The Honest Truth About Majoring in Music Composition

An unedited discussion about my honest thoughts about deciding to major in music composition for my undergraduate degree.
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🎹 Who Am I:
I'm Carlos, a composer from Chicago. I currently am studying music composition at University, and I create insightful videos on both composing and productivity. I hope that musicians of all backgrounds will find value from the videos I create!
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If you'd like to leave a small message or question, feel free to leave a comment in the TH-cam comment section and I'll easily be able to answer. If you have a longer question, request, or business inquiry, contact me through my website: carloslalonde.com/contact​

[@octaviusdrive]

Even though I know that studying composition at university is expensive and a lot of the resources I already own in book form. Studying at University pushes me to actually practice and study by holding me to a schedule. Its hard for me to focus on music when I have a lot of different interests that also take up my time. Making friends has always been difficult for me and being with other music focused students is great for me.

[@timothywilliams1359]

You should emphasize to students just how difficult a music degree really is. All those 2 credit hour courses that require many hours a week of work, like Form & Analysis, Renaissance Counterpoint, or Orchestration, along with many hours of practicing your main instrument, participating in ensembles, and so on. I have five university degrees, including a PhD in French and a business degree. By far, the most difficult and time-consuming degree was my B.M. in composition.

[@CarlosLalonde]

This is a good observation. It really is no joke about the intensity of many music programs in the US. Based on the lack of consistency in my upload schedule these past few years, it shows where my time is going!

[@saadhaddadmusic]

As someone that’s basically on the other side of this college journey (DMA, MM, BM, really too many 😂) the number one thing is please don’t shell out $50k+ a year for this degree. It’s not going to pay itself back as easily. I’m lucky that 10/12 years of my schooling were completely paid for by the school. (I wasn’t so lucky for my master’s which I’m still bitter about!). Great video and message.

[@CarlosLalonde]

Very good advice, I luckily have enough scholarships to finance my bachelors, but if I decide to go get my masters, I don’t wanna pay a dime 😂

[@saadhaddadmusic]

@@CarlosLalonde smart 🤣 I, on the other hand, was not 😅

[@joshuanesbit]

love your channel - it's brilliant

[@waffle4269]

It’s been a minute bro 🔥 fire upload

[@carolepaul8390]

You are a very bright young man with great insight. I wish you the very best. Carole Trombonist Composer

[@bradyredding1964]

HES BACK!!!!!!

[@superblondeDotOrg]

Composers ideally also double as Conductors and cant learn conducting online or remotely... can only really do it through a college..

[@andrewnguyen1890]

Question:
When you Composed your first Symphony

[@markpusus7879]

Hey Carlos, question when you submitted your Berklee portfolio where your music recordings recorded live by a whole ensemble or electronically aka logic etc

[@CarlosLalonde]

Primarily midi (specifically, NotePerformer realizations) but I believe I used real recordings to a lesser extent since I was quite a beginner when I applied

[@andrewgordon3375]

First!!