Re-Imagining the Music Degree Recital
Music school curricula are filled with requirements. And all requirements show bias. As a result of these rules, students’ priorities are heavily influenced (whether they know it or not). So what lessons are being taught? Are expectations likely to cultivate savvy entrepreneurial artists with the maximum potential for professional success? Let’s consider the degree recital.
Degree recitals are a staple of every music performance program. The following requirements are typical:
- Artistic excellence. High level performance is mandatory.
- Specified solo literature. There are often repertoire regulations ensuring a well-balanced event featuring pieces from different eras. For example, violinists may be expected to include a Bach solo suite, classical sonata, Romantic work, and something contemporary. Each piece must feature the recital giver, whether on a single instrument work, composition with piano accompaniment, or concerto.
- Venue. The performance must be held in a pre-determined hall, usually in the music building.
So what does our current degree recital teach young musicians? Playing a standard and balanced solo program in a pre-determined space at a high level equates to success.
The problem—it’s not true!
Now consider the outcomes if we were bold enough to re-imagine the degree recital. Obviously, artistic excellence should remain top priority. But what if one or two additional aspects were stressed? Below is a sampling of the types of expectations that could be incorporated.
- Attracting audiences. If musicians can’t pack a free recital, how will they ever attract paying customers down this road? With this requirement, 100 attendees equals an A, 80 results in a B, and so forth. It doesn’t matter who’s in the audience— fellow music students, school children, church members, senior citizens bussed from a nursing home. Just fill the seats.
- Attracting new audiences. A twist on the previous point. Performers specifically seek and engage audiences not typically involved with the musical genre they perform.
- Off-campus show. Students are typically required to perform in a given on-campus venue. Consider the lessons learned if students were asked to identify an off-campus venue or series, coordinate efforts with the presenter, and follow through on all logistical concerns. This could be anywhere: public school, library, park, museum, private residence, etc.
- Multiple performances. Another possibility would be requiring both on and off campus performances. This also provides students more than one opportunity to perform music they have worked so diligently to prepare.
- Revenue generation. To succeed as a professional, we must be able to exchange art for income. A recital presents an opportunity to sell tickets, merchandise, and related services. And it’s easy to apply quantitative standards–$200+ is an A, etc. Money earned could be applied to some kind of meaningful project related to the music school.
- Public relations. A recital is the perfect occasion for learning how the media works, both mainstream and Internet. Students are asked to imagine a newsworthy angle for their show, write a press release, and pitch it to actual media sources. They register their concert with Internet event calendars, and approach radio stations.
- Marketing. Performers are required to draw up and enact a multi-faceted promotional plan, which includes branding, buzz marketing, social media, traditional advertising, and other techniques.
- Chamber music. Most school recitals focus on solo literature. Yet professionals are more likely to perform chamber music. Why not allow the option of a chamber recital, even if none of the pieces specifically feature the degree recipient as a solo voice? They are responsible for organizing rehearsals, shaping interpretation, and leading the efforts.
- Unique programming. While balanced literature requirements ensure that musicians become familiar with a range of musical styles, they often result with concerts that are generic and lack unity or “brand.” Instead, students can be asked to create programs with a central theme, compelling angle, or unusual approach. In the real world, niche programming is expected for recording and performing artists.
- Your own voice. Each student is required to include at least one element completely unique to them: an original composition, premier, new arrangement, interdisciplinary adventure, combination of instruments, secondary skills, etc.
- Collaboration. A recital is the perfect opportunity to work collaboratively, and not just with musicians. Possibilities include student/professional dancers, film makers, actors, visual artists, writers (to compose program notes), costume designers, lighting designers, stage designer, marketers, publicists, individuals connected to concert theme, etc.
- Audience engagement. For most student recitals, the audience is completely ignored. The soloist doesn’t speak a word, and hides backstage during intermission. Why not require some kind of engaging and interactive activity that draws the audience in? (“Lecture recitals” don’t count—they are often as dreadful and academic as the title suggests.)
- Education. Students are required to design and administer an educational teaching artist event at a local school or community built around one or more of their recital pieces.
Obviously, it’s not possible for every student do all these things on each recital. But focusing on just one or two elements in addition to performance excellence would have a huge impact. Perhaps the students themselves could decide which challenge they’d like to conquer.
NOTE TO SAVVY STUDENTS
Who cares if these are official requirements? Why not impose a few on yourself?
True, incorporating additional challenges like the ones outlined above is time intensive. But it also offers experiential and real time lessons, emphasizing that success requires a whole lot more than great playing on a formulaic program. Re-imagining the music degree recital presents an exciting opportunity to better prepare students to thrive as professionals.
141 Responses to “Re-Imagining the Music Degree Recital”
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DAVID CUTLER balances a varied career as a jazz and classical composer, pianist, educator, arranger, conductor, collaborator, concert producer, author, consultant, speaker and advocate. Dr. Cutler teaches at Duquesne University, where he also serves as Coordinator of Music Entrepreneurship Studies.
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Thank you for this enlightening and important article! I did a BM and MM at the Eastman School and a DMA at the Manhattan School and while I very much enjoyed giving traditional recitals, there was always this thought in the back of my mind of “this approach can only work in the conservatory setting.” I wasn’t particularly entrepreneurial in school because I was so keen on practicing and spending time in the library and such (and many teachers never questioned the old fashioned approach so why should I, right?), however I am now starting to explore ways to get out of the classical silo and share my music with a wider audience. For one thing, I just discovered Ivory Synthogy (I am a pianist, by the way) and this is some incredible software that I can hardly wait to invest in so that I can start recording/editing from home, posting on the web, etc….still all very new and strange to me, but I am getting there! I think classical musicians can easily feel alienated in today’s world, and so they clutch to what they know, thereby shutting others out. Sometimes it can be almost like a cult if you know what I mean… Anyway, your article is great and I have already been working to incorporate some of your suggestions into my projects now as a non-student. Thank you!!
Thank you, Penny, for sharing David’s blog and your response with me. In my previous academic position at Laurentian University, we instituted some of these ideas. Recitals were still only graded on artistic performance; but their overall performance grade is based only partly on their recital, partly on a lesson grade, and partly on a performance practicum component which entails aspects of promotion, organizing details of off-campus venues, and other “music business” items. I agree that these are invaluable skills.
HOWEVER, I disagree heartily that a grade should reflect quantifiable elements of audience size and monetary profit. Not only can this be skewed in favour of students who live locally and come from large families or have support networks like churches, but getting an audience to pay for degree recitals and counting the dollars afterwards is akin to BUYING grades. It is entirely academically dishonest. It doesn’t take much to imagine scenarios such as students that pay people to come or other situations that are much worse.
Nonetheless, I appreciate this posting, and I hope that this type of discussion breaks down the procrustean bed of how conservatories and university music programs adapt their performance programs to address the viability of their degrees.
As an MA in music, I was only required to do a “project”, as opposed to the MM, which specifically required a recital. My project ended up being a full recital plus a thesis length paper on part of the music. I always felt that I had to do twice as much as required, since I was a single parent, older adult student (over 30 when I started the undergrad program). It was extremely beneficial and gave me a feeling of real power over my academic program. I also felt like a real expert about my recital program (which included two premieres).
However, it seems like the whole system is rigged, no matter what kind of recital you do. That is to say that you either must be bookish and “academic” (in which case “they” will overlook or forgive you if you don’t play as well), or you can play expertly, but be totally forgiven for not knowing much about what you’re playing. The students who can do both are considered oddballs by the other students (although maybe not by the faculty). This was my perception; has it changed, or am I sensing things that really aren’t there?
At bloody last – somebody who thinks the same way that I do. Happy to see you in Greg Sandow’s community as well, David. In the real world of classical music qualifications are largely irrelevant when it comes to earning a living. My concern is how long it’s going to take for the so called education system to wise up. Brilliant post.
I’ve recently joined The Savvy Musician, and am very excited at the prospect of helping to create employable and happy artists! David, your recent post is exactly what the professors, tutors and coaches need in music institutions everywhere. We need to help everyone to be creative in order to do what they’re good at: being creative! It will be wonderful when governments stop cutting Arts’ budgets because training musicians will become feasible. Let’s break down the old-fashioned ideas, use them (of course), and keep helping musicians to become the best.
I would love to be one of the venues supporting this sort of outreach on the part of Eastman School of Music students. I agree with McGowan about the use of revenue as part of the grade, I think, although it certainly could be used to generate revenue for a Benefit Cause (of which there are many).
We have probably the best 500-seat venue in Upstate New York and are genre agnostic. My contact info is on the website: http://www.events-at-111.org.
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Thank you for an interesting post here. I can tell you from experience that it is very difficult to be prepared for a performance AND find time to promote oneself. I wonder if an alternate solution such as combining the efforts of a music major with the efforts of a marketing major or music business major to prepare a recital/concert would be beneficial. Both would gain insight into the other’s world and possibly draw in future audiences. My experience in the music field is that we too often isolate ourselves in our own circles. We want to control it all and we miss out on the benefits of collaboration with non-music majors.
Great article! James, there is a balancing act to be performed here. No one wants to see students tempted to pay for their grades, but no one likes to see immensely talented musicians live in poverty because they never learned the money side of things. I like Janet’s approach; that is, combine the efforts of different disciplines. It works well in technology; universities all over the country have Technology Business Plan Competitions, in which students from different Science disciplines team up with students from Business disciplines to take an new technology to the market. It would be a great thing to see the Fine Arts students team up with Business students to make such things happen.
bookmarked=)
Being in Twitter sometimes pays off. This is the first time of heard of or read this blog, so I don’t know yet how it stands regarding certaing aspects of being a musician. I understand this is an attempt to break some new ground and rid music schools of some rust that plagues them and results in teaching students as if we were in 19th century Europe. The risk I see here is that many of these ideas benefit established musicians that already have something of a career going in spur of new, raw talent – wether that even exists or matters these days is different topic. Also, it seems to favor the do-it-yourself, do-it-all type, instead of those that are able to function inside a group, of, say, organizers, promoters and artists, which are different people with different background and different outlooks on life and career. Generally speaking, one does not fare well doing the other’s business, but having knowledge (and even experience) of how it is to be in the others’ shoes tends to benefit the group as a whole.
I’d sum it up like this: there’s far more to gain from a large, collaborative, multi-talented, coherent work form than from a multi-task, do-it-all, me-against-the-world outlook.
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