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Topic: Music schools? |
Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 10 Jan 2011 6:07 pm |
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I'm looking for a school where I could study pedal steel guitar in a music performance program...are there any universities/colleges that have a steel guitar teacher? Or a jazz performance program that would let me play jazz on steel?
Have any steel players done anything like that?
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www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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William Lake
From:
Ontario, Canada
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Posted 10 Jan 2011 8:13 pm
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Contact Mike Ihde. He is an instructor at Berklee and is a member of this forum.
thephotodoctor@comcast.net
Yes....that is his email address.
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Bill
Last edited by William Lake on 3 Dec 2012 8:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ryan Barwin
From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 11 Jan 2011 11:38 am
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Thanks, I'll email him.
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www.pedalsteel.ca |
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Dr. Hugh Jeffreys
From:
Southaven, MS, USA
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Posted 12 Jan 2011 7:11 pm PhD
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| I was 2/3 finished with a PhD in steel guitar performance, but the Committee declared there was not enough material on steel guitar to warrant a Doctoral study; this took place after I had earned my Master of Science degree in Jazz Composition at Univ. of Memphis. I did, however, enjoy doctoral work I did in Classical (European Art Music). The only school that I know of is the Berkely School; I've heard of several steel players who ATTENDED the Berkely School, but none who finished. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 13 Jan 2011 12:21 am
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Ryan,
I got into a conservatory as a steel player. I ended up as a "studio composition" major which is a somewhat open format. Think about what you want to learn and get out of a structured school program. I'm sure most any music school with a jazz major would let you in as long as you have the required skills to pass the audition.
I personally studied classical composition and spent quite a bit of time with the Harry Partch instrument collection. The school I went to had a very strong modern dance program so I wrote music and performed with them. It was great.
I would look at UT Denton or Belmont in Nashville. There will be gigs and great private teachers available.
Here is a link to UT
http://jazz.unt.edu/node/2
Canada has some great jazz studies programs too.
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Bob |
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Michael Robertson
From:
Ventura, California. USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 2:47 pm Boot camps?
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Can anyone advise me about the weeklong “boot camps” or similar instruction?
I have heard of these courses but I am unable to find the detailed resources.
Thanks
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No Avatar only a picture of my Mentor. |
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Larry Baker
From:
Columbia, Mo. U.S.A.
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 3:26 pm
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Mike Sweeney and Reece Anderson. Both forum members.
I believe you can pick the number of days you prefer.
Joe Wright give lessons via Skype. Hope this helps. Larry
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Mullen G2 SD10 3 & 5 The Eagle
NV112 amp===Earnie Ball V.P. |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 4:45 pm
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| That would be a great thing for you to do Ryan! |
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David Yannuzzi
From:
Pomona , New York, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 8:23 pm
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I would recommend contacting Mike Ihde at Berklee Collage of Music
With his help they let me finish my guitar studies on pedal steel . I did graduate with a degree
Most music schools are focused on classical and jazz composition or perfomance
Berklee is more open to accepting other styles and instruments
They also have an american roots program now that wasn't there when i was
Hope that helps . You can also email me if you have any questions
Dave |
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Christopher Woitach
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 8:38 pm
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Western Oregon University has a jazz guitar program that would absolutely accept a pedal steel player, provided they were willing meet the same requirements as the other guitarists. The jazz guitar instructor is me - I also play some jazz steel.
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Christopher Woitach
cw@affmusic.com
www.affmusic.com |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 8:59 pm
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With the cost of education being what it is, can I ask what makes you interested in pursuing such a narrow area of study in an academic setting? If you are interested in supplementing your income or making your vocation music education, why such an idiosyncratic instrument. And if you just want to play pedal steel, you don't play and take lessons without the need to carry the financial load of a university education?
It seems too limiting as a major if you are going the academic route. |
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Bob Blair
From:
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 9:00 pm
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| Boston, Nashville, Portland - all cool towns! |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 3 Dec 2012 10:46 pm
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| Quote: |
With the cost of education being what it is, can I ask what makes you interested in pursuing such a narrow area of study in an academic setting? If you are interested in supplementing your income or making your vocation music education, why such an idiosyncratic instrument. And if you just want to play pedal steel, you don't play and take lessons without the need to carry the financial load of a university education?
It seems too limiting as a major if you are going the academic route. |
Bill,
In the current professional music world it can be very helpful to have the abilities that music school can bring. There is a literacy issue. If you can read and write you can communicate with the rest of the world of musicians with much more ease. The jazz kids coming out of school are conversant in all sorts of music and are able to learn new music instantly. It may not help you get a gig in a bar band (actually it does...) but it can open other much more lucrative doors.
Along with ear training, ensembles, theory (applied) and all the other stuff you are put in a focused environment for years. It is competitive and demanding in a good way.
Imagine being able to go to the sectional rehearsals for the strings or brass in orchestras to learn how they play chords in tune.
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Bob |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 4 Dec 2012 6:22 am
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"In the current professional music world it can be very helpful to have the abilities that music school can bring. There is a literacy issue. If you can read and write you can communicate with the rest of the world of musicians with much more ease. The jazz kids coming out of school are conversant in all sorts of music and are able to learn new music instantly."
Bob, I understand but all of these things can be learned without committing to a 4 year school. College tuition at a good music school is going to run hundreds of thousands of dollars ( I have one child still at college studying music education and performance and it will easily cost me $200k before we are done).
Today there are so many Juilliard graduates that are selling insurance with huge education loans to pay off and no work in their chosen field to pay it off. It seems starting out by playing an instrument that does not lend itself easily to a wide variety of music is a frightening thought. |
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Jerome Hawkes
From:
Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2012 6:30 am
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wow - i can't even begin to imagine the hassle of hauling a pedal steel / seat / amp all around a campus (assuming you are going to have to take other courses in the cirriculum). i did that with guitar and it was bad enough. at least you wont have to worry about someone running off with it like i did....they wont get far.
seriously - you have to take stuff like that into account also. you would need to buy a light weight steel and probably two so you can leave one in the music dept. does the school offer vehicle access (many dont - you tote your stuff for 1/4 mile)
i think its a good topic to research and we need to promote the steel - but where are you going to find a jazz pedal steel guitar teacher (in a "degree" capacity) outside of maybe Belmont where you might get to work with some session guys.
i would imagine, as Bob mentions, there are numerous small conservatories that would take you - but you would be on your own instrumentally.
- IMO, a piano major would be sufficient to transfer that knowledge to the steel. actually better.... this is my opinion - but you arent going to learn squat about 'serious' jazz without a solid grounding in keyboard harmony - this doesnt meant you have to strive play like Oscar Peterson, but you need to know whats going on.
i will, however, second Bill in that music education is VERY expensive (they are the only ones making a living). you dont want to be burdened with $50k++ in loans to go make $100 a night playing steel. that sounds like lots of fun when your in your 20's...but the burn out at 40 doing this is no fun (i know some examples)
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'65 Sho-Bud D-10 Permanent • '54 Fender Dual-8 • Clinesmith T-8 • '38 Ric Bakelite • '92 Emmons D-10 Legrande II |
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Michael Robertson
From:
Ventura, California. USA
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Posted 4 Dec 2012 9:56 am Thanks
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| Larry Baker wrote: |
Mike Sweeney and Reece Anderson. Both forum members.
I believe you can pick the number of days you prefer.
Joe Wright give lessons via Skype. Hope this helps. Larry |
Thanks
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No Avatar only a picture of my Mentor. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 4 Dec 2012 10:08 am
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I'm glad to see that at least some schools are open to the possibility.
Back in the 1980s I approached the music department at California State University here in L.A. about doing the same thing, and nobody in the music department had ever even heard of a pedal steel guitar. They told me I would have to major in classical guitar, (in which I have no interest whatsoever,) and then if I got an encore at my Sr. recital, I could bring it out and play one piece on it.
Suffice to say, I did not accept their proposal.
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Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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