I found a great article from The Violin Channel asking teachers how they view trial lessons before a college entry audition and felt this group would appreciate it!
Excellent! Thank you for sharing! Personally, I wholeheartedly agree that any musician contemplating entering a 4 year relationship of such importance and intensity should absolutely have a meeting and trial lesson to be as sure as possible that the chemistry, fit and teaching/learning styles match. I don’t think it’s a great idea to use a trial lesson as a perceived way of getting a leg up in an audition, however… the lesson can happen after the audition (and even acceptance), but always before committing to a program or studio. I cannot imagine my D making such an important decision on reputation alone. She had trial lessons (sometimes multiple) at every institution she auditioned at.
Really good article. I appreciate your sharing it here.
Please note that these comments are all from faculty at conservatories. Recently, here on the music forum there has been discussion of this issue in regard to applicants to liberal arts colleges and other BA programs (versus BM).
For conservatory applicants, I feel these sentiments really favor kids with money, frankly, and are essentially unfair.
“For conservatory applicants, I feel these sentiments really favor kids with money, frankly, and are essentially unfair.”
@compmom Would you elaborate a little, please? I’m not sure exactly what you mean? Our family is very middle class, and my D was never asked to pay a fee for a trial lesson (though we would have been willing to do so); all of our D’s trial lessons took place during audition trips, which are of course costly and only available to families who can manage to scrimp and save to pay for them (ditto music lessons, etc.)… there was no upper hand to wealthy students in regard to access to trial lessons, and I do not think having a trial lesson either helps or hinders at the audition. I think getting to know a student more thoroughly can tip the decision making either direction; ask any student of a competitive, audition based Summer Program who was subsequently denied admission for the attached BM or BA Undergraduate program.
My comment was based on the article’s contents, in which it was suggested that trial lessons not occur around audition time but occur earlier.