<p>Which instruments, if any, would be considered as "hooks"?</p>
<p>Accordion, for sure. Harvard adcom’s aversion to bagpipes is well documented.</p>
<p>Aversion? I have never heard or read anything of that sort. Sources?</p>
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<p>He’s being sarcastic, and why bother asking about “hook” instruments when you obviously already play the bagpipes? Among the top group of applicants, admission to Harvard can almost be considered random, so just do what you love, document your passions well in your application, and hope for the best!</p>
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<p>What’s the meaning of “Recording?” in the title of your thread? Are you asking whether to send a recording of your piping as a supplemental material? (The answer is definitely.)</p>
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<p>Thanks for the info. I’ll hope for the best with the pipes. And gadad, I was in fact wondering about sending a recording, I’m glad you think “definitely” :)</p>
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<p>BTW, so some research into the Dept. of Music and try to determine which faculty member would be most likely to be sent your supplemental submission. Contact that faculty member ahead of time and start a conversation about your playing - ask about performance opportunities and possibilities for private lessons. When that individual receives your recording, s/he’ll remember your communication and may be more likely to provide the admissions committee useful feedback.</p>
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<p>Lol bagpipes.</p>
<p>There’s a small but strong community of Irish and Scottish trad musicians on campus, and some pipes would be welcome. And Boston is of course one of the prime places in the U.S. for Celtic music. Uilleann or highland pipes, out of curiosity?</p>
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<p>I play the highland pipes.</p>
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<p>Before I would say that it is a good thing to add, I would want to know that you actually play them well. A recording of a poorly played instrument will not be a benefit regardless of how unusual it is. If you are not an impressive player, then I would omit the recording and just make sure that it is well documented in your application. Then they can imagine that you play it well. :)</p>
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<p>I know a kid who is going to college on a bagpipe scholarship. If you are a very good player, you may find some schools that will be eager to get you. I suspect that Harvard is not one of these, although the admissions committee may find it interesting.</p>
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<p>Unless you have exceptional ability on the bagpipes, don’t bother to send in a recording. It takes extra work by admissions officers and professors to get recordings reviewed, so if you’re not a remarkable player, don’t add to their workload.</p>
<p>Your playing the bagpipes is unusual in itself and that may help you stand out in admissions.</p>
<p>I am applying to other colleges with potential bagpipe scholarships as well. As for my playing ability, I have been playing since before high school and I’m a member of a marching pipe and drum band. I would consider myself a very good player. Would a recording be too much if I do discuss my activities and everything in my application though?</p>
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<p>Oh, I am also the founder the bagpipe club at my high school (since the pipe band is outside of school), in which I teach beginning pipers the basics. I discuss these things in my app.</p>
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<p>Maybe talk to someone who knows you and can assess the quality of your performance in an unbiased way.</p>
<p>D, a saxophonist, had been playing it since 4th grade. She was in the concert, stage and marching bands and was drum major of the marching band her senior year. There is no way she played it at a level to send a recording with her applications. Her “passion” was shown only through her application. She was accepted by Harvard.</p>
<p>30+ years ago, I did submit a recording with my college applications. I was first chair cello in the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, performed annually in the Northeast Regional, All-State, and New England Orchestras, accompanied musicals for 6 years, and studied chamber music in the summers. My instructor was one of the top in the state and had studied the cello for 8 years. I spent a month preparing the recording to submit with my application. I was accepted by Duke with a small music scholarship and graduated with a degree in Biomedical Engineering.</p>
<p>If you are more like my daughter, do not record. If you are more like me, go ahead.</p>
<p>My usual test for whether to send in a musical recording or art portfolio: Do your teachers think you’d be a reasonable candidate for a top conservatory or studio art BFA program? If you’re within spitting distance of Juilliard or RISD, send it in. If not, don’t.</p>
<p>It just seems to me that a bagpipe recording would only make sense at a school that has some kind of bagpipe program, unless you are some kind of crazy jazz bagpiper. I question whether even a school with a very good music program (but no bagpiping) would be interested or even qualified to evaluate your recording.</p>
<p>Just out of interest, what schools offer bagpipe scholarships? And Bagpiper, what other schools with bagpipe programs are you considering?</p>
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<p>Now, there’s a hook for you! I love it! There will be 30,000 applicants for Harvard, all trying to stand out and be unique in some way - you’d be the ONLY jazz bagpiper. And while there isn’t a Bagpipe Performance program in the Harvard Music Dept., there’s no doubt that the Admissions Committee is attracted to applicants who are interesting and creative.</p>
<p>@smoda61 The only difficult thing is finding a qualified bagpiper outside of my band since there aren’t many around. </p>
<p>@Hanna I have heard that same advice, but the difficulty is that few schools offer bagpipe performance so I wouldn’t exactly know how to compare myself. </p>
<p>@Hunt Would you really think jazz piping is that much better than piping in general? I am familar with jazz from my other instruments. I do also see your point regarding the evaluation itself.</p>
<p>@gadad I am still in the planning process, but Carnegie Mellon, Iona and Notre Dame are all considerations. You also think jazz piping is more of a “hook” than piping in general? Would more conventional piping still be unusual/interesting?</p>