Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum I have a Bachelor of Commerce - can I get a M.Musc? (canada)

Hello,

I recently graduated with a marketing degree from a Canadian University.

I'm kind of in a pickle, not knowing what to do with my life.

I am entrepreneurial (the reason I got a business degree) - and I am beginning to realize that I am not too keen to work for someone else. This ambiguity combined with a brutal job market, and I am now thinking about other career paths. Piano Teacher - being one of them.

I am passionate about classical piano and have continued to play throughout my business degree. My current goals are to record the Goldberg Variations and perhaps get my ARCT.
Considering my skills and personality I feel that I would excel as a piano teacher.

My question: In Canada is it possible to get a Master of Music Pedagogy without having a Bachelor of Music? If not, is it possible in other countries? Preferably somewhere warm


Thanks --

A diploma from Trinity or ABRSM would do. There's also the Canadian equivalent.

Heh... I think that in Greece you can, generally do whatever Master's you want, without having a previous degree relavent. As long as you have a bachelor and you show that you know your stuff in the area you are about to study. Main examples are of the opposite camp: People studying whateverish and then doing a masters degree in marketing...

In the UK, considering I did an MMus (in composition, but I doubt it's much different for piano pedagogy) WITHOUT a bachelors degree, probably shows how easy it is to do a master's degree there.

Now on the warm country, you can't get much better than in Greece. Perfect weather in general, people are very welcoming and (UN)happy (currently). Recession shoudln't stop you. If we have war shortly you can join in!

Seriously though: You could become a (private) piano teacher (thus working alone) without a master's degree... It's not necessary at all (in fact we did have a thread a week or so ago, about this very issue).

1. I don't think that (in general anyway) Canadian universities permit entry to an M.Mus program without a B.Mus.

2. You don't need an M.Mus degree to teach piano in Canada except in an institutional setting, which is something you seem not to want anyway. Finishing the ARCT will sufficiently impress the parents of most potential private students. Work with really good teachers yourself, so you have excellent examples to learn from. Nail the exam. Start teaching and see what happens.

In the USA, most master degree programs have prerequisites; a bachelors degree in the same subject generally substitutes for these prerequisites. The various prerequisites can be tested out of, or you can take some undergrad classes to meet the requirements.