<p>The on-line information is still about last year's application. What is the deal with that? Does anyone know how the program there is going?</p>
<p>I don't know if the application has changed, but when S applied to Juilliard several years ago, he needed a recommendation letter from a language arts teacher only, and that is all he sent - no music teachers. They did have a note on their instructions that indicated that former teachers may be contacted by them, and I have heard of that happening, although it probably varies from dept to dept, and whether the teachers know each other. </p>
<p>We did send only the exact forms requested by each school. If a school said "2 or 3" of something, we always sent the higher number. For instance, I remember Curtis asked for a photocopy of a performance program, and we sent two - one of a youth orchestra performance, and one of a solo (competition winner) performance.</p>
<p>The mantra I heard repeatedly was that additional "papers" were okay if they contained additional information. If they were letters saying the same thing over and over, or providing info found elsewhere, they weren't necessary.</p>
<p>Brit6766</p>
<p>Can you talk more about the Eastman summer program you attended?</p>
<p>Did Bonita Boyd teach? Maybe it would be best to anwer in the Flute thread instead of this one. But I would love to hear more details about the program and what it meant to you.</p>
<p>There are so many summer programs now its hard to tell which is the best to try for.</p>
<p>My daughter plans to do some regional auditions in voice. For those that we have to provide an accompanyist, how do we go about finding one? How much do we pay the person and do we pay for their travel time?</p>
<p>I'm confused...are you doing regional auditions but not near your home? If so, you will need to find your own accompaniest. Yes, you would compensate them for travel expenses, and time, and pay them. The fee would be up to the pianist. I know this isn't what you want to hear...but if possible, go to the schools for your daughter's auditions. If you do that, most schools will have a pianist who will accompany the students (for a fee)....and auditioning on site is a better idea than the regional auditions.</p>
<p>We're about an hour from NY. So it would be 2 hours of travel time plus however long the audition takes. My daughter is applying to 8 schools (which is too many) so when I tried to make up a schedule, it was impossible to go to all in person. I'm thinking 4 in person and 4 in NY. Or maybe I can convince her to drop some schools.</p>
<p>I think you should find the pianist first, then ask what they'll charge, rather than offer something. At an audition, you're going to want an accompanist who is comfortable in "nervous" situations - not just somebody who plays the piano. You want a professional, not necessarily a friend who will work cheap. Chances are, you'll get a professional who already has set fees.</p>
<p>My S had one regional audition, and used the same pianist who'd helped him make his audition tapes for other things. She only charged him for the playing time, not travel. But the travel time wasn't much.</p>
<p>Places to look for an accompanist --
*Ask your D's private teacher. Surely she's had stuff like this before.<br>
*In NYC, you can check the Juilliard website under "hire" on the front page.<br>
<a href="http://www.juilliard.edu/college/career_hire.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.juilliard.edu/college/career_hire.html</a></p>
<p>*Ask at your school. Our chorus teacher regularly accompanies kids, for example.
* Ask the school you're auditioning at if they have a list of accompanists in the area. If they hold regional auditions there every year, they may have a list of local accompanists.
*Check with your church, if you have one.</p>
<p>I agree with Binx...find the accompanist and that person will surely have a fee schedule. AND I also agree, you want someone who is experienced as an accompaniest...not just any pianist. Kids sometimes do get nervous at auditions...and their tempos might fluctuate or they may even repeat sections or make mistakes. The accompanist needs to be able to do whatever the singer (or instrumentalist) does.</p>
<p>I agree with others who suggest finding the accompanist first. In addition to the actual audition, you will need to schedule time to rehearse as well. As others mentioned, you'll need to find someone who can adapt to changes in tempo and who is very comfortable with the specific music that is chosen.</p>
<p>One other note, D did on-site auditions and the accompanist was provided and we did not pay them -- this was provided by the schools. The info relevant to accompanist rules is typically posted with the audition information for each school. Also note that at many schools and conservatories, the music for their accompanist must be original -- copies are typically not permitted.</p>
<p>For D's accompanists, we have paid from $35 to $50 per hour -- just FYI.</p>
<br>
<blockquote> <p>that at many schools and conservatories, the music for their accompanist must be original -- copies are typically not permitted.>></p> </blockquote>
<br>
<p>Where DS applied, this was the rule for ALL music used at auditions. No xeroxed copies were permitted. The only exception was that at one school, they wanted the student to have 4 copies of the music for the audition committee to have during the audition and they were mailed in WITH the application. These did not have to be originals. DS had to have originals to everything. The good news is that when you purchase most pieces, you get both the piano part AND the instrument (voice included) part. So...the pianist would use one, and the instrumentalist the other. My understanding, though, is that vocalists do not usually use music at their auditions.</p>
<p>No - all vocal music must be memorized and every school that is on my D's list is providing accompanists. I think it is far better to use the ones provided - how the musician handles the problems that crop up while working with a new accompanist is part of the audition. My was thinking of handing out copies to the auditioners and accompanist in books, but have the originals in her bag. My guess is they never ask for the originals - but it is better to be safe.</p>
<p>S mailed copies of his music to the school accompanist, then provided the original for the audition. That way he got to keep track of the original himself, and could use it for practice with other accompanists, too.</p>
<p>Off topic - at his Juilliard audition, the accompanist began the piece, and S had a momentary panic. Thought he was having a mind block, because the music wasn't what he was expecting. After a few bars, he interrupted the pianist and said, "I'm playing concerto #2; I think you're playing #4." He was right, and they all laughed. But what a way to start the audition! (The lesson: Know the accompaniment as well as your own part!)</p>
<p>Great story</p>
<p>I find it interesting that some schools want accompanied, some insist on unaccompanied and some give you a choice.</p>
<p>Wouldn't it be helpful. There are two trends in the Theater departments I wish the music departments would consider -- one is unified auditions (a lot of the theater conservatories hold them together in New York and LA) and senior showcase - theater schools bring their best students to New York for a showcase (similar to senior recital) but the guests are agents, directors, casting directors -- students get jobs and feedback. I would think something similar could be done for musicians. As you can tell we have done research in the drama area as well but now my son has decided on being a jazz drummer.</p>
<p>thanks for starting this - -i have been reading on and off for awhile but now my son is a SENIOR and here we go -- do you know of any brochures out there that outline the college application process for performing arts students? I am thinking of putting one together for our high school. The hs guidance counselors are useless and most of the teachers only know their area of expertise or what they have heard from past students. Since my son is looking a jazz, not a big area, it has been even more specialized. The whole process of recording sessions, cds and videos in advance, the double applications,etc. I think we have it down but my son is lucky - -he has me. I know of a few other students who did not get into the schools they wanted because they had not gotten some of the details correct. Looking forward to an exciting year.</p>
<p>We have had the same experience though probably different high schools. While my son has now decided his focus is jazz drumming he always knews it was going to be in music or possibly theater -- we had arguments every year with the guidance counselor about not taking the classes they wanted him to take. It went from not putting him in choir but chemistry instead, to taking him out of advanced drama, one year they tried to switch him out of BAND, and this final year they wanted him to take an extra history instead of MUSIC THEORY -- the worst is when I had to hand over an application that required the counselor's recommendation. I attached an activity grid and did everything I could to remind him who my son was and why he was not taking that 4th math they wanted but was aiding and co-teaching percussion ensemble instead. Why do they want all kids to fit into the same square box?</p>
<p>I have mulled over the possibility of unified auditions for music majors but have ruled them out. They are probably a logistical impossibility since at least ONE faculty member for every instrument including voice from an institution. That would mean a violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, maybe bass clarinet, obe, basson, flute, trombone, tuba, maybe euphonium, french horn, trumpet, percussion (possibly multiple disciplines), voice (different parts and/or male female), etc. would have to attend. Therefore you're talking in excess of 15 people per institution. </p>
<p>On the MT side, you get a key director, a key acting instructor, key dance instructor and a couple of key voice teachers and you have the school well represented with 4 - 5 people. From a logistics standpoint you can hold a 2 - 3 unified MT auditions without shutting down entire institutions, but a musical unified audition would be a significant challenge to stage without siginifcant impact on the participating instututions.</p>
<p>Not aware of any formal book, brochure or "How To" gude for the music application process other than the "tribal knowledge" represented here and the important help that one gets from private teachers and ensemble directors. As you have observed, it is by far the norm the HS GCs are totally clueless on the process and usually should be ignored at all costs.</p>
<p>There are three books I used that offer a wealth of information and a good starting point:</p>
<p>Creative Colleges, by Elaina Loveland</p>
<p>The Performing Arts Major's College Guide, by Carole Everett</p>
<p>Peterson's Professional Degree Programs in the Visual & Performing Arts</p>
<p>Several months back, I wrote a collection of articles for daughter's former high school regarding the admissions process for music majors. I posted them to another college admissions discussion which, due to the terms of service here, shall remain nameless. I have directed enough people to them via PM's and gotten reasonably good feedback from them, so I think it is time to post them here as well. If you are interested, look for them in a separate thread that I will call "So You Want To Be Music Major - One Family's Experience". It will probably take me a half hour or so after this posting to find and upload them all.</p>
<p>For Oberlin, we sent in the screening CD by Dec 1st. When can we expect to hear one way or another, if my daughter got an audition? Other schools we sent CDs to had the date on their web site (Dec 22-24).</p>