Hey Paul. I watched your video on Masters Degrees in Music. Then I saw later that you had a masters recital. If you don’t mind me asking what made you decide to pursue the masters degree?
Hi Sean, great question! I did end up getting my Masters degree in the same place I got my Bachelor's. When I was getting it, I was certain that I wasn't going to be moving anywhere else. I'd recently gotten married, and we're settling in Tampa for the foreseeable future. I received an assistantship that covered almost all of the schooling expenses plus paid me some money. It was during early covid, when not a lot was happening, so it wasn't too much of a distraction from working professionally. I thought there was a chance in the future I might decide to teach at a college, and if that opportunity came up I'd need at least a Masters. Fast forward to now, I learned some great things in my lessons that have greatly improved some niche areas of my playing, and I've got some qualifications if I decide to pursue a college teaching position in the future. Overall, I'd say I don't regret the decision, but it wasn't a life-changer either. I took. listen through my video, and I followed my own advice for the most part - imagine that! I'd still make the things I mentioned there the priorities I'd consider if I had to make the decision over again for any reason.
@@seanlane-bortell1408 Good luck making a great decision. Definitely think it through. It shouldn't be an automatic yes for most people. Seek a fellowship or assistantship to greatly reduce the cost. Really avoid going into debt, debt is a preemptive career ender. Good luck Sean!
