<p>I agree completely with @KaMaMom, I have seen a lot of poor technique and throat singing from teachers who are supposedly good. I have seen improvement in people with ONE lesson and a great teacher. My D is 17 and on her 4th voice teacher, you have to keep looking until you get the right one. LOL about about audition song!!</p>
<p>And don’t let anyone tell you that your voice teacher has to be the same sex as your kid. Ridiculous advice!</p>
<p>Voice teachers cn help or hurt. We were fortunate. The voice teacher my D had in high school refused to allow her to even try and belt, She wouldn’t teach her how because she did not want her to hurt her voice at an early age and she is not a natural belter. Her freshman year in college her voice professor is now starting to teach her belting/projection techniques as well as other methods. The combination of both has been great. Her high school teacher took her natural talent and gave it a solid foundation and her college professor is taking that and going to a whole new level.</p>
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<p>That made me chuckle. Good advice for Stockard Channing but anyone else? Nope.</p>
<p>@vvnstar Thanks so much for your input! I have decided to do the extra voice lessons 
and can’t wait for it to begin!</p>
<p>@RockBandMom LOL! I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when he gets back 
and I do agree that girls win in the talking department</p>
<p>@RockBand & @Jewel15 - My D is at OCU right now and will be next session as well. She is loving it! She said they keep them super busy and that she is being challenged. She (my girly-girl) did text laughing that she took a “boxing” elective that kicked her rear end and wants to come home and find more such classes? Lol, Crazy girl! She too will be taking the extra voice lessons, after all, that is OCU’s strength, right? It would be silly to waste such a great opportunity to work with their great voice faculty. She has already had one Master Voice class and told me that Dr.C fixed the only note she had been inconsistent with on a song that’s been in her rep for a while. She was thrilled. </p>
<p>@RockBandMom - don’t feel bad about S not calling. My D is being stingy with communication as well but it is just because they are so engaged during the day. What little off time my D has is spent doing laundry and scouring the music library for new possible college audition material, which she has been delighted to find. </p>
<p>I am really looking forward to going up to see the 2 Week MTH Showcase this weekend!</p>
<p>@addicted2MT - They have music library?!?! YES!!! Now I’m even more excited!</p>
<p>@Jewel15 yes, they do! Have your mom load StarCard with money (she can do it online when u get card) as that is how one pays for copies & laundry. Whatever you don’t use cannot reimbursed so don’t put too much $ at time. Best to add $ as u need. Photocopy two-sided to save it is cheaper, plus accompanists like 2sided music anyways! </p>
<p>@addicted2MT - Awesome! I’ll have to do that! Thanks! 
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<p>Anyone know what a “musical activities list” is?</p>
<p>I’m reading over Belmont’s requirements for audition … they require a repertory list, a resume and a musical activities list.</p>
<p>In this context, what do they want? </p>
<p>Of course I could call or email … but I don’t want to look like a fool either. </p>
<p>Do they just want musicals, performances, music training? Because that’s all on the resume. I’m so confused.</p>
<p>Have your D call or email, and that will demonstrate her interest
My stab in the dark guess would be voice and/or musical instrument activities as the program is part of the School of Music. So choral activities, band, ensemble, camps, training, etc.</p>
<p>Check the final decision with background thread off hand I can’t remember who auditioned at Belmont last year but another member who’s been there will likely be happy to help.</p>
<p>Well, we left about 2 hrs ago for the drive to Boston for Berklee’s MT Intensive. I’ve mentioned my struggles with the lack on concrete info from them.</p>
<p>But this is funny!</p>
<p>About 5 minutes ago I received two emails. The first saying “congrats! You’re housing is confirmed!” With info where & when to move in on FRIDAY. (This is the first time we’ve received it in writing.)</p>
<p>And the second was a list of things to bring.</p>
<p>Oh. And please don’t ask about room assignments because they aren’t done til two days before it begins. Um. It starts TOMORROW you nitwits.</p>
<p>Really Berklee?</p>
<p>I’m laughing about it though …what else can we do at this point?</p>
<p>@addicted2MT @Jewel15 Just saw on Facebook that 5 time Tony nominee Kelli O’Hara made a surprise appearance at OCUs camp today and did an hour long Q and A session with the campers! Hope your kids got to enjoy that opportunity!<br>
Just an insight: All of the OCU alums we’ve encountered so far have been that way - super loyal to the school, generous with their time for current students and so supportive of each other. If you have a second, look into the OCUNYC program. D went this year for Spring Break and learned so much from OCU alums already there…and she is now in NYC for the summer and feels like she has so many people she can call on for whatever she needs. For a small school they have a big # of kids working in the industry and living in NYC. It’s a great network for them when they graduate.<br>
Also, just announced, one of the girls who just graduated in May, a legit soprano, was just cast as Emma Crew in the National Tour of Jekyll and Hyde - she’s only been out of school since mid-May! Looking forward to seeing what other exciting opportunities are coming to recent grads.</p>
<p>@vvnstar - I saw the pictures too! I’m so jealous! I’m not there till Saturday so I missed it 
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<p>Yes, I saw that on Facebook as well. Plus D sent her own pics & the funniest text - she was so excited!</p>
<p>@Jewel15 - Maybe Kristen Chenoweth will make a surprise appearance for session #2? You never know!?!</p>
<p>@vvnstar - D is really enjoying OCU. It has always been one of the schools at the top of her list. This experience so far has only served to affirm it. My biggest concern if she gets accepted is being able to afford it. Sighhhhhh…</p>
<p>D has a friend doing the Vocal Institute who posted pictures and Kelli looks beautiful. She was phenomenal in Bridges, really wanted to see her win for singing that gorgeous score. </p>
<p>@addicted2MT : re: affordability. Audition early. There is more talent $ available earlier in the audition season. Also, keep grades up. Their academic awards are very clearly defined on the website and based on grades and GPA. Academic awards are stackable with talent awards. Check out other scholarship opportunities like the Clara Luper scholars and OCULeads. Ask your admissions rep what other scholarships you could apply for. Also ask about work/study opportunities. And apply for any and all local scholarships you can. Lots of ways to get the cost down.</p>
<p>Vent…D thinks I am crazy to be sweating all these details “so early.” We have been filming her ballet stuff and combos for MTCA coaches (great practice for prescreens) and she is good about the work but acts like I am crazy to be such a taskmaster about the timing. It is practically July, I am not insane, right?? She is thinking Unifieds but I am thinking prescreen!</p>
<p>Not insane. And, seriously, getting a teenager to focus is like trying to nail jello to a tree. If you are not the taskmaster, nothing will get done… or it will get done at the 11th hour and everyone will be stressed out. </p>
<p>@vvnstar - OCU will probably be her first audition in the fall if she passes their prescreen so she will definitely be “early” on that. When she gets back from camp she will begin working on prescreen (dance) and polishing audition songs.
@evilqueen - I do not think you are early at all. The longer one waits to take care of prescreens, the less spots left available at Unifieds. Of course, too early can mean “not ready” in which case one would not pass the prescreen and then Unifieds would be a moot point for those schools that require it. Only you know your child and whether he/she is polished enough to send in that prescreen.
@MTmom2015 - I totally agree with the “nail jello to a tree” metaphor! :)</p>