Rachel Taylor Geier

Greetings and welcome to a new Flute Friday! Today’s blog features a beautiful guest post by Emilia Genito, whose journey into a music career led to a number important lessons that will resonate with all of us. Please be sure to follow her website and blog https://egpianist5.wordpress.com/ and connect with her on Instagram @egpianist12.

Thank you, Emilia, for sharing your story and inspiring other musicians to create truly fulfilling careers in music on their own terms. I couldn’t agree more! 🙂

Happy Fluting!

-Dr. G.

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Sharing My Story: My Experience Transitioning to a Music Career

I’ll admit it right off the bat: I picked the wrong major in college… and didn’t know until my last semester.

I studied biology because I thought I was “good at it.” I thought I liked it, too, but after three and a half years of being immersed in it, I went into my final semester of undergrad burnt out and unhappy. During registration, I stumbled upon a music history class and immediately signed up, thinking, hey, I might actually like a class on my schedule this semester! I was right—it turned out to be the most valuable experience of my four years in college. Being in a music classroom was so much more fun and engaging than my science classes were. Watching an opera for a homework assignment? Learning how to analyze all the music I listened to and loved? Count me in! I quickly realized how much more of a natural fit the music environment was for me than the labs I was spending my days miserable in.

Music, specifically playing the piano, was always my “side passion”—the thing I loved but never considered actually pursuing because I didn’t want to be a concert pianist, and I didn’t know you could do anything besides that. I’d focused on classical repertoire, but I’d always considered myself “messy,” so I mostly kept my playing to myself. It wasn’t until I took that music history course that the obvious hit me—my professor went to school for music, but she’s not a full-time performer. At one point, after a particularly torturous meeting to promote summer internships that instead turned into a bunch of scientists talking about how much they hate their jobs (yes, really), I decided I’d had enough. I left the meeting early and found my feet automatically carrying me to my music history professor’s office to ask her how she got where she is. Her answer was simple: she had a PhD in musicology.

I felt like I’d hit a jackpot. With musicology, I could be in music without being a concert pianist. I loved the idea of teaching in a college classroom like my professor was doing. Luckily, my professor was supportive and willing to help me out. We found out I could apply to musicology graduate programs without having a bachelor’s degree in music, so that seemed like a logical way to go. Unfortunately, my recreational piano lessons didn’t serve as evidence that I’d had enough exposure to music history and theory to be in a graduate program, so I wasn’t accepted into any of the programs I applied to. Ouch.

At the final rejection letter, I found myself thinking, now what? Well, the now what was finally having to accept that I’d have to use the skill I’d been avoiding—my piano playing. It was a reality I’d put off for months: to be fair, I had been warned it may come to this by my campus music director, but imposter syndrome and low confidence due to my lack of real piano training were louder in my head than his words were, so I ignored his advice. I realized through those rejection letters that he was right. So, I put my insecurities aside (sort of) and began taking lessons with a qualified teacher with a goal of preparing to audition for a bachelor’s program in piano performance. Although my playing finally reached the level it deserved to be, my lack of confidence continued to win, and the degree never happened. I eventually reached a point where I took a job outside of music, so I continued to stay stuck and confused, wondering if I’d ever be able to pursue music at all.

Fast forward to now. Almost 10 years since I decided I needed to be in music, I’m finally starting to see how a real career could shape up. I’m even more dedicated to my pursuit now because through my years of exploring, I’ve realized that there’s a lot of creative freedom and customizability in a music career—more than I’d ever imagined! I’ve finally found the resources to look beyond what I’d previously limited myself to, and I’ve realized that this whole journey never really had to be as challenging as I’d made it. Here are some things I’d wish I’d known, and that I’d tell anyone who is unhappy in their current field and wondering if it’s too late to change to a music career:

1. Know your inventory of relevant skills. Yes, that includes playing your instrument. I shied away from the thought of teaching piano for years because I was afraid I wasn’t good enough to teach someone else, but if I could go back in time, I would start there. Additionally, you want to consider your other strengths and interests. Do you love writing? Are you great with computers? These skills can open up more career ideas than the “obvious” paths of performing, teaching your instrument, or pursuing academia.
2. Don’t get hung up on only one path. I spent a long time stuck because I ultimately wanted to teach music history at the college level, and never considered what else might be out there! When I started exploring more of the paths we can pursue in music, I discovered I was interested in a bunch of different options, which made pursuing music even more exciting! The more you love, the better, because you can build a career with multiple paths, and you can choose how to balance it to meet your personal—and, dare I say it, financial— goals.
3. Know where to look for resources. Degree programs aren’t the only way to fill in educational gaps, so you don’t necessarily have to “start over.” A lot of music schools offer continuing education courses and programs specifically designed for those who have degrees in other fields. Don’t underestimate the power of social media, either—a lot of fantastic music professionals offer courses, webinars, and valuable information in their posts!
4. Find a way to make connections. The hardest thing for me was not having any connections in music, so I didn’t have many people to ask questions. Follow someone on social media who could answer a question you have? Send them a message or an E-Mail. That’s how I found Dr.  G.—and why you’re reading this post! If you want to take a course, try to find one where you’ll actually get to interact with classmates and instructors.
5. Don’t be afraid to share your story. For years, I’ve struggled with feeling like I’m not worthy of a career in music because I don’t have a degree in it. I’ve been hesitant to share my story, afraid I’ll be judged for not having the piece of paper to justify my skills. Ironically, it was precisely the decision to be vulnerable and share my story with new connections that has helped me move past these feelings. I have been lucky enough to come across a bunch of musicians kind enough to show me that there’s no need to feel unworthy because I don’t have a degree—in fact, a lot of the things I thought would require a degree, actually don’t!

Do I wish it was organized into a list for me years ago? Mostly, yes. But if I’d figured it all out right away, my “why” for pursuing music would be incomplete. Sure, passion started it, but I’ve also come to appreciate the creative freedom, versatility, and genuine kindness I’ve encountered along the way. If you’re where I was, fear not— your journey may not take as long as mine has. But if it does, that’s okay. I’m cheering you on, and I’ll meet you at the finish line!   

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Emilia Genito

Emilia fell in love with classical music as a toddler and started playing the piano at the age of four. When she’s not practicing the piano, you can find her reading, relaxing with a cup of coffee nearby, or out for a run or game of fetch with her German Shorthaired Pointer, Rhea. Through teaching and writing about music, Emilia hopes to inspire as many people as she can to love listening to, learning about, and making music. She is excited to share her music blog with the world! You can find it on her website, https://egpianist5.wordpress.com/ and follow her on Instagram @egpianist12.