Music and Education

The mistaken thought that artistes didn’t want to get education.

#what will education do for a music artiste?

Education is not limited to the classroom. So I am not only talking about conventional schooling here. The concept of education is a very flexible one and education itself is a continuous process. They say: 

‘The day you stop learning is the day you start dying’ –Anonymous.

 I’m sure they mean dying mentally. The mind begins to weaken…

Young people are getting a very wrong impression that some successful music artistes didn’t and still don’t want to get education.  I believe this is not necessarily true.  Music artistes are making efforts to become better at what they do and part of those efforts is getting knowledge or getting knowledgeable people around them to guide them right; hence the impact of education.

I believe education is majorly about getting knowledge to practice for good - for your good and the good of others. The key is to have a goal and study in consistent with that goal. Basic education (primary and secondary) and even tertiary will always be a plus to your music career.

Our music has gone beyond “make I sing make them know me”. Look at us; this is not where we were we and our music used to be. There has been an evolution and this sporadic growth is not coming to a stop in the nearest future. There is a huge disparity between artistes who are knowledgeable and artistes who are not.  Illiteracy begat stagnancy. 

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about learning to speak Queen’s English, this is more about educating your mind.  

Educate your mind, sell your music, and make money. They say there is so much music and there is little or no business. Break the norm and induce the business.

Education will open your mind.

Do you need music education to become a music artist?

It really depends on what kind of artist you want to be. Classical, yes. Rap, No. A class in your music category would definitely help you. 

In most areas involving the arts, your performance matters more than your education. While a degree in music might help you get a job teaching music, it will be a recital or demo tape that will determine if you get a job as a musician. 

And it will be your talent, your persistence and a lot of dumb luck that will determine if you are successful as a performer. 

In hiring artists, I place far more weight on their portfolio than I do their education. 

However, that being said, a good music school can certainly improve your talent and ability dramatically, and the good schools can even offer industry connections and introductions.

Anonymous

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