Here is the rest of Joe's epic tale... (click here to read the first post)

If you're considering pursuing music in college, Joe provides some great advice at the close of his post.

Joe just moved to Seattle and is taking on new students at this time. If you're in Seattle, give him a call.

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Second Semester

In my second semester, I was placed into Combo 3, with more capable players and much more challenging material. I supplemented my weekly one-hour lesson with Bob Boss with a weekly one-hour lesson with bass legend Bob Magnusson. (Students are permitted to take lessons with any of the available instructors, regardless of instrument.) My lessons with Magnusson revealed a major opportunity to improve my facility around the fretboard when he showed me his monster arpeggio workout. My playing received another shot in the arm this semester between the extra lessons and more challenging combo.

In order to graduate early, I enrolled in the only elective available to satisfy the requirements: a graduate seminar in theoretical analysis of twentieth century classical music. That was tough. I also took a graduate seminar in music research. That was surprisingly awesome. Professor Smigel brought researching and writing processes to life and made this course the pleasant surprise of my education. Although I don't expect to find myself in an academic environment of dedicated research, I saw the beauty in discovering the past, asking the right questions, and using the juxtaposition of existing ideas to make new statements. See the culmination of this class in my Jazz Education Research Prospectus.

Third Semester

By my third semester, fall 2010, I made it to Combo 2. The players were insane, and the material was outrageously difficult. I expanded my range of private instructors, taking simultaneous lessons from Bob Magnusson on bass, Professor Rick Helzer on piano, and Professor Richard Thompson on piano. (Note, no guitar, but I still played guitar in these lessons. They covered general compositional and improvisational concerns, nothing instrument-specific.) I took Prof. Helzer's composition/arranging course which required a prolific output from all the students. I wrote an original combo tune harmonized for three horns, a sax soli, and a brass shout chorus.

Also taught by Prof. Helzer was a graduate seminar in jazz. That was a fascinating course. There were about ten jazz majors including myself sitting around a table for three hours one night a week, discussing compositions and solos throughout the history and spectrum of jazz. We shared composing strategies, road stories, teaching/learning tips, and incredibly funny musician jokes. Part of the class involved writing personal journals about the reading and discussions. We also wrote a chromatic modal tune and a flexible-form tune.

Recital

Before my third semester started, my professors convinced me to save my recital for the spring. I was eager to finish, but I discovered that I could do it without enrolling or paying extra tuition, so I elected to save it and spend some extra time on it. With little else to do, I went all out early. I held most of my group's rehearsals before classes began in January 2011, and I had all my charts, example recordings, solo orders, and the set list online, accessible by anyone in my band at any time. I learned a number of important lessons from this first experience leading a band. The results were wonderful, and I was overwhelmed by the stark contrast between my professional-grade graduate recital and my failed first audition just two years prior.

Thoughts

It was clear from day one that the most valuable asset of a music school is its students. Far beyond the courses, combos, auditions, and juries, my classmates taught me more than I could have gleaned from any other experience. That alone made this a worthwhile experience. The camaraderie of working on the same projects and the ability to witness each other's improvements led to a bond that isn't available outside an academic experience. It's a special kind of networking that makes a deeper connection, and it's set up automatically for each class of students.

The other big assets of SDSU in particular are the weekly one-on-one attention to detail in private lessons and Professor Rick Helzer. Rick is an amazing human. He teaches the entire series of undergrad jazz theory courses, he teaches the composition/arranging courses, he teaches the graduate jazz seminar, and he writes his own (remarkably clear) textbooks for all his courses. On top of that, he carries a full load of private students, and his attitude is always in the interest of helping students learn. I connected with him particularly well because I love the way he thinks; analytical, obsessive over details, and incredibly well-organized.

Two special events stood out in my experience: masterclasses by Lee Konitz and John Stowell. Konitz played a concert with his quartet and spoke about improvising, playing free, and playing in groups. Stowell played a duet concert with Professor Helzer and later gave a masterclass, focusing on guitar issues, theory, and professional advancement in music. I was able to take a private lesson with Stowell that evening as well. These experiences had a profound effect on my outlook on school and my musical direction, both professionally and artistically.

Another important aspect one mustn't overlook in searching for a school is the price tag. As a state school, the SDSU tuition was rock-bottom (despite all the student protests over raising it). The tuition at LA Music Academy made me go a little cross-eyed, so that's why I turned it down with no scholarship. At SDSU, the private lessons alone, calculated to an hourly rate with a semester's tuition, are a comparable or even better deal than you could find seeking private lessons on your own. Even with all the bureaucratic nonsense that comes with a state university, I was always confident I'd made a good decision.

Advice

The first thing you need to know if you're looking into music school (or any formal education) is why you want to do it. Are you just taking some classes for the skills and knowledge, or are you pursuing a full degree? If you're after the degree, how will it benefit you? I knew when I started that telling a musician who might hire me that I have a Master of Music means nothing. For any kind of performing gig, how I play and how I conduct myself make all the difference in the world. How I got there and what I've studied don't matter. In my case, the Master of Music diploma is valuable for only two reasons, both relating to education: a shortcut to conveying that I know what I'm doing and a completed prerequisite for any positions that require an advanced degree. These appeal to me because I enjoy teaching guitar, and I know it will feature in my professional future. If I had no interest in working as an educator, I'd have no use for the degree.

Also ask yourself how much you could accomplish outside the academic environment. If you practiced like mad, took private lessons with a great teacher, and really applied yourself with professional networking, could you reap the same rewards you'd expect from a school? Make sure you really know the extra benefits you're getting from school.

Don't forget the real world. Work! If you can find the work you want to do while you're taking classes, great. Otherwise, find whatever you can. I started music school with a day job in web development. When I quit that job, it allowed me to spend more time on school, but it also allowed me to spend more time teaching private lessons and playing gigs. That's the kind of work I want to do long term, and it was a joy to be able to get started while I was still in school.

If the school you're considering is nearby, see if you can meet some of its local alumni. From attending jazz jams and browsing the online ensemble rosters, I was already familiar with many of SDSU's current and past jazz students by the time I started. They were friendly people and many of them blew my mind every time I heard them play. I also discovered that other local musicians were aware of the caliber of players SDSU was churning out. Check your music scene for a similar reputation.

Conclusion

Know what you're getting into and why. Explain your reasons out loud to someone who knows you well and can play devil's advocate for a bit. If you decide that music school is the path for you, then milk it for all it's worth while you're there. Make friends and give them your highest respect; they are your future coworkers, employers, and employees. Take advantage of your school's facilities and research tools. Try not to forget what you learned as soon as you finish a course; memory requires maintenance. Turn your academic projects into real-world benefits.