David Delgado//The Daily Cougar
Majoring in music can sometimes seem limiting.
Students in the Moores School of Music can major in performing arts and go on to play in the Houston Symphony, or go into music education to spread their knowledge of and love for the subject. But some would say music majors have limited career choices.
It was great change of pace to see how one man, a sous chef at Harrison’s Landing in Corpus Christi and a trombone player of 15 years, was able to break out of the stereotypical music box and transform not only himself but his entire career.
Daniel Gomez, 25, has been married for three years to his wife, Celia, who also plays the trombone.
They are young, they are musical, they are nearly $5,000 below the poverty line and they are not alone.
According to The Federal Poverty Guidelines of 2013, the American poverty line stands at $11,490 for a single adult and $15,510 for two adults’ combined income.
With finances so low and his musical American dream seemingly unattainable, he was struck with an idea that would soon change his life, and he wouldn’t have to give up his dream of playing the trombone to do it.
Gomez joined the Marine Corps and began the long struggle to be accepted into the Marine Corps band.
Joining the military for a musical career is a new atmosphere, one many music majors never even consider. Gomez never thought twice.
Having been involved with Drum Corps International for three years, it was natural for him to jump into a physically, mentally and emotionally demanding future.
It also has more than just musical benefits.
“As a college graduate, I have a lot of loans that I have to pay off,” Gomez said.
The military offers a secure paycheck with benefits — exactly what Gomez and his wife need.
The Marine Corps isn’t the only branch with a musical future. After basic training and acceptance into the Air Force Band, recruits become Technical Sergeants.
The Air Force musical website claims “with basic pay and the housing and food allowance, a Technical Sergeant with dependents, living off-base, will earn $61,838.88 annually, of which $34,025.28 is tax-free. A Technical Sergeant without dependents, living off-base, will earn $54,386.88 annually, of which $26,573.28 is tax-free.”
And take a look at the Navy band, which offers naval basic pay. The Navy Band website says that “a musician first class with dependents and living off-base will earn $64,656 annually, of which $36,372 is tax-free. A musician first class without dependents and living off-base will earn $56,628 annually, of which $28,344 is tax-free.”
That’s a fantastic option for the music major who feels financially trapped.
The Army offers even more financial compensation, and states on its website that its musicians are considered active-duty soldiers.
The average active-duty soldier can receive nearly $99,000 in Army benefits and compensation pay packages.
Marine musicians like Gomez also have nice pay, since the Marines advance all new recruits to the pay grade of E-6 with the rank of Staff Sergeant, which guarantees them between $28,285 and $43,808 based on experience, according to their pay chart.
With such a great opportunity to advance in life, receive good benefits and have a secure paycheck in an era of roiling economic turmoil, it seems natural that UH would push musicians closer to such a career, but this isn’t the case.
In fact, many musical college graduates never put any consideration into a military musical program.
As a flautist, I was completely amazed by the amount of compensation with military music programs. I had never heard anyone talk about such a career path or heard it advertised, and I played with the Spirit of Houston Marching Band for a full year.
With so many perks, it is tragic that Moores doesn’t advertise the program’s benefits. There is no mention of a military band career at all on the University-run website.
Until the University of Houston can advertise more options, like a military music program, musicians will remain unaware of what they could offer to the greatest country in the world and what that country can offer them in return.
Opinion columnist Rachel Lee is an English sophomore and may be reached at [email protected]
As an alumni of the Moores School of Music, I have to question whether or not Ms. Lee spoke to anyone at the music school regarding this topic. I hardly say that playing in the Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band (for which I was the drum major in 2008 and 2009) for one year is ample time for one to be making a broad generalization about careers in music. Many, many of our alumni have gone on to successful careers in military bands as a way to advancing their performing careers. Our graduates have also gone on to play in some of the most prestigious performing organizations (including music festivals and professional orchestras) in the world. I feel like this article is implying that the Moores School of Music does little to prepare its students for financial success in the future, which is an absurd notion (made more absurd by the fact that the author of the article is an English major). No student becomes a music major to make money; ask any artist out there why s/he is making art, and I guarantee soul will always come before commercial interests. Instead of partaking in “the greatest our country has to offer,” why not focus on what music and the arts offers to our country? We create experiences, not products; we create conversation, not sound bites; we create culture, which is worth far more than tax-free take-home pay. If the intent of the students at the Moores School of Music were to make Benjamins (Franklins, not Brittens), then you would see empty halls and classrooms, and that, my dear, would be truly “tragic.”
While I applaud any attempt to shed light on an underrated facet of UH’s public face, let me take a moment to supplement what might be construed as a poorly-researched facet of the above article.
There is a wide array of career options available to music majors — in fact, the possibilities seem almost endless. The author mentions that music majors can aspire to play in the Houston Symphony (frankly a long shot, at best), but insists that few alternate career options are available. This may seem to be the case to a non-music major, or to someone with limited experience with the Moores School (such as the well-meaning author).
Without wanting to appear narcissistic, but for lack of a better option, let me list a few of the (paying!) jobs I’ve done as a music major (DMA in progress):
1) Taught private music lessons. Most music majors do this, and the pay is several times the rate students in other majors might hope for with regard to supplemental income. My rate is around $1 per minute, which adds up quickly. Most undergrads might expect to make $20 for a 30-minute lesson. If you teach 10 students per week (a very light load!), that’s a significant chunk of income for just 5 hours of work.
2) Composed music. This is what I do professionally. It pays multiple ways: I receive a fee for commissioned music, then receive royalties when the work is performed and/or whenever someone buys a copy (either through me or my publisher).
3) Played for gigs. This requires some rehearsal time, but isn’t horribly difficult. You put on a suit, go play for some folks, and get handed some cash. Beats brewing coffee (to me, anyway; no offense to baristas!!)
4) Workshop’d theater pieces. So I’m basically a consultant for people. I fix notes and make performers sound purdy.
5) Arranged music. You take a piece (say, a folk song) and decorate it. It’s like the Pinterest of music!
6) Ran social-networking for a major arts organization. FB and Twitter
7) Improvised music for film soundtracks.
8) Conducted a choir
Look, being a music major is just like being any other major: you have to make your own opportunities, be an entrepreneur. Anyone can go into the military with their degree (and bless ’em, and all that). Music majors don’t graduate and expect a job to be delivered on a silver platter. Just like everyone else.
So, thanks for writing about music, but before writing something like, “it is tragic that Moores doesn’t advertise the program’s benefits,” walk down any hallway at Moores and look at the posters (multiple! there are several!) advertising military service. Journalism 101: don’t make an assertion that can be so easily disproved.
Even as a string player, I knew about military band programs before I left high school. A few circumstances of uninformed people should not reflect on the Moores School of Music’s responsibility to “push” students into a specific career. The information is available from the best advisor any college could have, an extremely experienced staff, or possibly from fellow peers — if someone is willing to research and ask about their options.
I realize that this appeared on the opinion page, but it would be best to at least research the facts before putting something into print. There are many students, faculty, and administrators in the school of music who could have alleviated this opinion-writer’s concerns about the financial viability of a career in music. Let’s not rush to print so much “opinion” next time.
I can understand the sentiment of the article. When I was a blue-eyed and bushy-tailed freshman I thought there were a very limited number of options available. I could be a director, a performer, or lesson teacher. It took me quite some time to get to know people and find out that there were other things to do. I do all three of those now, but I also work as a recording engineer from time to time as well and I’m starting my own nonprofit for wind players and percussionists (which makes me a business “owner”, marketer, and journalist). Earning money as a musician can be difficult, but as you get more experience and expand your abilities you can increase your earnings.
I understand this is to be an article based on opinion, but the author obviously has done no research into this subject. Anyone who attends the Moores School of Music and is pursuing a degree in music knows that not only do we have posters and flyers advertising auditions for military based ensembles but we also have recruiters from these groups visit us every year, if not every semester. The Moores School of Music web page would not post these things as our website is used to promote our school to incoming students and visitors and not as a reference for audition postings to current students and alumni.
Lastly, and this just MY OPINION, being in marching band for a year does not make you an expert on how the music industry is run or how you would go about making a living by being a professional musician. Also, it is flutist, not flautist. You play a flute, not a flauto (which is the European term). This is a common mistake made by people who do not know any better and have had no serious training on the instrument.
In fairness to the author, the term “flautist” was the correct usage even in this country until about 15 years ago, when the National Flute Association changed the terminology to allow for “flutist.” So both are technically correct.
My point is that someone who is going to claim to be “in the know” about performance opportunities with ensembles in a professional capacity would know this. I won’t lie, I was corrected on this term myself in the past.
I also play the flute, and there are plenty of professionals who say flautist. Stop being a snob, and address the question at hand.
Go Coogs. Coogie Coog Coogs. Cougars. Coagulation. Coogdratic Formula. Houston. Coogs. Cougars. Womp womp. Coogs.
Ms. Lee, I applaud your effort at attempting an opinion piece. I remember trying to write one when I was in j-school, and it was difficult. I also spent much of my four years in college in my school’s music department, playing flute in marching band, concert band, orchestra, and as a member of a women’s music fraternity. Music is my hobby, and as a result of spending so much time there, I have lots of friends who are music teachers, performers, and in the military band.
But first and foremost as a journalist, why didn’t you ask anyone from the music department to find an alum who was in the military band? Who is Daniel Gomez? Did he go to UH? You say he did DCI, but was he a music major? Did he have struggles finding a job in music, and then he discovered the military band? Opinion-writing is all about having a basis for argument. What happened during your one year in the marching band to make you so passionate about this subject? Did you hear a lot of complaints from music majors in band about not being able to find a job?
You could have made the article about military band as an option for music majors looking for something outside the box, using a UH alum as an example of someone who was successful. What you ended up doing was narrowing the scope of your story in the first sentence, and then attacking the music department (“attack” is a strong word, but you make no mention of talking to someone from the music department to see if they advertise alternative music professions), at the end, without research to back it up. You could have walked around the music department and noted the kinds of posters hanging up, to see if there is a slant toward a certain profession.
I hope that you take my comments as constructive criticism. I know what it is like to get negative comments on a story, and I know how frustrating it will be reading these comments. It stings, but use it, learn from it, and good luck with the next article.
Let me first point out that I am both a College Graduate, Marine Corps Veteran (MOS 5524 – Musician), and a student at UH as a Music Education Major for a 2nd undergraduate degree. Secondly, allow me to bring to light quite a few rather offensive points made in this article – especially as an inactive Marine Musician. While I sympathize with the financial struggles of the Gomez family, I wish he and his family the best as he makes the demanding journey into the Marine Corps.
However, there are a few things that do not add up. The Marine Corps offers no student loan forgiveness, payback, or relief. An individual joins the Marine Corps to be a Marine first. Period. While he may have experience with Drum Corps, and the physically conditioned result of Basic Training may be similar; the mental transformation that takes place in unequal to anything else. The Marines train from day one to survive in the harshest climate, keep cool in the most life threatening situations, and to remain alive when someone is trying to kill them; regardless of MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). This is the basic fundamental of being a United States Marine. When the slogan says, “Every Marine is a Rifleman,” it is meant quite literally, above all other jobs performed while enlisted. The other services offer debt relief due to education. That is not what the Marines do.
When you enlist in the Marines, you start out at the “E-1” pay grade – Private. In basic, you are “Recruit”, not even Private. You don’t rate a promotion to E-6 (Staff Sergeant) until you’ve gone through E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, & E-5 first, which can take up to your third enlistment or about 12 years, if you’ve met every qualification – and there are a lot. This is true among ALL SERVICES! If you want a meritorious promotion to E-6, then you must pass several levels of auditions, a credit check, and a criminal background check for the PREMIER ENSEMBLES. In other words, the U.S. Army “Pershing’s Own, the U.S. Marine’s “President’s Own”, or other respective service’s premier band. These auditions are just as demanding, if not more than, the auditions for the Houston Symphony, National Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, or any other major professional musical ensemble. Please, let us not paint a picture of a rose garden, that’s a recruiter’s job.
When the author says, “The average active-duty soldier can receive nearly $99,000 in Army benefits and compensation pay packages”, what he/she isn’t telling you is that specific level of compensation is intended for deployed soldiers with wives and children at home who have been enlisted for more than 12 years of service and/or likely above E-8 pay grade. The “tax-free” portion of that pay is for active duty services members to do one of two things… 1. Live in base housing, in which case the service member will never see that stipend in his or her bank account. 2. Pay for a mortgage or rent off base in order to keep a roof over his/her family’s head.
As this article pertains to the music majors at the University of Houston, I have never encountered a group of people so willing and eager to assist students make the transition from student to professional anywhere. The military veteran support and transition support at the University of Houston has been mentioned at the national level. The academic advising office at the Moore’s School of Music specifically is beyond reproach, with an excessively high graduation-to-job/career transition ratio… including military service opportunities posted throughout the building, and options presented by the academic advisors.
To the author… next time you choose to write a criticizing article involving military service, a specific facet of education at the University of Houston, or really anything in general… please, for the sake of your own authenticity and integrity, make sure your facts are straight.
Bye Felisha.
It’s awesome that my comment was removed once already… here it is again…
Let me first point out that I am both a College Graduate,
Marine Corps Veteran (MOS 5524 – Musician), and a student at UH as a Music
Education Major for a 2nd undergraduate degree. Secondly, allow me to
bring to light quite a few rather offensive points made in this article –
especially as an inactive Marine Musician. While I sympathize with the
financial struggles of the Gomez family, I wish he and his family the best as
he makes the demanding journey into the Marine Corps.
However, there are a few things that do not add up.
The Marine Corps offers no student loan forgiveness, payback, or relief.
An individual joins the Marine Corps to be a Marine first.
Period. While he may have experience with Drum Corps, and the physically
conditioned result of Basic Training may be similar; the mental transformation
that takes place in unequal to anything else. The Marines train from day
one to survive in the harshest climate, keep cool in the most life
threatening situations, and to remain alive when someone is trying to kill
them; regardless of MOS (Military Occupational Specialty). This is the
basic fundamental of being a United States Marine. When the slogan says,
“Every Marine is a Rifleman,” it is meant quite literally, above all other
jobs performed while enlisted. The other services offer debt relief due
to education. That is not what the Marines do.
When you enlist in the Marines, you start out at
the “E-1” pay grade – Private. In basic, you are
“Recruit”, not even Private. You don’t rate a promotion to E-6
(Staff Sergeant) until you’ve gone through E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, & E-5 first,
which can take up to your third enlistment or about 12 years, if you’ve met
every qualification – and there are a lot. This is true among ALL
SERVICES! If you want a meritorious promotion to E-6, then you must
pass several levels of auditions, a credit check, and a criminal
background check for the PREMIER ENSEMBLES. In other words, the U.S. Army
“Pershing’s Own, the U.S. Marine’s “President’s Own”, or other
respective service’s premier band. These auditions are just as demanding,
if not more than, the auditions for the Houston Symphony, National
Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, or any other major
professional musical ensemble. Please, let us not paint a picture of a
rose garden, that’s a recruiter’s job.
When the author says, “The average active-duty
soldier can receive nearly $99,000 in Army benefits and compensation pay
packages”, what he/she isn’t telling you is that specific level of compensation is
intended for deployed soldiers with wives and children at home
who have been enlisted for more than 12 years of service and/or
likely above E-8 pay grade. The “tax-free” portion of that pay
is for active duty services members to do one of two things… 1. Live in base
housing, in which case the service member will never see that stipend in his or
her bank account. 2. Pay for a mortgage or rent off base in order to keep
a roof over his/her family’s head.
As this article pertains to the music majors at the
University of Houston, I have never encountered a group of people so willing
and eager to assist students make the transition from student to professional
anywhere. The military veteran support and transition support at
the University of Houston has been mentioned at the national level.
The academic advising office at the Moore’s School of Music specifically is
beyond reproach, with an excessively high
graduation-to-job/career transition ratio… including military service
opportunities posted throughout the building, and options presented by the
academic advisors.
To the author… next
time you choose to write a criticizing article involving military service, a
specific facet of education at the University of Houston, or really anything in
general… please, for the sake of your own authenticity and integrity, make
sure your facts are straight.
Your comment wasn’t removed…
I find it quite insulting that you would use your very limited experience in the Moores School of Music as basis to make an argument against how well the school can prepare its students. If you knew anything at all, you would know that the vast majority of the students at Moores in the band department (which are the only ones you would have had contact with, being in the Marching Band), are education majors. They made a decision, and aren’t looking for an “option” because they feel “financially trapped”. Furthermore, it is not the role of the school to “push” students in any direction. Students are made aware of the options they have by the exposure they gain in the school – which can be quite substantial, depending on a student’s eagerness, and their applied teacher’s willingness to share information. Seeing as you have no experience with an applied teacher, or in a studio, or in a performing Moores School of Music ensemble, I wouldn’t expect you to understand that. And it’s fine that you don’t – however, that could have been addressed had you simply done some research. You know, the basis of journalism.
This is not totally accurate. As an Air Force Bandsmen, graduates do not come in as Technical Sergeants (E-6). If you win a spot with the premier Air Force Band in D.C., this is true. The same goes with the PREMIER Army, Navy, and Marine Corps bands. The rest of the bands (Air Force calls them Regional Bands) which is the other 85%, we follow all standard enlistment procedures. Those with a certain number of college credit hours can enlist at the rank of Airman First Class (E-3). Myth number 2 in case you were wondering – the “non-premier” bands still kick serious ass and are home to incredibly fine musicians, many of which are pulled into premier bands. I’ve seen many regional bands have ensembles that easily rivaled or surpassed the premier bands.
What the article also doesn’t point out is that military bands are facing serious cutbacks and are under a lot of scrutiny right now, so our job market isn’t necessarily a safe haven for musicians that can qualify. Additionally, it’s not a job that just anybody can do. It’s not as easy as “graduate college and join a military band!”
You have to be able to play your butt off on your instrument to do this job. Our auditions are extremely competitive- with typically 30-40 musicians competing for one spot. It’s a great gig if you can get it, but I wouldn’t throw your eggs into one basket. It’s based off availability. For example, if you play saxophone, you’ll have to wait until there’s an actual opening for a sax player at one of the bands which means someone either retired or separated from active duty. This could take YEARS! If the opportunity is there for an audition, take it.
The biggest downfall I see is when college graduates who think they “have it” put off auditioning for a military band. 5 years down the road, they decide that they should have taken that audition, but now they are waiting for an opening. 5 years later, they exceed the age requirement and can’t get in.
Next, if you can’t handle deployments, this job isn’t for you. We deploy, and we deploy a lot. You’ll be away from family for months, going to dangerous places in the world, to entertain the troops and work with international audiences.
Lastly, military bands are home to some of the finest musicians in the country. This includes concert bands, rock bands, country bands, jazz bands, etc… If you play an instrument (I.E.- Bassoon), you may want to consider another path. Military bands are moving into a different mindset and are transitioning towards what the public and the military audience wants. There’s low attendance at Concert Band performances and it’s becoming hard to justify it’s existence. It’s much more cost efficient to have a rock band that can pack the house and just a small brass group to handle ceremonial functions. The military audiences likes hip hop, rock, and country. It’s moving in that direction with the bands too. Rhythm section players, vocalists, and audio engineers- you guys are in luck.