besides the director Professional choirs that pay you enough to live on are, like professional orchestras, extremely, mind-bogglingly selective and 10 years out of music school with no connections is not the time to audition in to one.
Mmm, I guess I should have clarified that I meant church choirs. Many will hire a section leader or even just a singer to keep the volunteers on track. It's a good steady Sunday gig if you can get it.
About rejection, I forgot to mention that. My sister who is looking at losing her orchestra job (which wasn't even full-time, mind you) is pretty despondent at having to take auditions again. There is only so much "no" one can hear before it starts to break you down. My mom had to be on the other end of a lot of sad phone calls these past 5 years, and she's not really looking forward to doing it again with another round of auditions . . .
posted by chainsofreedom at 11:22 AM on February 7, 2016
Mmm, I guess I should have clarified that I meant church choirs. Many will hire a section leader or even just a singer to keep the volunteers on track. It's a good steady Sunday gig if you can get it.
About rejection, I forgot to mention that. My sister who is looking at losing her orchestra job (which wasn't even full-time, mind you) is pretty despondent at having to take auditions again. There is only so much "no" one can hear before it starts to break you down. My mom had to be on the other end of a lot of sad phone calls these past 5 years, and she's not really looking forward to doing it again with another round of auditions . . .
posted by chainsofreedom at 11:22 AM on February 7, 2016
Best answer: It might be you have some third options. I wonder if any US attorneys reading could speak to 1) costs/benefits - financial, emotional, etc. - of taking a higher-paying legal job in the short term to help pay down the debt (and how possible that is, given OP's legal background) and 2) using legal skills post debt paydown (if that's possible/desirable) to support a "portfolio" career.
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:29 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by cotton dress sock at 11:29 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Best answer: you say you don't want to do music in your spare time, but have you considered working half time? spending half your life doing the law job and half doing music? i don't know how easy that would be for you, but i (software engineer) have changed to working half time (for other reasons than doing music in the other half) and it was easier than i expected. if you're good at your job, and work for a company that would rather deal with you half time than lose you completely, it can work. that might be a way to maintain a basic income while still spending enough time at music for it to be more than a hobby.
posted by andrewcooke at 11:31 AM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by andrewcooke at 11:31 AM on February 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Cotton dress sock brings up an option that I am really interested in hearing more about if anyone can speak to that experience--that is, having an eventual goal of perhaps part-time legal work that provides financial stability without taking over my life. If it helps, I work an an office, but in my specialty it is common for people to be solo practitioners. Any thoughts? That might be my fantasy scenario really...because I DO like my job, I just hate how much of it there is!
Your comments are a good reminder of how much financial stability and my standard of living matters benefits me, and I had not thought much about the point that maybe having a solid day job won't get in the way of music any more than the stress of being poor and having shitty day jobs would.
I will forever be stubborn about "this is a pipe dream" comments. If I had posted a question 5 years ago saying, "Should I go to law school to find a public interest career?" everyone would have come out of the woodwork to say, "Don't do that! it's a terrible time to go to law school, those "public interest" careers are so competitive no one can get them!" And yet, I did, despite it being true that there are many unemployed JDs and the job I have is an extremely competitive one to get. I know that sounds obnoxious, but perhaps trust that I am not naive about the level of skill required for professional music work (which I did regularly for 4 years before moving here!) or the fact that it very competitive and does not pay a lot.
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 11:49 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Your comments are a good reminder of how much financial stability and my standard of living matters benefits me, and I had not thought much about the point that maybe having a solid day job won't get in the way of music any more than the stress of being poor and having shitty day jobs would.
I will forever be stubborn about "this is a pipe dream" comments. If I had posted a question 5 years ago saying, "Should I go to law school to find a public interest career?" everyone would have come out of the woodwork to say, "Don't do that! it's a terrible time to go to law school, those "public interest" careers are so competitive no one can get them!" And yet, I did, despite it being true that there are many unemployed JDs and the job I have is an extremely competitive one to get. I know that sounds obnoxious, but perhaps trust that I am not naive about the level of skill required for professional music work (which I did regularly for 4 years before moving here!) or the fact that it very competitive and does not pay a lot.
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 11:49 AM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I'm also wondering if any attorneys could speak to the idea of having your own part-time legal practice rather than working for someone else.
If you want to go the "living on next to nothing" route, I highly recommend Charles Long's "How to Survive Without a Salary" and the "Tightwad Gazette" books.
posted by FencingGal at 11:53 AM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you want to go the "living on next to nothing" route, I highly recommend Charles Long's "How to Survive Without a Salary" and the "Tightwad Gazette" books.
posted by FencingGal at 11:53 AM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oh, and I think something in my original question was interpreted the opposite of how I intended it: When I said I was wondering about 5 years, maybe 10 years, I meant how long could I'm thinking I could I stay full time at my current position, building up skills, for a transition to be reasonable at that point. Not that I thought in 5 years I'm going to be a violist in a major orchestra or something.
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 11:55 AM on February 7, 2016
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 11:55 AM on February 7, 2016
I am NOT happy with it as “just” a hobby--I don’t enjoy anything unless I’m serious about it.
As gently as possible, might I suggest that this is something you could work on in the course of your mental health treatment? I would think it a shame if you deprived yourself of the joy you get from music because you hold yourself to certain standards that simply may not be achievable.
(Also, I know an untold number of fantastic musicians who would be deeply insulted by your implication that they are not "serious" because they were not lucky enough or willing enough to deal with the instability of a musician's life to carve out a full-time career in music.)
posted by soundguy99 at 12:03 PM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
As gently as possible, might I suggest that this is something you could work on in the course of your mental health treatment? I would think it a shame if you deprived yourself of the joy you get from music because you hold yourself to certain standards that simply may not be achievable.
(Also, I know an untold number of fantastic musicians who would be deeply insulted by your implication that they are not "serious" because they were not lucky enough or willing enough to deal with the instability of a musician's life to carve out a full-time career in music.)
posted by soundguy99 at 12:03 PM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
A fairly analogous AskMe question was posted a couple of years ago, and I still stand by the advice I gave then. I think you might find the whole thread interesting and helpful to read through and ruminate on.
posted by ClaireBear at 12:26 PM on February 7, 2016
posted by ClaireBear at 12:26 PM on February 7, 2016
Here's a serious question: Has anyone of real professional standing and knowledge of the professional space in your contemplated fields of musical interest suggested to you that you could/should pursue a career as a musician?
posted by slkinsey at 12:52 PM on February 7, 2016
posted by slkinsey at 12:52 PM on February 7, 2016
Response by poster: slkinsey: definitely, with respect to singing. Plus the plenty of people who don't have to come out and say it, when they gave me money to do it, usually assuming I was a full-time musician like the other people involved.
I am/was very frequently told I am a great singer/have a beautiful mezzo voice, not just by my parents, but by people I auditioned for/who hired me/other professionals who worked with me, who were not people "without standing" in the major city I was living in.
I feel like the responses to this question are getting skewed because I mentioned also working on learning an instrument that I KNOW I am not at a professional level.
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 1:07 PM on February 7, 2016
I am/was very frequently told I am a great singer/have a beautiful mezzo voice, not just by my parents, but by people I auditioned for/who hired me/other professionals who worked with me, who were not people "without standing" in the major city I was living in.
I feel like the responses to this question are getting skewed because I mentioned also working on learning an instrument that I KNOW I am not at a professional level.
posted by Anyone's Ghost at 1:07 PM on February 7, 2016
perhaps trust that I am not naive about the level of skill required for professional music work (which I did regularly for 4 years before moving here!) or the fact that it very competitive and does not pay a lot.
Wait, so you've worked professionally as a singer before? So you know how it goes. What's your question, then? If you want to do it, move back to your old city, call up your old contacts, and start hitting the pavement again. No time like the present.
Or are you asking more like an "is this a good idea" as opposed to "how do I do it". The how is: just like you did it before. The "is this a good idea" is totally based on you and what level of deprivation you are willing to put up with. You know what it's like; you did this part-time. That's what it will be like, but forever.
I like the idea of working in your chosen legal field part-time, and gigging on the weekends, but as I said in my previous comments, it's rare to do a performance career full time, and it's hard to do by itself without an outside source of support.
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:24 PM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
Wait, so you've worked professionally as a singer before? So you know how it goes. What's your question, then? If you want to do it, move back to your old city, call up your old contacts, and start hitting the pavement again. No time like the present.
Or are you asking more like an "is this a good idea" as opposed to "how do I do it". The how is: just like you did it before. The "is this a good idea" is totally based on you and what level of deprivation you are willing to put up with. You know what it's like; you did this part-time. That's what it will be like, but forever.
I like the idea of working in your chosen legal field part-time, and gigging on the weekends, but as I said in my previous comments, it's rare to do a performance career full time, and it's hard to do by itself without an outside source of support.
posted by chainsofreedom at 1:24 PM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
I feel like the responses to this question are getting skewed . . .
With all due respect, I think you are getting the responses you are getting for two reasons: (1) there are a few contributors to this thread who have extensive personal knowledge of the competitive landscape in classical music performance, and (2) I don't mean to be dismissive, but your question and responses seem very naive as to what your chances would be and what the life would be like. Career prospects in classical music were shaky enough 20 years ago, but they are exponentially worse today. Singing is orders of magnitude more competitive and cutthroat than the other classical performance areas, with fewer prospects, higher costs, boatloads of fresh new faces every year, and far more charlatans taking money from singers and telling them what they want to hear. Knowing what I know, I would never choose to enter the field today. Just to get to a point where you could have a chance to be competitive, assuming you have all the raw materials, I would estimate would cost you in the neighborhood of $20k to $25k a year. Tack a bunch more thousand dollars onto that for travel and lodging if you don't live in the metro-NYC area.
To make two examples from my personal life: I have a friend who is physically gorgeous, has a beautiful and powerful mezzo voice, and has 20+ years experience in opera extending to some of the top regional houses in the United States. During her entire career she always had to take temp secretarial jobs in-between gigs to make ends meet, and today there are simply not enough jobs available to her. I have another friend who is one of the top tenors in the world in his somewhat niche area of opera. He has sung at every major opera house in the world, has multiple recordings for sale, and has never not had singing work over the course of a 30 year career. He is one of the 1% of 1% who actually makes a decent, sole living from performing. Meanwhile, he is not exactly living high on the hog. The first singer I mentioned, who now has a full-time office job with benefits and does singing projects on the side, probably has a higher annual income after the second singer's expenses are figured in.
posted by slkinsey at 2:14 PM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
With all due respect, I think you are getting the responses you are getting for two reasons: (1) there are a few contributors to this thread who have extensive personal knowledge of the competitive landscape in classical music performance, and (2) I don't mean to be dismissive, but your question and responses seem very naive as to what your chances would be and what the life would be like. Career prospects in classical music were shaky enough 20 years ago, but they are exponentially worse today. Singing is orders of magnitude more competitive and cutthroat than the other classical performance areas, with fewer prospects, higher costs, boatloads of fresh new faces every year, and far more charlatans taking money from singers and telling them what they want to hear. Knowing what I know, I would never choose to enter the field today. Just to get to a point where you could have a chance to be competitive, assuming you have all the raw materials, I would estimate would cost you in the neighborhood of $20k to $25k a year. Tack a bunch more thousand dollars onto that for travel and lodging if you don't live in the metro-NYC area.
To make two examples from my personal life: I have a friend who is physically gorgeous, has a beautiful and powerful mezzo voice, and has 20+ years experience in opera extending to some of the top regional houses in the United States. During her entire career she always had to take temp secretarial jobs in-between gigs to make ends meet, and today there are simply not enough jobs available to her. I have another friend who is one of the top tenors in the world in his somewhat niche area of opera. He has sung at every major opera house in the world, has multiple recordings for sale, and has never not had singing work over the course of a 30 year career. He is one of the 1% of 1% who actually makes a decent, sole living from performing. Meanwhile, he is not exactly living high on the hog. The first singer I mentioned, who now has a full-time office job with benefits and does singing projects on the side, probably has a higher annual income after the second singer's expenses are figured in.
posted by slkinsey at 2:14 PM on February 7, 2016 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Let's stop using cringe-inducing terms like "amateur" and "hobby".
It's no disgrace to maintain a decent insurance-bearing job so that you can be free to pursue other serious endeavors at high levels of dedication and excellence without relying on them for an income.
It's not as lively as it used to be, but if you dig through old threads at the New Forum for Classical Singers, you'll find advice for people in situations similar to yours.
posted by tangerine at 2:28 PM on February 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
It's no disgrace to maintain a decent insurance-bearing job so that you can be free to pursue other serious endeavors at high levels of dedication and excellence without relying on them for an income.
It's not as lively as it used to be, but if you dig through old threads at the New Forum for Classical Singers, you'll find advice for people in situations similar to yours.
posted by tangerine at 2:28 PM on February 7, 2016 [5 favorites]
Let's stop using cringe-inducing terms like "amateur"
I wish "amateur" would regain one of its original meanings...that someone does something out of love rather than for money (amator=lover). After seeing amazingly talented friends graduate from Julliard and still struggle, I agree that classical music is not a field that's well-suited for a career change. I don't know any professional musicians who haven't been doing it all along. But there's no reason you can't dedicate your non-day-job hours to it and still take it seriously. And perhaps even enjoy it more than someone who has to rely on it as a sole source of income.
I also wonder, if you job truly makes you miserable, if working for another organization (but still in law) might be something to consider. Personally, I've realized that my relationship with my immediate supervisor is responsible for the majority of my happiness at work (maybe even more than what I'm actually doing); it's possible that a different organization might be a better fit for you, even if you end up doing something very similar. Things like interruptions at work can be managed in different ways, and some jobs might let you work from home, etc...
posted by three_red_balloons at 3:24 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
I wish "amateur" would regain one of its original meanings...that someone does something out of love rather than for money (amator=lover). After seeing amazingly talented friends graduate from Julliard and still struggle, I agree that classical music is not a field that's well-suited for a career change. I don't know any professional musicians who haven't been doing it all along. But there's no reason you can't dedicate your non-day-job hours to it and still take it seriously. And perhaps even enjoy it more than someone who has to rely on it as a sole source of income.
I also wonder, if you job truly makes you miserable, if working for another organization (but still in law) might be something to consider. Personally, I've realized that my relationship with my immediate supervisor is responsible for the majority of my happiness at work (maybe even more than what I'm actually doing); it's possible that a different organization might be a better fit for you, even if you end up doing something very similar. Things like interruptions at work can be managed in different ways, and some jobs might let you work from home, etc...
posted by three_red_balloons at 3:24 PM on February 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I just wanted to say...I am super glad for you that you know what your passion is. I agree that it's not remunerative (I'm up close w one of the top ten schools) and paid gigs are rough. At the same time it is a wonderful time to be a musician with online master classes, access to thousands of recordings and interpretations and thinking all the time.
All you need to do is get over the hurdle that if you're not doing it "full time" (consider what that looks like in a career...it's not like being in school) and getting paid its not of value.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:08 PM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
All you need to do is get over the hurdle that if you're not doing it "full time" (consider what that looks like in a career...it's not like being in school) and getting paid its not of value.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:08 PM on February 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
My partner and I are both professional performers (music, theatre). Through luck, hard work, and surviving decades of not really being financially solvent, we are now at the point where we are making a little money. That could change.
But many of our professional peers are NOT making enough money through performing, and they teach and have joe jobs, and that's completely normal in our industries. The lucky ones have joe jobs that are actually satisfying to them and pay well. I know artist-architects, artist-commercial photographers, artist-entertainment lawyers. Making enough money off your art to live isn't really the mark of professionalism in the arts anymore. Making art is.
You should put together a cabaret. Two sets, 40 minutes long each, diverse material - mostly classical is great, see if you can bring in a few crossover things, like Sondheim or whatever you love. Play a little viola. Ask around in the local scene, and find/hire a pianist collaborator. Find a divey bar with a good piano who'll let you book it out on a Sunday in exchange for bar sales or a percentage of the door. Do the show once, then work out the kinks and make it better. Then do the show again. Then work out the kinks and make it better. Apply to bring your show to a music festival, or theatre festival. Make a CD version of your show. Start working on a new show.
posted by stray at 7:57 AM on February 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
But many of our professional peers are NOT making enough money through performing, and they teach and have joe jobs, and that's completely normal in our industries. The lucky ones have joe jobs that are actually satisfying to them and pay well. I know artist-architects, artist-commercial photographers, artist-entertainment lawyers. Making enough money off your art to live isn't really the mark of professionalism in the arts anymore. Making art is.
You should put together a cabaret. Two sets, 40 minutes long each, diverse material - mostly classical is great, see if you can bring in a few crossover things, like Sondheim or whatever you love. Play a little viola. Ask around in the local scene, and find/hire a pianist collaborator. Find a divey bar with a good piano who'll let you book it out on a Sunday in exchange for bar sales or a percentage of the door. Do the show once, then work out the kinks and make it better. Then do the show again. Then work out the kinks and make it better. Apply to bring your show to a music festival, or theatre festival. Make a CD version of your show. Start working on a new show.
posted by stray at 7:57 AM on February 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Please try to avoid feeling that it's somehow inferior or unworthy to work at your art on a part time basis.
It is absolutely true that some people do art as a hobby for whatever pleasure they get out of it. It's great that these folks are doing something they enjoy! However, there are also people who are serious about their craft and work at it as much as they can, and feel a constant, nagging desire to become better. Just because you are not in a position to sing full time does *not* mean that you're not serious about it. Don't believe anyone who disses you (including your own mind) for quitting your job.
I work full time in an office, and am deeply devoted to acting. I take classes, audition (and get rejected) regularly, and perform as much as I can. My work colleagues are always amazed that I have the energy to rehearse and perform in addition to work. And it *is* hard, but what's true is that working at my craft GIVES me energy and makes me feel that I'm living my life in a meaningful way. When I'm not working at it, all I do is get bored and depressed.
posted by jasper411 at 12:28 PM on February 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
It is absolutely true that some people do art as a hobby for whatever pleasure they get out of it. It's great that these folks are doing something they enjoy! However, there are also people who are serious about their craft and work at it as much as they can, and feel a constant, nagging desire to become better. Just because you are not in a position to sing full time does *not* mean that you're not serious about it. Don't believe anyone who disses you (including your own mind) for quitting your job.
I work full time in an office, and am deeply devoted to acting. I take classes, audition (and get rejected) regularly, and perform as much as I can. My work colleagues are always amazed that I have the energy to rehearse and perform in addition to work. And it *is* hard, but what's true is that working at my craft GIVES me energy and makes me feel that I'm living my life in a meaningful way. When I'm not working at it, all I do is get bored and depressed.
posted by jasper411 at 12:28 PM on February 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
You've already gotten a lot of responses but I have to weigh in because I (and a lot of people I know) have had to work through this same question. I am also 30 (ish) with a bachelor's degree in music, but work in an unrelated field. When I was more freshly out of college I constantly battled about giving up my decent-paying job to pursue music (composition and opera/choral singing) full time. As I've aged my passion has not faded but my understanding of the world has, and I'm satisfied with my decision to not go "all in" on music.
The epiphany you had picking up the viola again ("I can't believe I gave this up") is the entire problem with the compensation structure of the music world. Music affects most people really deeply. People pursue it, excel at it, for free, simply because they are driven to do so. What you experienced is not uncommon. On the flip side, a day job is quite literally a waste of your life, which is why people pay you tens, hundreds, of thousands of dollars per year to do it.
This is how our world is structured, but what helped me is a shift in thinking away from "I'm wasting my life" at my desk. I now view my office chair as a magical money-creating machine, whereby fifty cents are deposited to my bank account for every minute I sit in it. You frame it like an incredible opportunity and it suddenly makes a lot more sense.
It's still a waste of time, but how many hours a day will you realistically devote to music? 2? You get (give or take) 112 waking hours per week. How are you spending those hours now? I used to lament about not having enough time to do everything I wanted, which is sort of true, but you you know what? I reprioritized and changed it. I quit watching TV, don't socialize much, don't endlessly browse the internet. I'm pretty good at the work-life balance and leave my job at the same time pretty much everyday, regardless of the amount of work that's piling up, because I'm being paid for my time, and if they need more work done, they need to hire someone else or pay me more.
You mention you don't intend on getting married, so you can be really selfish about your time. Practice for 4 hours every evening. Gig all weekend. This is what you're yearning after anyway. The people I know who are "full-time" musicians spend most of their time driving to various gigs or rehearsals, and any downtime is spent supplementing income with teaching or pursuing grants. By keeping your day-job you are eliminating the really sucky parts of being a full-time musician and getting all the benefit.
For some anecdata: I do sing regularly and professionally. At any given time I'm in rehearsals for 2 gigs. Despite my satisfaction with my music/job balance, I still dream about joining the men's singing group Chanticleer. I practice a LOT, and honestly I would have a decent shot at getting in, if I take a year or so to really focus and prepare. But starting salary for arguably the best choral group in the US (as far as these distinctions make sense) is $45,000/year. I make more money sitting in my magic chair than being a world-class musician.
Finally, the notion of "not doing something unless you're really serious about it" is poisonous. Now, I know people who are this same way, so I'm not trying to be flippant; I acknowledge it's not a mindset you can just 'turn off'. But please realize that the standard of what is "serious" is something you are defining yourself, and you are the only one holding yourself to it. It comes from a pursuit of excellence but going about it this way yields only unhappiness, as you've experienced. Pursue music because you love it. Keep the day job because it allows you do to music. Cut out the extra stuff that prevents you from doing what you love. And in 5 years, if your practice and dedication pay off and you land your dream gig in music, kiss the law firm goodbye and never look back.
posted by smokysunday at 6:57 PM on February 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
The epiphany you had picking up the viola again ("I can't believe I gave this up") is the entire problem with the compensation structure of the music world. Music affects most people really deeply. People pursue it, excel at it, for free, simply because they are driven to do so. What you experienced is not uncommon. On the flip side, a day job is quite literally a waste of your life, which is why people pay you tens, hundreds, of thousands of dollars per year to do it.
This is how our world is structured, but what helped me is a shift in thinking away from "I'm wasting my life" at my desk. I now view my office chair as a magical money-creating machine, whereby fifty cents are deposited to my bank account for every minute I sit in it. You frame it like an incredible opportunity and it suddenly makes a lot more sense.
It's still a waste of time, but how many hours a day will you realistically devote to music? 2? You get (give or take) 112 waking hours per week. How are you spending those hours now? I used to lament about not having enough time to do everything I wanted, which is sort of true, but you you know what? I reprioritized and changed it. I quit watching TV, don't socialize much, don't endlessly browse the internet. I'm pretty good at the work-life balance and leave my job at the same time pretty much everyday, regardless of the amount of work that's piling up, because I'm being paid for my time, and if they need more work done, they need to hire someone else or pay me more.
You mention you don't intend on getting married, so you can be really selfish about your time. Practice for 4 hours every evening. Gig all weekend. This is what you're yearning after anyway. The people I know who are "full-time" musicians spend most of their time driving to various gigs or rehearsals, and any downtime is spent supplementing income with teaching or pursuing grants. By keeping your day-job you are eliminating the really sucky parts of being a full-time musician and getting all the benefit.
For some anecdata: I do sing regularly and professionally. At any given time I'm in rehearsals for 2 gigs. Despite my satisfaction with my music/job balance, I still dream about joining the men's singing group Chanticleer. I practice a LOT, and honestly I would have a decent shot at getting in, if I take a year or so to really focus and prepare. But starting salary for arguably the best choral group in the US (as far as these distinctions make sense) is $45,000/year. I make more money sitting in my magic chair than being a world-class musician.
Finally, the notion of "not doing something unless you're really serious about it" is poisonous. Now, I know people who are this same way, so I'm not trying to be flippant; I acknowledge it's not a mindset you can just 'turn off'. But please realize that the standard of what is "serious" is something you are defining yourself, and you are the only one holding yourself to it. It comes from a pursuit of excellence but going about it this way yields only unhappiness, as you've experienced. Pursue music because you love it. Keep the day job because it allows you do to music. Cut out the extra stuff that prevents you from doing what you love. And in 5 years, if your practice and dedication pay off and you land your dream gig in music, kiss the law firm goodbye and never look back.
posted by smokysunday at 6:57 PM on February 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
Not a musician at all (I sing in church and have played there as well), but I wonder if it would be posible to get a legal job in an arts-related organization. A college acquaintance of mine raced bikes for years (but not at a level that would pay the bills) and ended up as an accountant for a company that makes bicycles. A boring office job can seem a lot less mundane when your interests are aligned with the mission of the organization.
posted by Octaviuz at 6:20 AM on February 9, 2016
posted by Octaviuz at 6:20 AM on February 9, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by dilettante at 10:33 AM on February 7, 2016 [9 favorites]