Everyone Has to Start Somewhere

Hi, my name is Amy Schumaker.  I'm an independent musician and music teacher from the Philadelphia area.  As part of a music marketing course that I'm taking at the moment, I've had to do some research on blogs and how they benefit the independent musician.  After reading some great blogs, but none that really wrote about my main interests, I got to itch to start my own.  Because everyone has to start somewhere, I figured that I would let you know a bit about me and my background as an independent musician and music teacher.

I've heard that the average independent musician has two to three "jobs" at any time.  I fit right into that category.  To be more specific, my first job is teaching a studio of about 20 students at SoundStage School of Music and Performing Arts in Oreland, Pennsylvania.  My second job is teaching a music101-style introduction to music history course at Burlington County College.  My third job is as an independent euphonium artist.  My more regular playing opportunities come in The Atlantic Brass Band (solo euphonium) and a newly-formed brass quintet that is yet to be named.

To let everyone in on my background, I should let you know about my education.  I went to Capital University Conservatory of Music in Columbus Ohio.  I started out majoring in instrumental music education, but when the opportunity was opened to me, I added euphonium performance to the list.  I graduated in 2007 with a double-major bachelor's degree and decided to pursue performance more.  I earned my master's degree from The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England a year later (2008).  I majored in euphonium performance and minored in music education, music journalism and research methods (major research project: sight-reading techniques).  After my master's degree, I moved to Philadelphia to be with my fiance, Adam.  Now that I've been out of school for a few years, I feel ready to head back in to earn my doctorate.

I've started this blog to help spread the word on what's going on in my niche of euphonium players, brass musicians, and brass banding.  In addition, I'd like to let people in on what projects my friends and I are up to.  Lastly, I'd like this to be a place to spread my bit of knowledge that I've accumulated about brass instruments and the euphonium.

I hope you enjoy my blog.