Life as a PhD Student in Music Composition: A Personal Journey
Embarking on a PhD in music composition is an endeavor that can vary greatly depending on the school, the composition faculty, and one's personal aspirations. My own journey through music composition has been an interesting and diverse one, reflecting the challenges and joys of pursuing this field.
Early Years: Gauge to Berklee
My musical journey began with private guitar teachers, followed by my time at the Guitar Institute's satellite school in San Antonio, and ultimately culminated at Berklee College of Music. These years were filled with a mix of pop, rock, blues, and jazz, focusing on composition and improvisation. Berklee during the early 80s was a vibrant and exciting environment, teeming with talented and eager students. We were constantly jamming and learning from each other. Every moment was a pure joy, making that period sublime in my memory.
Transition to Graduate School
After gaining considerable experience as a performing guitarist and Synclavier programmer (I even made an appearance on The Week in Rock on MTV), I decided to pursue a Masters of Music (MM) in traditional theory and composition. This program was a step towards a more structured approach to my craft, but the atmosphere was quite different from Berklee. I made significant progress, particularly in composing a three-part fugue for string trio. However, my final project took inspiration from The Schillinger System, resulting in six solo guitar pieces that I titled Aspects of the Schillinger System as Applied to Composing for Solo Guitar. Due to my background as both a performer and a composer, I presented my work in a lecture recital rather than writing a traditional thesis.
Pursuing a Doctorate
Subsequently, I began researching doctoral programs and decided against pursuing a PhD, largely due to my nature as a performer-composer rather than an academic. Instead, I opted for a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), which placed greater emphasis on the compositions themselves, reducing the need for extensive academic writing. However, the composition faculty's insistence on modernist styles conflicted with my established preferences. The irony, as I perceived it, was that I did not consider the composition faculty to be on the same level as myself. I saw myself as superior in virtually every aspect, except for academic writing, which I deemed trivial. Deciding to master Johann Sebastian Bach's late Musical Offering/Art of Fugue style, I completed my DMA with a focus on traditional composition techniques. Post-graduation, I returned to a performing career as a solo artist, undeterred and deeply satisfied with the musical path I had chosen.
Reflections and Conclusion
The experience at the DMA level proved to be a learning journey, but it was also a reminder of my passion for performance. I never felt the desire or inclination to work in a conservatory or university setting, finding it profoundly unappealing due to its perceived boring nature and lack of remuneration. As an introspective loner, a life as a soloist provided me with the fulfillment and joy I craved. My years as a solo guitarist remain some of the happiest moments in my professional career. For anyone considering a PhD in music composition, it is crucial to find an environment that aligns with your interests and aspirations. Be prepared to reassess and move on if the environment does not foster your musical growth.