The Real World Beckons
Hi, I’m Susan, and I’m a recovering college professor. (Hi Susan!) I have to admit that I’ve taught at the college level for twenty-seven years. I even have my DMA. Yes, people call me Dr. Kane. (Gasp!)
There is no place where the real world versus the academy dichotomy is in higher relief than in music performance. In the world of classical singing, it is considered the most respectable to do your career in the real world first and then head into academia for a nice, easy retirement. My problem is that my singing career started slowly and I had a kid to raise so I headed into academia for my safety (and health insurance) a little too soon to be considered respectable. And now, after twenty-seven years, tenure and promotion I am out and happily performing again. Backwards!
In academia I have found many wonderful artists who have fought to keep their artistic selves in tact despite the daily bruising that comes with the territory of academic life. I have also seen many an artist die a grueling death by inches in academia.
Years ago, I attended the Classical Singer conference in Brooklyn. My name-tag proudly announced that I was a professor and I happily attended sessions for professional musicians (since I am a professional musician too) where I quickly learned that I was the enemy. In session after session the presenter called for the heads of college professors. Person after person announced that college professors were not real musicians and their advice should be shunned. College degrees were even worse. Who really needs one? Academia had obviously wounded these people. I turned my name-tag over and slinked out of the room.
This experience reminded me of the time, many moons ago, when I was teaching elementary school and I attended a Kodaly workshop. The presenter asked all the music teachers in the room to raise their hands if they felt they were musicians. I was sitting in the front row and raised my hand. The presenter, and everyone else in the room stared at me. I was the only one with my hand raised. What is the matter with this picture?
I’ve been on my own now for eight months and a whole new world has opened up for me. With time to read the singer news, I’m getting up to date on the trends in my field. With time to practice I’m finding more collaborators and ways to promote my music. I’m singing with a jazz/swing quartet, hosting children’s concerts, singing regularly for spiritual groups online, and doing a weekly Tiny Concert on Patreon. With time to write, I’m writing songs, conference presentations, articles, blog posts, courses, and even starting my second book. I don’t miss academia one bit. The real world beckoned me and I answered. I couldn’t be happier.
