I've been struggling emotionally lately. Although I was recently accepted into one of the most prestigious conservatories in the world, I'm scared to death. Jobs don't wait for M.M. candidates like they do for MBA students when they graduate. And nowadays, it's nearly impossible to get a job as a full, tenured professor-- though it seems to me most Peabody graduates are quite capable of landing adjunct positions (and of course, many do far better).
Many complain that adjunct faculty are paid horribly and get no benefits. But there's a downside to becoming a full-time faculty: you lose a lot of time. I used to be a math teacher. My time and energy was wasted in boring, pointless meetings, trying to promote myself via petty politics, and living in fear of getting fired. I've worked corporate job, too-- and trust me, money does not buy you happiness.
What if, after graduation, I decided to accept just one adjunct position? I'd have all the time I needed to dedicate the remaining 80% of my working life toward composition. I'd have the flexibility to drop everything and head to New York for a last minute, but very high-end gig. I'd destroy myself financially. But I'd have a very happy life, provided I made just enough to get by. I say we put the "starving" back into starving artist.
My thought is that I find 4-5 friends. We pool our money together and purchase a large (but cheap) plot of land in the boondocks. For under $10,000 you can live in a very nice yurt with central heating -- "tiny houses" are also an option. We'd share the land and live in a small community of artists. Perhaps we could even find WWOOFers to help build us a performance space. And 501(c)3 organizations qualify for group health insurance.
My guess is that this could be fully funded on less than $60,000 a year. Expenses include the mortgage and utilities, paying off student loans, and food. That's $1000 a month, per person, almost (but not quite) the amount I'd make as an adjunct teaching a single class. I could always pick up a second adjunct position, but hopefully I'd receive some actual commissions instead-- which would be fully doable given the amount of time I'd have to work on my music.
We'd live in Ohio. Cheap land and cost of living, Ohio also gives us close proximity to many good music departments eager to hire us: Oberlin, Kent State, Dennison, Kenyon, Akron, Ohio State, and a day's driving distance to half of the US population. I could even go into New York City a couple days a week. My second choice would be California, because it's beautiful and full of hippies who would unconditionally support us.
It would be a hard life. But a good life. Do you really want to work 60 hours a week at a job you hate-- just so you can own a pad in a gentrified neighborhood, going to the mall, and waiting until Friday? F that.
Here's what you need to be happy, according to Epicurus.
1.) Friends. The 5-6 people who live on the commune would always be there for each other to bounce off ideas and provide each other with emotional support. Kids welcome-- I am not opposed at all to having a family live on the commune. We would also keep the commune vibrant with other people wandering through: musicians, composers, old friends, townies, interesting and inspiring people looking retreat out of the city and enjoy our space. As said before, maybe we could even build a performance space. Or a hot tub.
2.) Comfort. You don't need a mini-mansion. All you need is a cozy bed to sleep in, and central heating. Yurts are cheap and relatively spacious. Zoning prohibits them in cities, but not in the country.
3.) Time to contemplate and self reflect. Time was something that I never found working an 8am to 7pm job, and the pace of today's world leaves little time to reflect. You also need privacy, which could be easily found in a remote spot of land.
4.) The feeling that you are making a difference. I think most people become composers because they want to make a difference -- either in themselves or the world. This is why it's especially frustrating for artists who are rejected, or can't support themselves doing what they love. In a communal space, we wouldn't have to rely as heavily on the support of academia. And while I commend generous philanthropists, we could also choose to decline gifts from corporations that might have strings attached that would limit our artistic freedom.
Full expression can only be expressed through full freedom, and I think the only thing you need in order to be free and happy are those things I listed above. Am I crazy for proposing this? I welcome feedback from readers.
Hi, I'm Elliott Grabill, and I'm a composer. Thank you for reading, and please visit http://www.elliottgrabill.com to listen to my music!
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