# Classically Trained Musician



## Festus

I have heard this term for years but am not quite sure what it means.
If one is one, does it mean that they only studied classical music in school, that they are an expert at playing classical music, or that classical music studies have occupied the preponderance of their study time?
Thanks!


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## NoCoPilot

Yes. It means the student has learned to play at least one instrument with proper technique, and to read music. The student knows the terms and keys and chords and transposition and rhythm signatures and all that stuff.

Some schools teach a variety of styles of music, but classical music forms the basis for any good musical education.


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## Festus

Just to be clear regarding your reply, I could attend a music school and not learn classical music?


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## Taggart

Yes. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers a full scale B Mus program in Traditional Music Same concepts of technique and theory but applied to folk music. Newcastle has folk music degree run in collaboration with the Sage Centre but it's only a BA rather than a B Mus. Ireland has similar degrees.


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## Festus

Taggart said:


> Yes. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers a full scale B Mus program in Traditional Music Same concepts of technique and theory but applied to folk music. Newcastle has folk music degree run in collaboration with the Sage Centre but it's only a BA rather than a B Mus. Ireland has similar degrees.


Thanks for the information. I had no idea that music schools were that specific and, in reality, did not know exactly what they taught outside of theory and performance. That is very interesting.


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## mikeh375

..many have Jazz courses and even film scoring too if any of that's at all relevant to you.


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## Festus

mikeh375 said:


> ..many have Jazz courses and even film scoring too if any of that's at all relevant to you.


Thanks for your reply but I am not interested in obtaining a music degree - I had a hard enough time getting one in business - but I wish that I was talented enough to get one.
My original post was strictly asked out of curiosity and because for the past 3 years I have studied no other music than Bach.


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## NoCoPilot

If you learn Bach, you learn the art of music.


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## Festus

NoCoPilot said:


> If you learn Bach, you learn the art of music.


I have only been playing piano for 3 years. I have been able to collect most of Bach's work on CDs over the years and would consider learning no other composer. It has been a struggle but well worth the time and effort.


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## Festus

Festus said:


> I have only been playing piano for 3 years. I have been able to collect most of Bach's work on CDs over the years and would consider learning no other composer. It has been a struggle but well worth the time and effort.


Well, I have been thinking about the second sentence since I posted it and have had a change of heart only because there is so much of the type of music that I love that I would be cutting my nose off to spite my face by not addressing it. 
I will now change the last part of that sentence to read, "and would consider learning no other period of music than baroque."
Now I feel better and can move on with my life


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## Rogerx

Festus said:


> Well, I have been thinking about the second sentence since I posted it and have had a change of heart only because there is so much of the type of music that I love that I would be cutting my nose off to spite my face by not addressing it.
> I will now change the last part of that sentence to read, "and would consider learning no other period of music than baroque."
> Now I feel better and can move on with my life


Good luck and all the best.


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## Festus

Thanks and the same to you.


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## Heck148

Festus said:


> Just to be clear regarding your reply, I could attend a music school and not learn classical music?


If you are going to be a musician, you have to study, learn, know the basics....theory, harmony, read music [all different commonly used clefs.] learn an instrument that you can play at a professional level [or near professional]. 
from that foundation you can go into any branch of music - symphonic/classical, jazz, rock, show, studio work, anything....


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## NoCoPilot

Festus said:


> Well, I have been thinking about the second sentence since I posted it and have had a change of heart only because there is so much of the type of music that I love that I would be cutting my nose off to spite my face by not addressing it.
> I will now change the last part of that sentence to read, "and would consider learning no other period of music than baroque."
> Now I feel better and can move on with my life


There's a whole world inside Baroque music and you could immerse yourself in it forever and never explore it all.

But -- as you're undoubtedly aware -- there is a multiverse of other worlds too. The same is true for jazz, blues, folk, rock, non-Western musics.... By limiting yourself to Baroque you're only shutting out unimagined wonders.


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## Festus

NoCoPilot said:


> There's a whole world inside Baroque music and you could immerse yourself in it forever and never explore it all.
> 
> But -- as you're undoubtedly aware -- there is a multiverse of other worlds too. The same is true for jazz, blues, folk, rock, non-Western musics.... By limiting yourself to Baroque you're only shutting out unimagined wonders.


"By limiting yourself to Baroque you're only shutting out unimagined wonders"
Understood, but at my age I don't have much time to examine 'unimagined wonders' so I have settled on that period of music which: 
1) has a spiritual foundation
2) brings me the greatest joy
3) moves my soul
4) allows me to play it (w/o too much trouble)

Maybe one day when I have tired of Bach and his contemporaries, I will look into other worlds. Until then,
"Bach's music is the only argument proving the creation of the Universe can not be regarded a complete failure."
E. M. Cioran


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## NoCoPilot

A life spent with Bach would not be wasted, that's for sure.


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