Get Your 4 Year Degree in Bluegrass

[Brian Harris]

I say this as an educator with a Masters in Education*: Are you kidding me?

http://www.etsu.edu/cas/das/bluegrass/

Of all the ways to fleece students.

*Does not make me qualified. At all. You could apprentice for 2 years and do my job with a high school diploma.

[Timbofood]

This is actually a real gig, seems like an exercise in quantum fleecing to me too but, there are “some” who actually take this seriously!
I hear strains to P.T. Barnum in the background!
A friend of mine told me about this about a year ago.

[BrianWilliam]

College Data says out of state tuition for one year is $41k.

[samlyman]

I could only find one “professor” with a doctorate. One full professor did not even list a degree on his bio. Makes me wonder big time about the scholarly aspect of the degree.

Sam (with Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate and not from ETSU).

[stevedenver]

Im in favor of consumer protection.
I have a dotorate, and have taught under grad and grad law courses. I am not a certified as a teacher.

Yet, i also believe that, say like art history, philosophy, english, russian studies, etc, not all degrees are meritless because they may not lead to a commensurate level of income.

To site etsu, which is legitimate, or recognized as a substantive educational instituion, as i understand things, but not berklee, julliard, new england conserv, etc is odd.

They are a legit state univ. they offer degrees in rural med, and other non bg degrees, just like other state universities.

Granted etsu may be on a different tier, thats life. Not unlike Ivy league versus community college.

Artists have worth. So do teachers. It is often not recognized in terms of compensation versus investment. If some one desires this road, and is willing to pay for it, so be it.

The same might be said about many other investments.
I know of a woman buying into a motivational speakers course, at age 50, and dumping her small but lucrative insurance agency. I am sceptical that she will break even on her "tuition".

People make dubious choices with assets, and thats life.

Im ok with choice for students, no matter how remote the long term return may seem.

Not all docs, lawyers, etc have fully utilized thier degrees, sometimes because they dont care for the profession and lifestyle, etc.

[Timbofood]

The faculty does contain some interesting people but, yes, “Educational Accreditation” is apparently a matter of interpretation here.
I wonder how much “face to face” time one would receive from Messrs Steffey or Rice? I’d put the educational dollars into a better mandolin.
I wonder what Carlton Haney’s take on this might sound like.......

[Patrick Hull]

I say this as an educator with a Masters in Education*: Are you kidding me?

http://www.etsu.edu/cas/das/bluegrass/

Of all the ways to fleece students.

*Does not make me qualified. At all. You could apprentice for 2 years and do my job with a high school diploma.

Please allow me to offer a positive perspective on this program. As someone who Iives in the area where East Tennessee State University is located I’m surprised to see so much negativity about this program. Students come here from all over the world. In fact, I’m surprised that anyone who has exposure to the world of bluegrass isn’t already familiar with it. To my knowledge, this program has been very visible in the “bluegrass and old-time music communities” and has received nothing but acclaim. As someone else pointed out, virtually every university offers degrees in art and music and although someone might argue the point, I don’t think anyone has ever questioned the validity of those programs. Sarah Jarroz and Sierra Hull went to Berklee—seems to have worked out nicely for them.

Granted, this program might not lead to a lucrative career (or it might—Kenny Chesney attended ETSU) I fail to see how this is worthy of criticism any more than 100 other degree programs offered by virtually every college in the country. You pays your money and you takes your choice. Just because someone might make a different choice than you, shouldn't make them an object of ridicule.

It is my understanding they offer more than “music lessons,” and offer classes in recording, music business, etc. I am speaking just as a member of the community—not a student, graduate or someone with a stake in the program or the university.

At any rate, I think it is a great program, great for the University, great for the community (we get to listen to the bands a lot) and great for bluegrass and old-time music.

[BrianWilliam]

Is it $40k/year?

Did Sierra or Sarah go to berklee because they wanted to start a career in music? Did they have scholarships?

[HonketyHank]

Well, like they say -- with a degree in ________ and $10, you can get a cup of coffee almost anywhere.

[DavidKOS]

If you want to learn Bluegrass, spend 4 years hanging out with better players.

Ask any famous old-school BG player and see what they think about going to formal school.

[Patrick Hull]

Is it $40k/year?

Did Sierra or Sarah go to berklee because they wanted to start a career in music? Did they have scholarships?

It is certainly my understanding that Sierra went to Berklee to pursue a career in music (I think that's all they do there). She had a scholarship. Seems to have worked out nicely. I do not know why Sarah went to Berklee, or if she had a scholarship.

[MontanaMatt]

I'm self employed, so my boss doesn't care that I didn't quite finish my Master's degree. I yell bad words at my boss almost daily!

[Jim Franey]

Ask Dave Rawlings's and Gillian if BERKELEY worked for them !!
It sure did 😎👏👏👏👏👏

[billhay4]

Many schools offer music programs and they are well attended. In these programs, there are many specialties -- folk music, classical, blues, even rock. I don't know why bluegrass is of concern to some of you. Like majoring in any of the other specialties, it is guaranteed to get you nothing. Just like majoring in accounting.
What you do after a degree is entirely up to you.
Bill

[Pjones3]

Please allow me to offer a positive perspective on this program. As someone who Iives in the area where East Tennessee State University is located I’m surprised to see so much negativity about this program. Students come here from all over the world. In fact, I’m surprised that anyone who has exposure to the world of bluegrass isn’t already familiar with it. To my knowledge, this program has been very visible in the “bluegrass and old-time music communities” and has received nothing but acclaim. As someone else pointed out, virtually every university offers degrees in art and music and although someone might argue the point, I don’t think anyone has ever questioned the validity of those programs. Sarah Jarroz and Sierra Hull went to Berklee—seems to have worked out nicely for them.

Granted, this program might not lead to a lucrative career (or it might—Kenny Chesney attended ETSU) I fail to see how this is worthy of criticism any more than 100 other degree programs offered by virtually every college in the country. You pays your money and you takes your choice. Just because someone might make a different choice than you, shouldn't make them an object of ridicule.

It is my understanding they offer more than “music lessons,” and offer classes in recording, music business, etc. I am speaking just as a member of the community—not a student, graduate or someone with a stake in the program or the university.

At any rate, I think it is a great program, great for the University, great for the community (we get to listen to the bands a lot) and great for bluegrass and old-time music.

Well said Patrick......

[allenhopkins]

East Tennessee State's bluegrass students show up en masse at many high-profile bluegrass events, and the level of expertise they show is pretty damn high (as an oldster, I get really envious when some teenager rips of a break I can't even attempt -- and couldn't attempt when I was his/her age). And there have been quite a few colleges that have offered programs in folk-based music, where the faculty might not have had all the formal education and degree credentials that, say, the English or chemistry faculty possessed.

The question of whether learning to play bluegrass is a sound career choice, is a separate issue. Schools like Julliard, Rochester's own Eastman School, Berklee, and similar, have long experience in preparing students to play classical music, jazz, and to some extent rock/pop. How many of these students end up making a decent living in music, let alone achieving "fame and fortune," is dependent on a number of factors, including individual talent and dumb luck.

Bluegrass, as a more specialized and "niche" genre, is probably more risky than orchestral music, maybe not than jazz. But colleges have offered degrees for years in art history, philosophy, and other "non-commercial" fields, without being criticized. I would only be concerned that prospective "bluegrass majors" might be unrealistic about the career potential of the field; I doubt there are more than a couple thousand musicians in the country that make a living playing bluegrass -- many fewer than in other musical fields.

Polka, now -- there's a sure-fire career...

[Phil Goodson]

... I do not know why Sarah went to Berklee, or if she had a scholarship.

Am I remembering poorly? Or did Sarah not go to N.E. Conservatory??

Addendum from Wiki: "graduated with honors in 2013 with a degree in Contemporary Improvisation"

[AlanN]

Of the Berklee students I see (a few at IBMA every year), they all exhibit a high degree of expertise and musicality on their instruments. It's clear that they studied, practiced and sought to perfect their craft. Could one do that w/o the schooling? Sure. But, man, they are good, to a picker.

In a post above, I count more than a dozen grammatical errors - spelling, punctuation, usage, capitalization. Kind of lends credence to:

Going to school doesn't make you a scholar anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger...

[Ky Slim]

Get your Masters in Beatles.

http://www.hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/p...candsocietyma/

[Michael Neverisky]

Could one do that w/o the schooling? Sure. But, man, they are good, to a picker.

It was decades ago, but when I applied to music colleges there was a required audition. My school could not have cared less about my SAT scores - but did want me to be able to execute some of the standard repertoire. My point being Sierra Hull, Joe K. Walsh, Lukas Poole, etc... went in talented and came out talented too.

[Patrick Hull]

Am I remembering poorly? Or did Sarah not go to N.E. Conservatory??

Addendum from Wiki: "graduated with honors in 2013 with a degree in Contemporary Improvisation"

I believe you are correct, Sarah did not go to Berklee. Wrong school, same point.

[Sterling]

A few prestigious schools offer degrees in ethnomusicology. Why is this any different?

[Tobin]

Studying music at the university level has always been a valid choice for higher education. But it was traditionally based on the idea that fine music like classical deserved a very deep period of study. And it was expected that in order to play in some of the world's top symphonies, one needed such an education.

Can someone give me examples of a career where a degree in bluegrass would be required?

[Sterling]

Going to college is not necessarily seen as a distinct career path. Many music majors continue on to medical school for example. One of my friends who was a French horn major at Crane School of Music is now the head of the chemistry department at Syracuse University.

[PJ Doland]

This happened to jazz decades ago. It's basically inevitable.

-PJ