Should I major in performing arts if I want to be a singer?

Dedra Furguson: Well, what do you want to do with the rest of your life? You can't go to school on just a minor. You need to have a major - do you want to do the work of a major and a minor? If you want to be a singer, you need to actually major in music performance with a specialization in singing. This means the school you're looking at isn't the one you should attend - if they only offer performance in singing as a minor, that would be a red flag to me that the program isn't highly developed, meaning your quality of education might not be great. Every college with a music program will offer private lessons and performing ensembles. Here's what I suggest - decide what you see yourself doing for the rest of your life. Then decide - if the career I initially choose doesn't work out, could I still use my degree to find a job in the field, but a different facet of the field? For example - I studied music education with instrumental emphasis for my bachelor's degree. I want ! to teach at the college level, so to get some experience I taught public school. I loved it, but I didn't want to do it forever. I'm getting my master's now in another part of the field - musicology (music history), and I work as a performer on the side. It's still in the music field, but in a different area. If that doesn't work out, I can return to public school. If *that* doesn't work out, I can work as an instrument representative for a music company or as a repair(wo)man. Which of those fields offer you the most options? "Performing Arts" alone is a very broad degree, giving you little room to "specialize" in something, so while I'm encouraging you to find something with options, you don't want to be so broad that you have a "little bit" of knowledge in every area. One of my favorite parts of the music field is that you inevitably get the chance to get a taste of many fields under the music branch during your degree pursuits. My degree required music technology trainin! g, conducting performing, studying each instrument family, lea! rning music history, learning music theory....and the chance to apply the knowledge I'd gained, all before I received my diploma. I know little about fashion or jewelry design, so I don't know what fields are available under that branch. Hopefully someone on here will come along and answer that for you. In essence, ask yourself this - Which one do I want to do the rest of my life? What can I do with this degree if my original choice doesn't work out? The most important question is the first one....Show more