Music: Practice Makes Perfect

Texas Tech University School of Music students can be seen performing often, on stage or in the halls of the Student Union Building, to rounds of applause. Behind the curtain, though, their reality is less glamorous: hours and hours of tedious and difficult practice.

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Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

Perfecting one’s craft is always time-consuming, but music majors are known for making an especially steep commitment in terms of practice outside the classroom.

“I think it requires a lot of time, in relation to the kind of time that an architecture or engineering student might spend,” said Duane Hill, director of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland.

Tristan Torres, a music and public relations major, said he spends 12-15 hours practicing outside the classroom each week, whether with ensembles or individually. During the fall, when he plays in the Goin’ Band, he often practices over 20 hours a week.

“For me, I enjoy being busy, so while I complain about being busy, I really enjoy it,” Torres said.

Most music majors are passionate about what they do, so the work they have to put into being successful does not bother them.

Jaque Reyes, a voice major, said she loves everything about music, which is why she chose to major in voice.

The School of Music shares a building with the Student Union. Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

The School of Music shares a building with the Student Union. Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

“I love learning the theory because I feel like I’m smart,” Reyes said. “I love learning the history because I know about all the composers. I always wanted to learn how to play the piano, and I always wanted to learn how to speak Italian. So, it’s like everything I ever wanted is kind of like all in one.”

Reyes said as stressful as her major can be sometimes, she enjoys it because she gets to share something with people. After graduate school, she hopes to become an opera singer.

The life of opera singers does not come with any job security because they are constantly trying out for different performances, Reyes said. A person might have a job for the moment, but that can change at the drop of a note.

Hill said many students in the School of Music have chosen to major in music education because of the job security this path offers. Music education majors have the option to become professional performers, Hill said, but those jobs can be hard to find.

After finishing their undergraduate studies, music students often go on to graduate school. To get a job as a music director at any major college or university, Hill said, a student must obtain a master’s and then a doctoral degree.

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Blaine Hill/The Hub@TTU

“After you go through grad school, you kind of have to throw yourselves out there to the wolves,” Hill said. “There are definitely less jobs than there are people out there who want jobs.”

Students who put in the time and effort to become great musicians, both in and out of the classroom, are the ones who succeed, according to Hill.

“It doesn’t’ necessarily matter how great you are as a player, but how much investment you put into your instrument,” he said. “There are a lot of players who may not have a high skill set but they put in the work and they get as good as they can be and that translates to them being an excellent teacher.”

Ultimately, having a passion for your field of study is what creates successful graduates in any major.

“You have to have a love, a passion for it, for sure,” Hill said. “Otherwise, it’s not attainable.”

This story is the second in a series of articles about what it is like to be a student in certain majors. Look for more “Welcome to My Life” stories soon. 

About Blaine Hill

I am the community reporter and a Junior journalism major. I'm an avid book worm and I know how to make pies from scratch.