* I had quite a bit of help from my parents but still took out thousands of dollars in guaranteed student loans from the government. Yes, I had to pay them back over the last 10 years, but I wouldn’t trade my master’s degree for anything, and I gained valuable experience in postgraduate work also. GSLs are at reasonable interest rates, and you can always defer them if you get into a bind financially. Not everyone will make it to the Met, so I believe it is important to have a solid college education in music if you want to make music your life.
* Be smart about borrowing, and know what you are going to get for your money. Borrow the bare minimum. Know when it is time for you to leave school, whether it is because a particular school is not a good fit for you or because you have enough formal education to get you where you want to go in the area you have chosen.
* Go to a top conservatory, even if it means having some debt along the way. There is an experience that a conservatory or a big name school can offer that a smaller state school cannot; the fact is that even if the program itself at the conservatory does not offer you everything that it could, you are surrounded by an entire school’s worth of peers who are at such a high level of musicality that they will inspire your own level of musicianship. I think that the best thing that a top conservatory can offer you has nothing to do with the training, but rather the opportunity to learn from the people with whom you are studying.
You will learn more from those who surround you than you will ever learn in a classroom, no matter what type of school you are at. Network! Be in as many chamber ensembles as you can! Put together a group of instrumentalists and do some weird pieces. Take advantage of the talent that is all around you while you are there because I can guarantee that your network of friends who are your age from your conservatory or top school will come back to help you time and time again during your career.
* I would have gone to a better school if I had had other sources of income to pay for my education (and realized how important it was to do so). I didn’t want to put a burden on my parents (as they were willing to pay for everything). I supplemented my living expenses with a job as an organist/choir director and had a small performance scholarship. If I had it to do all over again, I would take out a student loan, pursue grants, scholarships and go to the best school that would accept me. But who knew? That is what you call “20/20 hindsight!” I didn’t realize how important it was until I arrived in New York over 20 years ago.
* My #1 advice: GET TERRIFIC GRADES IN HIGH SCHOOL AND PREPARE AHEAD OF TIME SO YOU CAN WIN A SCHOLARSHIP-don’t wait until you’re an undergraduate to buckle down to your studies. I, as a music professor, see too many singers auditioning for degree programs who seem to think that because they have a pretty voice that they are set; they did absolutely nothing in high school to prepare themselves to be a SCHOLAR. Even music talent scholarships usually have GPA minimums and expect a certain amount of academic achievement. In fact, I’ve often been in the situation of wanting to award a particular student a music scholarship on the basis of talent or potential, but then for academic reasons that student wasn’t even admitted to the university.
* I was too poor to take advantage of many professional opportunities when I was young, and if I could have incurred debt to do it, I would have-for that might have made the performing career a reality.
* If it is your passion to sing, then do it! You only live once, and if you don’t get the training that you need, you may regret it later on.
* Research, research, research your options and ask a LOT of questions of the school administration. I found out in my senior year of undergraduate school that I was eligible for much more aid than I was receiving. The financial aid person just didn’t know her stuff, and when she was replaced, the aid could not be retroactive. My senior year was great, but it was too little, too late.
* If you MUST be a musician, then the debt is inconsequential. Living your dream and being poor is much more rewarding that working an average or below average job and having money. If money is more important, you don’t have what it takes!
* Make the most out of school. You might as well; you’re paying for it, and paying for it, and paying for it….
* Always work hard and do your best to make the most of every situation you encounter. Follow your instincts. If singing is something you feel you have to do, and if you would be unhappy doing anything else, then strive to be a professional singer. If you would be just as happy or happier doing something else professionally, then do that and continue to enjoy singing as a hobby or part-time engagement.
* I was in denial and took whatever loans were available to me, and when I did voice my concerns to my teacher, she said not to worry, that I could make plenty of money in a singing career, and certainly enough to pay it back. However, not everyone has a singing career at that level. I would advise not doing what I did. Just because it is there, and you can take it, doesn’t mean you should. Having it hang over your head for the rest of your life is not worth it. Thank you to CS for bringing up this very important issue.
* Make sure you feel like the programs and teachers are truly worth the debt you’re going to assume; otherwise, get a job to subsidize private study. You’ll be much happier later on and more financially flexible to take advantage of opportunities, but don’t get so attached to the paycheck you’re getting at your day job that you give up on your dreams.
* Almost everyone in the United States has debt. Debt for educational purposes just shocks us because it is the first debt we acquire. Don’t be afraid of it, but don’t let it eat you up, either. If you can’t sleep well at night, it’s too much.
Choose a school because it is the right fit, not because it is cheap. Not because it is expensive, either! Just because it’s more expensive doesn’t always mean it’s better. Find a financial range that you are comfortable with, and pick a program in that range that is right for you.
* If all music schools taught a course on the business of music and how to make a career for yourself, there wouldn’t be a problem with students and debt. Unfortunately, too many schools are turning out graduates with absolutely no business or workplace skills and minimal talent, so they end up unable to have a career.
Singers need to stop grousing about debt and get serious about having or making a career instead of complaining about it. There is a small window of reality in the music business, and all of us need to look through that window.
* If you have to take out loans to purse your dream, do it. It’s worth it to have the best education and instruction you can get. Just make sure you have a clear plan as to how you will pay off your debt after school.
* There are many fine teachers at state schools or lesser-known colleges. Don’t break the bank by going to a big-name school. Carefully research teachers at institutions that will offer you scholarships or where the tuition is lower. Sing for them; have sample lessons.
In the end, no degree from a fancy conservatory is going to get you a job. Your voice will get you a job. I am now starting a master’s in voice at the University of Minnesota. I had a great education and great teacher at Iowa State-and came out debt free. I am literally thousands of dollars ahead of some of my fellow students here-they went into huge debt at prestigious schools, only to end up in the same place I am now. Be sensible. Don’t get sucked into the “prestigious schools” state of mind. In the end it’s your voice that counts, and it pays to be sensible.
* I would find a school that allows you to attend part time or on a semester basis, and I would do whatever it took to pay my way through without borrowing any money. Most students get out at 22, long before they are vocally ready, so why not stretch a four year degree over six years, work as you go through it, and end up debt free? I do think the degree is valuable, but as a student you don’t realize how tight money will be as an “emerging professional,” and sometimes it comes down to voice lessons/coachings or making a loan payment.
* Go into debt only if you have a way to pay it back when you’re done. Don’t incur $100,000 worth of student loans if realistically you will only get a $30,000-a-year job when you get out of college.
* Find a school that has good voice teachers but will not bankrupt you later in life. Since it takes a while for the voice to mature anyway, take your time. Work on your voice and save up your money to attend college. Then work on your voice and save up your money to attend graduate school. You’ll arrive on the professional scene at the same time as the rest of us, only you won’t have the debt.
You cannot expect to pay back student loans and be able to live in NYC, afford coachings, piano lessons, voice lessons, attend the opera, attend summer training programs, and fly to auditions. If you had that kind of money, you wouldn’t need a student loan at the start. You have to leave yourself some financial breathing room for your career when you complete your education. I actually am a soprano who has been doing well with a local career and feel that my singing can go great places, but not with my horrific debt. So I am going to take a little time, get a real job, and get it under control. I will keep singing and take auditions when I can. I have even moved back home to save some money until I get out from under this huge burden.
I think that singers should really look into “a la carte” study while they save up money for college. Have a voice teacher, a yoga teacher, an Alexander Technique teacher, and see how that goes. If you want to go to a coach two times a month or save up your money to go to a voice seminar or acting workshop, then you can pick and choose the services that are best for you.
I found that getting the degree was invaluable to my opera stage experience, particularly in graduate school. However, as an emerging professional, I now work both as a singer and other jobs to make ends meet, and I take my lessons “a la carte.” Why not do this between degrees so that you don’t go into debt so much? I wish that I had done that!
* Consider attending a four-year liberal arts college with a good choir or good vocal teachers in lieu of a conservatory degree. Should your debts be overwhelming and paid singing jobs few and far between, you’ll be better equipped to enter the “regular” job market. Recognize the fact that there are many paths to your life.
While my loans were in deferment, I sang in professional theater and covered all my bills. When my loans came due, I took an 8-5 job with an arts-friendly boss and am continuing to build my résumé in a city with great community theaters. I’m paying my bills and doing what I love while keeping my skills and technique up to date. The extra money leaves room for voice and dance lessons that, if I were struggling to find work, I could not take.
A career in the arts is difficult, and I think it’s important to evaluate what degrees of success will make you happy in your pursuit of that career. Are you happy as a section leader in a large church with a family and a weekday job? Or do you need to immerse yourself and work in a large opera company, even if you’re just in the chorus?
The sacrifices you make may depend on what level of work you want to do. There are many ways to fulfill your soul and still pay your bills.
* Really do your homework and research the school, its program and teaching staff. If you’re going to spend thousands of dollars, you’d better get what you’re paying for! Spend some time in your local library searching for scholarship opportunities. There are lots of specialized scholarships out there for people of different ethnicities, sons and daughters of veterans etc. Every little bit helps!
* Weigh the possibility of debt against the skills you have, or can develop, outside of singing. I was lucky to have developed skills as an editor and production artist. I worked in publishing for over 10 years, part time during school, and then combinations of full time, part time and freelance from my home until I was able to rely solely on my singing, teaching and music lecturing income for the last four years.
I can’t tell you how much those earlier jobs in publishing allowed me to continue regular lessons and coachings at a time when I really needed them. They also allowed me to make larger student loan payments to bring my debt down. My sanity has these other skills to thank.
* Do not price yourself out of a career by taking on so much debt that you must find a non-music job to cover it. The extra degrees are not worth it. Study with a good teacher, audition, and get out there in the real world. Nobody has EVER asked me if I had a degree at an audition.
* It’s an investment in your future. Get all the scholarships and outside help you can, but if you absolutely need to attempt to make music your career, then the debt is worth it. There are payment plans that will spread it out over time. The life of a musician is always a struggle, at least at first. It builds character.
* Try, try, try to limit the amount of debt and only do it if you are sure you can get work-for example, if you are in the top two percent of singers in a big school and the top one percent in a small school. Be as direct as possible with your mentors. Ask them if your talent is competitive with the talent that is working professionally. That doesn’t mean only opera. Try to get a second and third opinion. Not everyone will give you an honest answer. There is work out there, but only if you have the pipes and the ambition. Practice, practice, practice!
* You’re working towards a career of your choosing. Going into debt for good training and the experiences gained is not a bad investment. That’s how I think about it: it’s not debt; it’s an investment towards my future! If I had it all over to do again…I would. Doing what you love, living life, and striving towards your goals are what it’s all about.
* I would recommend keeping high school grades up and search out every scholarship opportunity; strive to attain money in every way possible other than using loans. The level of expertise of the teacher and his/her ability to impart the proper vocal technique to the student is by far the most important thing in obtaining a successful career in singing. Find the teacher who “fits” you, who challenges you, but also uplifts. Obtaining a degree is ideal, but if you’ve found more opportunities to perform in other venues than within a school environment, use the money for private lessons, language and masterclasses.
* A degree is invaluable. Even if you do not have a vocal career, earning a degree in music will get you job interviews because you persisted and graduated from a four-year school. Be careful about too much debt; it’s an anchor.
* Student loans are very important for financing your education, if resources are not available privately. In college, take out a loan rather than work so hard that you are too tired to sing or study. I see so many young students working full time, and they are unable to participate fully in their programs-this truly defeats the purpose of going to college. Be careful about the interest on student loans. If you pay the minimum payment after finishing school, you could pay for the rest of your life. Pay the minimum and then pay at least 30 percent on top of that when you begin your repayment schedule. For young singers pursuing a career, stay out of credit card debt. Building up credit card debt will single-handedly ruin your career. If you borrow on credit cards, be prepared to be tied and chained to an office job. You will then need more and more money to pay it off, which means that you are not free to sing. Stay clean financially; it is one of the most important ingredients in succeeding in singing.
* Don’t get into debt unless you really have an instrument worth investing in. Far too many people spend their lives wrapped up in themselves and their careers, even when it is obvious to everyone that they really won’t make it big. Get a very honest teacher.
* I have found that there are scholarships out there if one looks hard enough and works hard enough to obtain them. I worked summers through college and also held a part-time job during the year. My parents never put away enough for the kids to go to college. I really wanted to attend school and thus found any way I could to do so.
One summer I worked three jobs and each day worked 16 hours. That summer I had a total of three days off. I really valued my education the following year as a result. I was a theater major and was encouraged to become a voice major. I told them find me scholarship money, and they did. Maybe I am one of the lucky few. Maybe I was one of the few who worked like a dog also. I still do. Every gig I have ever landed was a result of hard work, coaching like crazy, really working on my teacher’s suggestions. Hard, hard work. That’s the bottom line.
* Try to find an incredible state school with lots of scholarships and performing and teaching opportunities. Try to find the best job possible while “waiting to be a full-time singer” to knock off as much debt as possible.
* I paid off my undergrad before I went into graduate debt, something I would highly recommend, if possible. Also, I think graduate debt only makes sense if you think you may have an interest in teaching. If you’re only looking to perform, move to New York and just pay as you go to work with the best teachers and coaches. I only went for my master’s degree when I started to consider teaching/directing.
* I would advise young singers to really decide whether they can accept graduating with no guarantee of work and a lot of student loan and/or credit card debt. I graduated with a piece of paper that says I’m a singer. It doesn’t pay the rent.
* My advice is to be wise about student loans but not to be afraid of them. In my experience, I was so afraid of being in debt that I missed out on many opportunities such as operas and other chances to perform because I always had a job. I wish that I had taken out more student loans so that I could have experienced more of these things throughout my college career!
* Given spiraling tuition costs, loans are unavoidable for most students regardless of their major course of study. I would suggest Canadian universities, for they offer a top quality education for a fraction of the cost of their American counterparts. I would also advise them to wait several years between degrees, as I did. If one reports musical income earned in those intervening years to the IRS, it may be possible to deduct some of the second degree’s costs as a business expense.
* Heavy student debt is scary when one enters the work field. I am currently working full time as a professional ensemble singer in a military chorus.
The pay and benefits are excellent. But one benefit in particular, the college loan replacement program, has been especially helpful to young aspiring singers with substantial college debt. In their attempt to attract college graduates to their ranks, the Army will pay off all college loans up to $65,000 in total value over the duration of a three-year enlistment, 1/3 payment made in each consecutive year.
This benefit is viewed by the IRS as regular taxable income, so the singer must assume that expense in order to accept the benefit. The program seems almost too good to be true – to be “college debt free” after only three quick years of service to Uncle Sam. I highly recommend this career option for talented aspiring singers.
* It’s not worth it to incur huge amounts of debt after your undergraduate. It will cripple you. Either get a scholarship for grad school or get a job and study privately.
One of the biggest problems facing our industry is lack of self-knowledge. Singers simply don’t know whether they’ve got the goods to succeed, and they make emotional rather than logical decisions. Too many of us hold advanced degrees and STILL can’t sing well enough to be hired for any kind of significant professional job. So before you spend all that money, make sure you’re making a good investment.
Don’t just think about what you want for your career-think about what you want for your LIFE. Take your education very seriously while you are in school-don’t waste a moment. Learn everything you can about the BUSINESS aspects of your craft. Wait until graduate school to attend a conservatory; get a more rounded education in the undergraduate program. Exceptions: the conservatories with joint programs that earn you two bachelor’s degrees, though they can be more expensive.
* I was debt free I was able to do so much more. There wasn’t anything hanging over my head, and the stress relief allowed me to focus on being a musician. The money I make gets saved now.
* Get as many scholarships and grants as possible. In the music business it takes a few years to become completely financially independent. Practice that piano, even if it is not your major instrument. Working in church jobs, singing or playing piano, and being an accompanist can feed you in the lean years. And always remember that a resourceful musician can make enough money between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to last quite a bit of time. Make Handel’s Messiah your new favorite work.
