Robert Freeman is a musicologist, Steinway artist, and a professional musician. Having taught at Princeton and MIT, he served as director of Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester for over two decades. He has also served as president of the New England Conservatory and dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is presently the Susan Menefee Ragan Regents Professor of Fine Arts.

As its title suggests, this book exposes a serious situation, one Freeman is especially qualified to address. A graduate of Harvard and Princeton, he served as director of the prestigious Eastman School of Music, president of New England Conservatory, and dean of the College of Fine Arts, University of Texas. But he is also a successful performer, so he is able to offer an insightful assessment of the world of classical music as a professional musician as well as an academic insider. He examines in depth how universities and conservatories are graduating numerous fine performers, conductors, and music scholars who endure arduous training only to find, upon graduation, that few job opportunities exist. Freeman issues a clarion call for honesty and realism from the educators and other stakeholders who help music students decide where and what to study and what to expect. Thinking outside the box, he offers constructive advice for everyone from parents and students to deans and provosts who seek to improve conditions. He also suggests ways of enhancing music’s benefit to society. This is an invaluable resource for potential and current music students, music professors, administrators, and professional performers. Summing Up: Essential. All readers.

• AcknowledgmentsForeword by Leonard SlatkinPrefaceChapter 1: The Winds of ChangeChapter 2: Where Did Musical Education Come From?Chapter 3: My EducationChapter 4: Advice for Parents: Should Your Child Play the Cello?Chapter 5: Advice for College Music Students: What’s Your Goal … Really?Chapter 6: Advice for Music Professors: Should All Your Students Aim for Carnegie Hall? Should They All Teach at Harvard?Chapter 7: Advice for Music Deans: Building Education Programs Appropriate for the New CenturyChapter 8: Advice for Provosts and Presidents: Who Should Lead Your Music School and How Should that Person Lead?Chapter 9: Advice for Foundation Directors and Civic Leaders: What Do We Do to Balance the Supply of and Demand for Professionally Trained Musicians?Chapter 10: EpilogueAppendix I: How to Evaluate Music FacultyAppendix II: Convocation Address by Robert FreemanIndexAbout the Author

Robert Freeman is a musicologist, Steinway artist, and a professional musician. Having taught at Princeton and MIT, he served as director of Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester for over two decades. He has also served as president of the New England Conservatory and dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is presently the Susan Menefee Ragan Regents Professor of Fine Arts.

As its title suggests, this book exposes a serious situation, one Freeman is especially qualified to address. A graduate of Harvard and Princeton, he served as director of the prestigious Eastman School of Music, president of New England Conservatory, and dean of the College of Fine Arts, University of Texas. But he is also a successful performer, so he is able to offer an insightful assessment of the world of classical music as a professional musician as well as an academic insider. He examines in depth how universities and conservatories are graduating numerous fine performers, conductors, and music scholars who endure arduous training only to find, upon graduation, that few job opportunities exist. Freeman issues a clarion call for honesty and realism from the educators and other stakeholders who help music students decide where and what to study and what to expect. Thinking outside the box, he offers constructive advice for everyone from parents and students to deans and provosts who seek to improve conditions. He also suggests ways of enhancing music’s benefit to society. This is an invaluable resource for potential and current music students, music professors, administrators, and professional performers. Summing Up: Essential. All readers.

• AcknowledgmentsForeword by Leonard SlatkinPrefaceChapter 1: The Winds of ChangeChapter 2: Where Did Musical Education Come From?Chapter 3: My EducationChapter 4: Advice for Parents: Should Your Child Play the Cello?Chapter 5: Advice for College Music Students: What’s Your Goal … Really?Chapter 6: Advice for Music Professors: Should All Your Students Aim for Carnegie Hall? Should They All Teach at Harvard?Chapter 7: Advice for Music Deans: Building Education Programs Appropriate for the New CenturyChapter 8: Advice for Provosts and Presidents: Who Should Lead Your Music School and How Should that Person Lead?Chapter 9: Advice for Foundation Directors and Civic Leaders: What Do We Do to Balance the Supply of and Demand for Professionally Trained Musicians?Chapter 10: EpilogueAppendix I: How to Evaluate Music FacultyAppendix II: Convocation Address by Robert FreemanIndexAbout the Author

Robert Freeman is a musicologist, Steinway artist, and a professional musician. Having taught at Princeton and MIT, he served as director of Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester for over two decades. He has also served as president of the New England Conservatory and dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at Austin, where he is presently the Susan Menefee Ragan Regents Professor of Fine Arts.

As its title suggests, this book exposes a serious situation, one Freeman is especially qualified to address. A graduate of Harvard and Princeton, he served as director of the prestigious Eastman School of Music, president of New England Conservatory, and dean of the College of Fine Arts, University of Texas. But he is also a successful performer, so he is able to offer an insightful assessment of the world of classical music as a professional musician as well as an academic insider. He examines in depth how universities and conservatories are graduating numerous fine performers, conductors, and music scholars who endure arduous training only to find, upon graduation, that few job opportunities exist. Freeman issues a clarion call for honesty and realism from the educators and other stakeholders who help music students decide where and what to study and what to expect. Thinking outside the box, he offers constructive advice for everyone from parents and students to deans and provosts who seek to improve conditions. He also suggests ways of enhancing music’s benefit to society. This is an invaluable resource for potential and current music students, music professors, administrators, and professional performers. Summing Up: Essential. All readers.

• AcknowledgmentsForeword by Leonard SlatkinPrefaceChapter 1: The Winds of ChangeChapter 2: Where Did Musical Education Come From?Chapter 3: My EducationChapter 4: Advice for Parents: Should Your Child Play the Cello?Chapter 5: Advice for College Music Students: What’s Your Goal … Really?Chapter 6: Advice for Music Professors: Should All Your Students Aim for Carnegie Hall? Should They All Teach at Harvard?Chapter 7: Advice for Music Deans: Building Education Programs Appropriate for the New CenturyChapter 8: Advice for Provosts and Presidents: Who Should Lead Your Music School and How Should that Person Lead?Chapter 9: Advice for Foundation Directors and Civic Leaders: What Do We Do to Balance the Supply of and Demand for Professionally Trained Musicians?Chapter 10: EpilogueAppendix I: How to Evaluate Music FacultyAppendix II: Convocation Address by Robert FreemanIndexAbout the Author