by Inman Hebert
So You Think You Want to be A Music Professor….
As students, many of us work with college professors who mentor us through our development as horn players. As we progress on our journeys, we look at potential careers to pursue after graduation. One excellent option is following in the footsteps of our mentors and becoming teachers ourselves. In this exploration, what should horn students consider before choosing to pursue the collegiate career path?
If interested in becoming a music professor, searching for and analyzing job announcements can help inform one’s decision process. The search will yield results from conservatories to private and public institutions, both liberal arts colleges and universities, that are not always close to a metropolis or existing family connections, and distance can be crucial in the decision-making process for some.
Often, the types of jobs available do not match our ideals. Non-tenure track lecturer and instructor positions with contracts that typically span one to three years far outnumber tenure-track positions with ascending ranks of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. While some positions may be less than full-time in conjunction with performing, adjunct instructors, by definition, are part-time positions hired to fulfill a particular and limited role. Though success in a performance career may supersede some requirements, most announcements list a minimum requirement of a master’s degree while many dictate a terminal degree such as a DMA.
If these initial job searches do not dampen one’s interest, then what must a horn student understand about becoming a professor? By reading biographies of music professors online and talking with those in the field, students will discover that the path to becoming a music professor is a unique journey filled with many twists and turns. The path is rarely a straight line but one that is often a pursuit of passion with dedication. In addition to being extremely competitive, it may involve multiple steps, often beyond our initial expectations, and will often take more time than we may currently imagine. While no single path exists, our adaptability and receptiveness to any and all opportunities start now while we are students.
A professorship encompasses a broad range of duties far beyond the requisite education and the proficiency to play the horn at a high level of accomplishment. Students must ask themselves if they desire to teach and mentor others. Those who respond in the affirmative must invest the time to develop their communication skills. Not all students learn in the same manner, and professors with empathy and understanding will meet students where they are in their role as mentors to communicate in a way that is helpful to the students in their development. The ability to communicate well manifests not only in lessons but also in lecturing, advising, recruiting prospective students, and interacting with colleagues. Early in their education, students should seek opportunities to observe and internalize what succeeds in master classes, private lessons, and studios, while more experienced students should be provided opportunities to start working with others.
For many musicians, writing is an undervalued form of communication that students can work to improve. Whether promoting yourself in a curriculum vitae and cover letter for a position, writing about your research, or advertising on your own or on a college website, writing can be an asset that provides a first impression as a candidate and shows that you are knowledgeable, credible, professional, and organized.
While college professors must maintain a commitment to teaching, skills needed may extend to finding and recruiting students, administrating a studio, teaching private lessons, conducting ensembles, developing music history or pedagogy or other courses, mentoring students beyond lessons, maintaining an active research profile, and performing. More and more, professors are also required to serve institutions in governance (like committee work, particularly at smaller liberal arts colleges), assessment, state and national accreditation processes, department-oriented administrative work (such as budgeting, planning and scheduling, etc.) and/or administrative roles (department chairs, deans, etc.), implementing DEI initiatives, creating new degrees or altering existing ones, and so on. Much of this comes as on-the-job training for which students pursuing a professorship must be aware but also agreeable to learn. These unexpected aspects of a teaching career are challenging but also educational and enriching.
Those seeking to become a music professor should excel on the horn and enjoy all aspects of music. The diversity of the students and the roles performed will be as varied as the mission of the position. Applicants can never know what will get a search committee’s attention, so they should take advantage of any opportunity which can broaden their skill sets. Search committees are looking for a peer who can perform service and contribute to the success of their music program. As students, we must decide if we have the interest, adaptability, and dedication to pursue this career path.
