From music student to professional: the process of transition



high standards and I don’t think you can always achieve them if the personnel
is not right ”

The individual role within a community of practice described by Max, a jazz portfolio
musician:

“In order to stay in this community, to keep playing with these people, you
have to react in a certain way, you have to go with it, you have to do these
things... so you’re always adapting within that community.”

Performance opportunities: Clearly, performance opportunities are the cornerstone
of a musician’s professional life:

“The moment I can . start working I'll be fine, and then it's just easy from
then on. Once you're in the profession you just get better and better and gain
more experience.” (Classical, Undergraduate)

Performance opportunities were seen to be crucial in determining a musical pathway,
yet difficult to control or predict:

“I don’t know what path I’ll go down. It depends on what work comes up. I
can’t dictate that so much
._ ” (Popular, Portfolio musician)

For some it was perceived to be a matter of luck:

“I graduated in 2005, and by that point I was quite well-established playing.
And I’d been lucky enough to do lots and lots of deputising work in different
bands.” (Scottish traditional, Portfolio musician)

“I was very lucky, this was one of the areas that I was very lucky.” (Classical,
Portfolio musician)

One undergraduate described the problems she expected to encounter upon leaving
higher education:
“I don't think it’s motivation, I think it’s more opportunities.” This
very problem was experienced by Maria, a freelance classical portfolio musician, who
described some ramifications:

“I think I suffered a lot because . I didn’t get enough performance
opportunities. I actually spent too much time on my own, analysing myself and
my own playing in an unhealthy way.”

16



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