Exploring the Life of a Music Education Major

 Introduction

Hello. My name is Oscar Ramirez and I am a fourth year Music Education Major at San Diego State University. I will show you what exactly I do as a future music educator, but first let me start with how exactly I got here.

Music students who go on to continue their music careers usually start with music at a very young age. I was fortunate enough to start in middle school, but believe it or not, I was still behind in the world of music. After playing trumpet, my primary instrument, for 7 years, I concluded that it might be a good idea to make a career out of this whole music thing. So, I combined my two passions, teaching and music, and decided to become a music teacher. Being at San Diego State, I have seen the hard work that I have put out, but I still have such a long way to go.

Why Music Education?

I ask myself the same question everyday. Why does music matter in schools nowadays? Is it not a better decision to put students in extracurriculars that are more useful in life, like computer science, graphic design, ROTC, or robotics? Of course. Every subject other than music sounds more important and has more of an impact than music does, which is what I would say if I was ignorant and boring. Would you believe me if I said that students who have music education in their life do better in their overall academic career? Most of that is true. There is plenty of evidence and analysis that shows how students who receive a quality music education have a better time with life skills, and this goes more into depth here.

My Experience So Far.

When I came to San Diego as a freshman, I was anticipating a competitive environment with the normal amount of toxicity. Neither of that was true. Each music education student is striving for the same goal: to become a good music educator for students. Everyone is friendly and supportive, but friendly competition still exists at times. The school districts in San Diego are also friendly, and it is also notable that SDSU has a 100% job acceptance rate for those who seek music teacher jobs in San Diego. Even though my main focus is music education, I still receive lots of opportunities for performances and gigs around San Diego. If you ask me, San Diego is the place to be for music education! If you would like to learn more about SDSU's music program, you can find more information on their website.





Comments

  1. Gabby GarciaJune 7, 2023 at 9:08 PM

    Hi Oscar! I am glad to hear that you decided to pursue your education in music. Many people decide to not study their passion and go into something more "practical" so it is good to hear that you stuck to your beliefs and went for it. There can be a lot of stigma surrounding studying the arts but just like doctors we need artists and musicians to make the world better as well. I play the electric bass but just for fun since it was not something I wanted to pursue as a career but I am happy that it worked out for you and that your classmates were nice! Good luck to you in your music career and hope to hear some of your work in the future!

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