Moores student refutes music career article

An opinion article was run last week about military bands as a career choice for aspiring musicians, and the author said the Moores School of Music was not promoting these opportunities to its students.

The author vented her frustration that trained musicians only have orchestral performance and education as career options and that these fields offer such miniscule monetary compensation that all musicians must either live far below the nation’s poverty line or become baristas for that international coffee brand with the mermaid logo.

What the author missed in her one short semester with the Spirit of Houston Marching Band was the countless flyers and posters that cover the boards around Moores. Many promote summer music festivals locally and abroad, teaching opportunities in the Houston area, contemporary music workshop projects and audition opportunities with ensembles across the globe.

Perhaps she also missed the memo that our own David Ashley White, the director of the Moores School of Music, was employed by and performed with the United States Air Force Band from 1968 to 1972. Not to mention the countless students, both current and alumni, who have achieved careers as military musicians. Finally, she may have missed the obvious attitude of music majors on our campus.

Money is not the drive for those of us who choose a career in performing or writing music. The idea of six-figure paychecks is not why we spend years striving for a perfection that cannot be fully realized. The prospect of owning a large home with all the “bells and whistles” is not why we subject ourselves to the countless rejection letters and negative reviews that we will have throughout the course of our careers.

The simplest way I can explain the reason musicians choose this life is to say we are all insane in the best possible way. Like the infamous best-selling book series, musicians have our own “fifty shades.” All the financial instability and rejection we endure during the course of our careers is embraced for the sole fact that we want nothing more than to devote ourselves to the art of music. Some pursue music as a way to help others or become closer to God. I pursue music simply because it speaks to me on a level that religion and philosophy cannot touch.

The Moores School of Music and its faculty have encouraged every possible performance and employment opportunity available to music majors. Students and teachers at our school share bonds that cannot be compared to others’ majors. Dear readers, for what it’s worth, you can take that to the bank.

Karleigh Dansby is a music performance senior and may be reached at [email protected]