Specifically, I'd like to:
- Apply for secondary school teaching positions in New York City. I have at least 24 credits in the the biological and physical sciences from undergrad, so I could teach biology, physics or chemistry in addition to music.. that kind of flexibility would help me land a job in the city.
- Buy a 3 bedroom house in Elmont, a suburb about 10 miles east of Manhattan. It needs to have a large, livable basement. I'm pretty sure that my parents would help me with the down-payment.. I'm very fortunate to have such supportive parents.
- Rent out the individual bedrooms. I'd have three roommates in a house that I own. The rent that I collect from them would be more than enough money to pay a monthly mortgage. It would also give me the flexibility to renovate the house, installing new appliances and any other improvements the house may need.
- Spend several nights a week getting involved with the local music scene. I'd like to take lessons with a famous multiple woodwind specialist in the area. Hopefully it would eventually lead to substitute gigs on nights and weekends.
- If after two or three years I find that I can support myself as a union musician in the city, then I would go back to school, taking auditions at Manhattan, Julliard, NYU, or Columbia... performance at MSM and Julliard, or a Ph.D at NYU or Columbia.
- If I don't find that I can support myself through performing after a few years, I would only apply for the Ph.D programs.
I'm pretty sure that this is going to be my Plan B if I don't get an assistantship to a prestigious doctoral institution two months from now....
This is a view of Teachers College at Columbia University. It looks like an absolutely amazing place. I don't know if I'd have a chance at getting in with a 3.7, but it's worth a shot.
Ibert - 3
Feld - 2
Tomasi - 24
McAllister - 25
Lauba - 30
Albright - 44
Mozart - 44
Ticks to go: 172
Days until the first audition: 24
Ticks needed per day: 7.17
