MFA: Value in the Work Place or No?

[deeperbeats]

I'd like to talk to someone in this community who is applying to get / getting their mfa. After getting my BA in Music, I am realizing that unless I want to teach high school band (which i'm not qualified to do in the first place : i didn't get a music ed degree) I will need to go to grad school. I'm not nuts about putting myself in that kind of

Comments

[kahlan_amnell]

I think it depends on what type of work you want to do.

[bighark]

I have two friends who work in music, both of whom only have a B.A. One works as a music editor for a sacred music publishing company and the other is a singer who's having a rather remarkable opera career.

What kind of work did you have in mind? I'm not sure there's anything apart from college professorships that require the M.F.A.

[deeperbeats]

With the MFA, or MM I was looking to teach music / interdisciplinary art at the college level. It's funny you mentioned your first friends career, i have 6 years of music journalism/music pr experience. I also am a gigging jazz musician / percussionist. So I am at a bit of a crossroads here. Thanks for the advice:)

[bighark]

If college instruction is what you have in mind, then I'd say go for the advanced degree.

I'm not familiar with music programs, but I can tell you that there are plenty fully funded MFA programs out there for fine arts and writing. I don't see how music would be any different.

Good luck!