@MWolf You’ve taught me so much! You’ve also scared me quite a bit, so I just wanted to emphasize that I’m far from a need for prestige or anything of the sort. Music theory is NOT my only interest.
Simply put, I just want to work with young artists and help them grow. So, I would prefer to teach. Anything below the college level disinterests me because college students have more passion for learning. They’re paying to be taught. But, it’s strictly about teaching for me. Research and academic papers, while valuable, are not my priorities. If there is a different avenue that would allow me to do something in a similar capacity with a more reliable wage, I’m very open to that. Audio engineering or studio work, for example, allows me to work with other artists and help to improve their work.
Music is the subject I’ve always been the most passionate about, but I’m also not dead set on music theory or composition. The history aspect of music also greatly interests me, and if there is something more lucrative out there for me I would be willing to settle on an alternative subject. I’m quite open to alternatives if it means better job prospects and/or a more livable wage. I have a love for fashion, photography, and film. I’ve also always been a firm believer in the value of philosophy, if a subject outside of the arts would have more career opportunities.
I noticed that all of the schools you and your article mentioned have been within the US. I want to stress that I am very open to the idea of studying/working abroad, simply because tuition seems to be cheaper overseas (ex: Finland, the Netherlands, Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Australia, etc.) so any school on the globe is fine by me as long as I can learn in English.