OU music degree whilst completing piano grades?

[Watchkeys]

I'm elated to see that I can start an Open University Music BA without music experience. I'm Grade 3 piano and ploughing on, determined to achieve Grade 8 in the next few year. I'm wondering if it would be detrimental in any way to do both at once?

Any music teachers around who might be able to think of anything I haven't, here? I was going to ask my piano teacher in this morning's online lesson, but he didn't show up!

Just depends how much time you can devote to this.

Thanks Abacus. Are you a music teacher/student?

Going from grade 3 to grade 8 piano in 2 or 3 years is a very big ask - and I think that to do this you would risk just learning the grade pieces rather than actually learning the piano iyswim.
I'm not sure of the value of a purely academic music degree so I'd be inclined to get to a higher level on the piano before you start your degree - being proficient at an instrument, and also taking grade 5 theory (or higher) would help you significantly in your degree.
I'm not a music teacher btw, I'm a parent to two children both of whom are pursuing musical careers so more than happy for anyone to come on and disagree with me 😁.

As the syllabus says, you don't need any practical music experience for the degree, a bit like you don't need to be an artist to take a degree in history of art.

I agree with a PP that working through the ABRSM music theory exams would give you an advantage. As would listening to a wide range of music from different eras. Speaking from my personal experience (and my friends, DC and their friends), the biggest advantages from having played music for many years before studying music academically are being able to fluently read and understand a score, translate music in your head into notation easily, intuitively have a feel for music styles from different times and to be able to "hear" things eg identify instruments, musical elements (cadences, modes, time signatures etc).

Why are you in such a rush to reach grade 8? Are you doing this for fun or for a career change? Does it matter if it slows down your progress?

How much time do you have to practice and study? I would work back from the suggested OU time commitment and see how much free time that leaves for piano practice so you can see whether it will hamper your progress. The obvious answer is yes, it will affect your progress to some extent because the more you practice, the faster you will progress...

Going from grade 3 to grade 8 piano in 2 or 3 years is a very big ask

I didn't say I wanted to do this.

I'm not sure of the value of a purely academic music degree

I very much want it, so that's its value to me.

I think I'll be able to get to Grade 5 by the time I get to the meaty bit of the degree (in 2 or 3 years), so doing both concurrently makes sense. I can dedicate a lot of time to it.

it will affect your progress to some extent because the more you practice, the faster you will progress

I'm not sure I agree with this. 'The better you practice, the faster you will progress' makes more sense to me. Even professional musicians don't spend all day practicing.

Why are you in such a rush to reach grade 8

I'm not in a rush. I'm determined.

I may have misinterpreted you but you did say.

I'm Grade 3 piano and ploughing on, determined to achieve Grade 8 in the next few year.
Hence my comment

Thank you @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats

I think the music degree will be more than manageable especially if you choose your modules well.
Do you have any other musical background apart from the piano playing. If not you may need to brush up on your theory so you can analyse the music you study. Alternatively you may be able to get away without that knowledge depending on the modules - I haven't looked at the OU course.
Getting from grade 3 to grade 8 in two years I would say is almost impossible. I know you have clarified that that's not your aim. I'd suggest one grade per year is more realistic but still challenging.

I have Grade VII piano, and Grade V music theory. I am not a good musician,and I would never consider a music degree- the kids who were genuinely talented and were considering musical careers saw Grade VIII as a fairly pedestrian milestone needed before they took their diplomas.

I think you should try for your Grade V theory first, and see how you enjoy that.

There's plenty of value in an academic music degree if you value academia! Musicology is a very varied and interesting field.

I'm not familiar with the OU music course, OP, what sort of modules does it have/will you be choosing?

In any case, I don't see why doing the ABRSM grades at the same time would be a problem. IME OU courses are fairly manageable.

@oviraptor21

The OU course has a free 8 hour course to complete before starting some of the modules, which gets you to roughly Grade 3 theory. It's amazing that there are no prerequisites, it's really exciting.

As I said "to some extent"...

Your question is a bit like "how long is a piece of string"? It depends on whether you still have enough spare time currently to do 20 hours of study per week for a degree (I'm guessing 20 hours based on a full time degree being 40 hours) with your current practice schedule. If you do, you progress will be the same. Although you could argue that you could progress even faster if you upped your current practice schedule.

The only person who can answer the question is you. As I suggested, do you have enough free time for the recommended hours of study and your current practice schedule? Does that allow for free time so you don't burn out? It's just arithmetic! If you have less time to practice than you do now, your progress will slow.

You are correct that professional musicians don't practice all day every day but they do do a lot of playing that isn't "practice"... Yes, good practice technique is important, you will achieve more in a shorter time if you have good practice technique. But it does largely come down to time. Musical technique (rather than musicality) is all about muscle memory. You might be right that 100 hours of good practice is better than 200 hours of inefficient practice but 200 hours of good practice is better than 100!

Apart from the very last module the OU music degree is purely an academic study of music. (there is some practical elements in the music tech module)

The final module as you probably know is taught by Trinity Laban so you have plenty of time to get to a decent performance standard.

@Diospyros

The only person who can answer the question is you

No, I was asking music teachers if they had any advice, and they still might. Time might not be the only consideration. Are you aware of any others that might crop up?

@Comefromaway

Thank you, that's really useful information.

Also be aware that the first two modules of the course are not music per se but a general study of the arts and humanities/issues

No, I don't think there are any other factors that would be detrimental to doing both at the same time other than time or burning out. If anything, studying music academically will improve your musicality as you will be spending more time listening to music and being exposed to other influences.

@Diospyros

Thank you. Are you a music teacher/have experience with the OU course, or are you guessing?

I'm not a music teacher although I come from a family of musicians (including one who was a teacher at a music specialist school) and I have done some academic music tutoring (up to A-level). I was a music scholar, went to junior music college, then a choral scholar at university, I've learnt new instruments/musical traditions as an adult, one of my DC did the one year conservatoire course and had a university scholarship for music tuition at a conservatoire while studying medicine. I have a lot of experience/knowledge of juggling academic studies and music!

I am also basing it on advice rules from conservatoire teachers... Studying music academically was encouraged, and was compulsory when I was at junior music college. Of all the things that were discouraged forbidden, the only thing that would be relevant to you is not trying to do too much.

I looked at the OU syllabus. I'm quite suprised that you don't even need to be able to read music. Having coached a DC who couldn't read music when they started studying for IB music (A-level equivalent), I think that would be tough! But you can read music so that isn't a issue.

Thank you, @Diospyros