<p>Has anyone managed to juggle a Music Major with participation on a college sports team? I’m wondering whether my son should even bother to fill out those prospective athlete forms… (He’s a pitcher in baseball.) He wouldn’t be doing performance, per se, but composition, although he would be participating in Ensembles. (The same time as athletic practices?)</p>
<p>I would seriously consider asking the question specifically to the schools where he intends on applying.</p>
<p>If he were a strict performance major, I’d say the time required to truly apply himself to both pursuits would be minimal at best. Composition might have a bit more leeway, but he would not be exempt from required performing organizations.</p>
<p>Some coaches want nothing less than a full commitment from their players.</p>
<p>There are intramural and personal athletic options he could use at his convenience.</p>
<p>My son was a performance major, my d a college D3 varsity soccer player. I could not imagine combining the two schedules.</p>
<p>Just my $.02.</p>
<p>Well…as my son says…musicians can’t worry about injuring their hands. Are you talking about participation in an interscholastic sports team? If so, I think personally that this would be difficult to do while doing any music major…and yes part of the reason is that the rehearsals and practices (and trips to games) will likely conflict. Also when a student is on an interscholastic sports team in college, there is NO leeway for missing practices or games. Ditto missing ensemble practices and concerts.</p>
<p>Perhaps your best bet is to ask at the school itself.</p>
<p>I think you are confirming just what I thought. It’s already a struggle juggling the music and the sports. Many a time he’s rushed home, changed out of his baseball uniform and into a tuxedo. There’s a bit more leeway given to pitchers - but none of his coaches have ever been thrilled.</p>
<p>My older son is on a Div. III team so I do understand the commitment and expectations. I suppose part of my reluctance to let it all go is that slight recruiting edge given to athletes. On the other hand, the coaches will want to know he’s going to major in music and might guess for themselves what a conflict it would be!</p>
<p>I don’t think the recruiting edge will help a musician get accepted at most places. Most music programs require some kind of audition or at least an interview or portfolio (there has to be something for those composition majors). The music part of the process is what will gain the student admission to the music program…not being recruited as an athlete…at least I’m pretty sure that is the case.</p>
<p>He’s not sure yet whether he’s going to go the School of Music route, or apply to Academic programs like Yale, Williams, and Wesleyan which look at supplements but don’t audition. It would only be for those solely academic institutions that the sports might matter.</p>
<p>The other aspect at least for an instrumentalist as thumper mentioned is the potential for debilitating injury in any number of sports. My son has limited his activities so as to protect his hands, and avoids any contact sports, and sports activities that put his hands, arms and shoulders at risk. </p>
<p>For those that need high level or competitive athletics, it’s a personal choice that is often difficult to come to grips with.</p>
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<p>And the music folks will see that he is a recruited athlete and THEY will also know the conflicts.</p>
<p>I think your best bet is to discuss this with the schools. They would be the ones to best know whether or not there would be a conflict. I will venture to say that for a Division 1 school, you will have more difficulty than a Division 3 school. But even so…you know the commitment to sports…it is HUGE and even moreso at the intercollegiate level…and especially if you are recruited.</p>
<p>Just logistically, at DD’s school ensembles and sports practices are at the same time. Be sure to check on that, too. She could not even do the club sports.</p>
<p>I think it would be too difficult, which is really terrible because it sounds like your son loves to do both. Was he also recruited for baseball?</p>
<p>Do any schools of music have baseball teams? Unless I"m misunderstanding your post, I think your question probably only applies to colleges with music programs and sports teams…and if he’s good enough to play on their baseball team, it can only help to put it on his app. I don’t think coaches care what the kids major in as long as they make their athletic commitments a priority. So, the only conflict will be with practices/games and performances (composing he can do on his own time). It sounds as if you have a very talented kid…wouldn’t keep that back!</p>
<p>I think, as far as managing both schedules, that it will depend entirely on the school and what ensembles he decides to play in.</p>
<p>I agree with Symphonymom. If he is applying to regular college (not music school), he should go for it. If it’s too much or it doesn’t work, he can then decide which to give up. In the meantime, he is in college by then!</p>
<p>He’s only a Junior. But this is the season coming up that would count with the coaches - the one to alert them to. And we have to decide if he is to do a summer baseball camp or traveling team instead of, or in addition to, music camp, so he could be seen by the scouts. He may or may not be good enough for a lower tier Div I team. If he weren’t so seriously involved/obsessed with music we would be pushing the baseball more - lessons coaching etc. As it is, music soaks up every spare dime and minute. As to being a professional baseball player - doubtful. Professional composer? - well, we all know the pitfalls ahead for that one! He’s the kind of kid who wants to do everything and rarely is willing to give anything up. But, I think that time is nigh. On the other hand, I appreciate “stringfollies” saying to go for it. That seems to be one of my main phrases these days with my sons anyway…</p>
<p>What spurred this post is I was looking at the Prospective Student Athlete recruitment form online that most colleges have on their websites - wondering if it would just stir up a hornet’s nest to have him fill some of those out. I really wondered if any one of your kids had actually managed to do both. I have a feeling it might even be harder than a double degree. This is definitely something for him to look into on a college visit, or, as suggested, through direct communication with the individual colleges.</p>
<p>Baseball can get him a free ticket to a good university. Composing almost certainly won’t. Of all the careers in music, composing is about the most dead end one. I have some friends are incredible composers who have won major competitions, they now do other things. It’s great if you don’t mind canned tuna and saltines the rest of your life.</p>
<p>Well, there have been some questions as to whether what goes on in Oberlin should really be called football, but check out [Oberlin</a> College News & Features](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/news-info/04nov/Jordan.html]Oberlin”>http://www.oberlin.edu/news-info/04nov/Jordan.html) for an interesting article. It certainly helps that he is not playing an instrument that would require him to participate in orchestra.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, HE won’t get to decide what ensemble(s) he plays in at most places…he will be assigned based on his seating audition.</p>
<p>Vieux…yours was a very discouraging post. There is no reason for an undergraduate student not to follow a dream about composing music. The reality is that many students pursue masters degrees these days and a bachelors in music is a fine degree to take into most grad school applications. Plus…this kid could be the next successful composer. Why squash his dream? Sorry…just my humble opinion.</p>
<p>Vieux, I’m with thumper on this.</p>
<p>It’s all a personal choice, not all Muse driven people are swayed by financial reward, be it long or short term. Most who choose the music route do so with much soul searching and are aware of the chances against a tough field with fierce competition. Many have a “Plan B”, some a “Plan C”.</p>
<p>It all depends on you driving force, your own outlook. Perhaps tis best to try, and “fail”, than spend the rest of your days asking “what if?” Unlike some careers, music proficiency at a professional level (particularly the performance disciplines) cannot be achieved with a late start.</p>
<p>Check out Von Niel (sp?), the tenor fullback on the Harvard football team. Just graduated, studied singing with BU professor while at Harvard. Going to be a young artist this summer with Chautauqua. Search NY Times or Boston Globe for recent stories. I’m sure it wasn’t easy, but he did it. What I don’t know is if he sang in ensembles. I have a young friend who sings with Harvard and rows with Radcliffe and when it comes down to it, rowing takes precedence. But she performs in operas, etc. I would imagine composition would actually be more flexible, but perhaps I’m wrong. BTW, I know several thriving young composers who are surviving on their music alone. How many pitchers make it to the major leagues?</p>
<p>My son was an excellent high school athlete-basketball and baseball. He is a music major at an LAC, with a concentration in piano, he also sings in 2 ensembles, takes voice and plays trombone in the jazz band. There is barely a minute of free time. He really wanted to play baseball, but realized the first day of fall practice/try-outs how impossible this would be. He had managed through out high school to “do it all”, but I think there comes a time when kids have to make some decisions as to what they love best.After gaining the “freshman 30 (!)” last year, he has found time to go to the gym 4-5 times/week and play some weekly pickup basketball (sometimes his piano prof. even goes with them!). He says he couldn’t even really commit to playing intramurals because of his schedule.OBTW, he lost all the weight and says he must have been nuts to think he could have done baseball too!My husband and I felt that this would be the case, but he needed to figure it out on his own.</p>