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Claudia Edwards
Ms. Stark
ENC 2135
September 18, 2016
Investigative Field Essay, Draft 1
The field of music education is an area that has seen tremendous growth in recent years,
as well as its share of immense challenges. My research into this field has mainly been
exploratory; I wanted to understand exactly what I will be facing as a Music Education student,
and later as a teacher. Since conducting my research, I have discovered the amazing
opportunities arising in the field as well as the challenges various factors present today. This
information has not only allowed me to expand my knowledge of the field but also to learn how I
can begin to prepare for it today as a college student.
The focus of my research in Music Education was to explore the job opportunities,
challenges and the ways in which we can approach these challenges. Music Education is a field
that has been a center of debate in school communities in recent years; how important are music
programs in the school system? Should they be made a part of the core curriculum? Should
funding for these programs be cut or dramatically reduced in order to pave the way for other,
academic programs? Is music education in the school system a expendable asset? As a music
student approaching this field as a future career at FSU College of Music, these and other
questions have followed me ever since I chose my major. Through my research and interviews, I
sought to better understand the current situation of music education in schools and how I could
prepare myself now for seeking a job in that field, as well as how I could benefit from the new
opportunities arising in the field as a future teacher.

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I began my research on a broad scale, researching articles on Music Education in general,
jobs in the field, opportunities in the field and the budget crisis that has been an area of such
debate. My research quickly narrowed to three facets of my main topic: job opportunities,
challenges and how music educators should begin preparing to face them. My resources included
both studies formatted in the scientific method (which were useful for straight facts and data) as
well as explanatory essays (some borderline anecdotes) describing life as a teacher. What I
learned from my secondary research is that while we are far from the ultimate goal of integrating
music programs back into the school system, a plethora of opportunities are arising that are
opening up jobs and paving the way for a better future for both students and teachers of music.
Once I was a ways into my secondary research, I began my interviewing process. As a
student at FSU, I wanted to mainly focus on talking to professors in the College of Music; the
options were nearly endless. I chose to interview Dr. Alexander Jimenez, Professor of
Conducting and Director of Orchestral Activities, and Dr. Kasia Bugaj, Assistant Professor of
String Music Education. My third interviewee was a local middle school music teacher and
graduate of FSU College of Music, Ashley Hagadorn. Each of these teachers came from a
different background and taught at a different level: Dr. Jimenez has worked in nearly every area
of music over the course of his career; Dr. Bugaj is a professor of music education and is
extremely influential in her area; Ms. Hagadorn is a part of the workforce of music education
currently and teaches young students every day. Thus, each person was able to offer me another
facet to discover and consider, as well as their own personal experiences in music during and
after college.
I originally formulated 5-7 questions for each interviewee; however, as the interviews
progressed, I had to change some of my questions and/or ask them in a different way. In some

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cases (as in my interview with Dr. Jimenez), our conversation led directly into my questions and
I did not even need to formally ask them. I had the opportunity to record each of my interviews
in its entirety, thus making it easier to listen and soak in information during the interview instead
of rapidly taking notes.
I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Hagadorn after a Sunday afternoon Tallahassee
Youth Orchestra rehearsal at FSUyet another area of music in which she is involved. We found
a spot outside of the College of Music as students were leaving. To provide a framework for the
rest of the interview, my first question for her was how she originally knew she wanted to pursue
music education, and did she know she wanted to pursue this path from the start of college? I
knew since the seven grade that I wanted to be a music educator, she said. While she didnt
originally know which area of music she wanted to work in (band or orchestral), the pieces fell
into place once she reached college and began pursuing String Music Education as a career path.
I fell in love with it. It became my identity. I went on to ask her what the most challenging
part of her job was. Paperwork, she said without missing a beat. Learning to properly fill out
and file paperwork for administration is a huge learning curve, and the process varies from one
school to another. Theres stuff that they dont tell you while youre getting the degree. They
teach you how to be an amazing teacheror at least a proficient teacher. They dont teach you
about all the paperwork. This led directly into my next question: How do you go about
preparing lesson plans for review and to direct your own teaching? Ms Hagadorn answered that
the process varies depending on if she is writing lesson plans for herself or for administration
and again, this is a very school-specific process. The ones that I give to administration are
extremely elaborate. I only have to turn them in for my observations, but I dont have to turn
them in every week. My next question was what the most rewarding part of her job is. The

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aha moments, she said quickly, describing the amazing feeling of realizing that you have
reached a student and theyve learned something that increases their confidence. Departing from
this focus on her specific job, I asked what she saw for the future of music education, as well as
what new opportunities are becoming available. Theres a huge push for the incorporation of
technology, she replied. Programs such as SmartMusic is becoming a popular online option, and
schools are moving in that direction because the incorporation of technology into classrooms
opens up more grant opportunities, and schools are leaning more towards hiring technologicallyproficient teachers. However, she also did have the good news that more string education jobs
are becoming available. Fine arts classes, such as orchestra classes, have become a required core
class: a massive influence on the resurgence of string education jobs. My final question for her
was what advice she would give to new music education students on approaching the field for
the first time. Be very patient with yourself, she said. Find friends who can help you cope
with it. The paper work is always going to be overwhelming, but I promise you: the teaching is
all worth it. At the end of the day, Im always looking forward to seeing the kids again.
On the same day, I had the incredible opportunity to interview Dr. Kasia Bugaj in her
office in the College of Music. While I had tailored my questions to suit Dr. Bugaj and her
position in music education, I began with the same question Id asked Ms. Hagadorn: What drew
you to pursue music education originally? Dr. Bugaj began pursuing Music Education during her
doctoral studies in college, after having earned three degrees in Viola Performance. On starting a
string program at a school in Indiana, she found that her life was forever changed as well as her
perception of music education. Her focus in the string program was to work with students who
came from troubled backgrounds, had low self-esteem and difficult family situations; being able
to reach those students and change their community was a driving force behind her passion for

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education. My second question for her was how music education has changed over the course of
her time in the field and how is it changing now. She replied that music programs are looking
into a more diverse array of music for their students to learn, departing from strictly classical
string orchestra music. Furthermore, music education has become more inclusive; students who
are handicapped, underprivileged or have disabilities now have the opportunity to play an
instrument through modifications and special programs. I went on to ask her what some of the
challenges are that music educators face today. As a student, the challenge that youll have is
that youre doing a lot, she said, going to not explain that the work does not end at graduation.
As a teacher, there are prejudices that you have to face, and you are working constantly planning
and teaching. The reception of a teacher is very dependent upon the community itself and
whether or not they support music teachers. My next question was to ask what new opportunities
are becoming available to music educators today. Theres a new interest in electric instruments,
she said. She also brought up SmartMusic and play-along tracks with method books. As far as
new job opportunities, string music education is expanding rapidly. Orange County, Florida now
has an orchestra program in every schoola trend that is becoming widespread. With the rise of
state testing standards, music teachers are also finding ways to translate the discourse of the
music community for non-music administrators to understand and recognize as fulfilling these
standards. My final question for Dr. Bugaj was what advice she would give to a graduate
applying to working the field for the first time. Find a mentor, she answered immediately.
Whatever problems youre having, chances are someone else has had them tooListen, ask
questions, and everything will fall into placeor youll change something to make it fall into
place.

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My final interview took place the next day, Monday, between classes. I spoke with Dr.
Jimenez in his office at the College of Music before orchestra rehearsal. My first question for
him pertained to what trends he has seen among music education majors in recent years, as a
music professor who sees a variety of music majors enter and graduate. We narrowed the focus
of this broad question to where the students go and where they end up. I think for music
education, theres still a relatively traditional route, he said. You finish your internship, you get
your degree, hopefully you get a job teaching at a school. Most graduates end up teaching in
middle schools at first. While there hasnt necessarily been a shift in the middle school to high
school ratio, he said that graduates have tried to be more eclectic in their studies and abilities:
some string orchestra teachers will begin to teach guitar or choral classes as well. I then asked
him what he saw for the future of music education relating to these trends. Versatility is the key
to employment, he said, citing a turn that music education at FSU is taking. Be open to being
as complete a musician and as complete a teacher as you can be. Our conversation on this topic
led directly into my next question, without my having to formally ask it: What are some qualities
of teaching and musicianship that students should develop in college to be successful in music
education? He constantly stressed the idea of eclecticism and an openness to teaching different
instruments in different ensembles, as well as a constant sense of positivity. My next question
was one that Id asked both Ms. Hagadorn and Dr. Bugaj as well: What are some of the major
challenges that you see music educators facing today? Its the same challenge theyve been
facing for a long time, and thats justifying their very existence. With STEM fields becoming so
prominent in schools, its becoming increasingly difficult to show administrators that music and
the arts are a huge part of the holistic education of a child. I went on to ask him what are some
new opportunities becoming available to music educators today. He answered that the more we

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can reach out to other fields and create partnerships, the more we can unite ourselves with the
importance of STEM fields. My last question for Dr. Jimenez was what advice he would give to
a student approaching this degree. Have an open mind, he said. Dont fit yourself into one
particular type of job. Be open to anything and everything. Love what you do for the sake of
what you do.
Several things from each interview truly stuck with me. Through my research, I already
knew that the field of music education is constantly growing and changing, and it does come
with its own unique challenges. Id also discovered some of the methods that teachers use to face
these challenges, and how I can begin to become acquainted with them while still a student.
Through my interviews, I was able to take this and more information in from a first-hand
account. Ms. Hagadorn impressed upon me that while having a job in music education is
constant work and can be extremely difficult within the first few years, the reward far outweighs
any personal cost: to a see a student learning something new and grasping concepts that he
couldnt previously understand. She also confirmed that string education jobs are growing
rapidly, especially in the state of Florida. Dr. Bugaj, as a teacher of music education students,
was able to give me a broader perspective on how my work as a student would integrate into my
work as a professional; she also introduced me to the idea that music education can take many
forms, be presented in many different venues and can be applied to a wider variety of students
today more than ever before. Dr. Jimenez emphasized the variety that is needed in music
education today and how eclecticism can be cultivated in my college years.
My research via the peer-reviewed journal articles, professional publications and
interviews provided me with a greater perspective on music education in general, and more
specifically on the job opportunities that are growing and changing within it. This career will

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require intense work both during and after college, including heavy preparation for the
classroom, the development of instrument- and ensemble-specific skills and an open mind. The
opportunities are growing, but I will have to be open to pursuing them. This journey will be a
learning process: as music education grows and changes, I will have to constantly grow and
change as well both now as a student and in four years as a music teacher.