@jazzpianodad my S is auditioning for jazz voice today at Peabody. They have only two such students currently butmy wife says they told her this morning that they plan to increase this into more of a program. We have not done much research about the jazz program at Peabody and were not aware of the recent turmoil that you mentioned. Can you shed more light about what happened there?
https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-fe-peabody-thomas-20171211-story.html @jazzboydad
I had read this last year. But S’s teacher, who knows all of these players, said that Sean Jones is amazing and there’s every reason to believe the new jazz dept will be better than anything that came before. He encouraged S to visit, which we did. In the end, S didn’t apply solely because he wasn’t as comfortable with the music ed piece as he was with the jazz faculty.
@eh1234 , the teacher may just be out of town. I would call the music admissions coordinator.
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@jazzpianodad I just found a new article that describes the issues I believe you were hinting at.
Thanks for the advice @vistajay. Basically, during his audition on 2/9, this prof told my son to just drop by his office this Saturday for a lesson when he’s done with his all-state audition and said he would “be there all day.” Son didn’t even want to send an e-mail, but I made him do it since I thought it would be kind of random for my kid to turn up unannounced with bass in tow.
Good luck to @momsings and @jazzboydad sons on this week’s auditions!
Hmm, Peabody does present an interesting situation. In one sense, I would think it would be exciting to be in on the ground floor of the revitalization of a program at a renowned conservatory. I agree, though, @jazzpianodad, if it does come down to be a final choice, heavy due diligence would be wise before committing.
@jazzboydad Yes, if you do an internet search, there are a number of articles, including the one @akapiratequeen linked above.
@lkbux64 (et al), I have a ton of respect for Peabody and a ton of respect for Sean Jones. There is no reason why Peabody shouldn’t be able to build an absolutely first-rate jazz program, as some similar schools have done, such has Juilliard, NEC and Eastman. But historically they haven’t, despite having started their jazz program almost two decades ago. My son’s sense when he looked several years ago was that Peabody as an institution was not as supportive of the jazz program as it should be, and there is a sense of that in the stories surrounding the shakeup last year. I think bringing in Jones and the other new jazz faculty members is a good sign, and may reflect renewed institutional support for the program.
Choosing a school is a uniquely individual choice and Peabody may well be the right choice for your son or any other given student. But as I said, I’d suggest looking closely before committing. Though putting it that way, I’d probably suggest looking closely before committing to any school. 
I wonder if Frost is attempting to be more competitive. Every year kids get acceptances in Feb and communications from teachers early and become locked and loaded on a school early. This happened to my D. Lawrence indicated that NO one would hear until a date in mid-March. By then my D had already decided (despite any attempt to wait). I heard a few years later they were no longer so strict…with people hearing earlier from teachers. My D auditioned for MT at Frost and got notices telling her to wait before making a decision by late feb. Those notices did seem individualized and she did get an acceptance. Pure speculation but the Frost communication makes me wonder if they are trying to stay in front of students.
Btw if you have had no communications from teachers or schools that is very common. My D only had early communication from one teacher for VP for UG. It starts to feel like everyone does at this time of year. All programs/schools/depts are different so for most you have to wait until the big log jam starts breaking after 3/15.
My journey: was a dreamer, interested in acting growing up—definitely not a favorite with my engineer father. So my American mother encouraged the liberal arts college overseas (yes, I grew up in 80s Europe), and off we went! After my charts (I wanted theater and other arts majors along with lib arts offerings), a seductive blue (ocean) and green (lawns) aerial photograph of my school’s campus and surroundings sealed the deal. Never having visited the schools I’d applied to, I made my decision and off I went.
My D’s journey: her dad (a local musician and songwriter outside a job counselor career) and I met through music. I sang, he played, our daughter played in front of the stage at the outdoor gigs. I teach writing and linguistics; we live in the Midwest. Our daughter took to music like a fish, and got the lessons neither parent had really had: piano, cello, and later voice. Midwestern choirs (children’s choir, middle school offerings and concert choir in h.s.), orchestra since 5th grade, and a Suzuki program and youth orchestra helped her grow her skills—her teachers were/are amazing, the opportunities seemingly endless and even affordable. Her Dad never moved out of state. I moved continents. My D likes her security and she is a great musician.
Now as mom, I made a million charts (for both kids). My son eventually took a leap and moved to a state no one had been to and made his own college experience (computer science major and art minor). We visited nine schools my D’s junior year. I wanted her to know she could go anywhere.
But now that we’re down to four schools (she canceled the hometown uni’s audition this week and the Indiana school’s audition—nice people in the music school but not as pervasive a music culture on campus; further than other schools), I’m a little frustrated at how D appears to be mainly interested in the distance factor. She’s most interested in the nearest option, which has good faculty and opportunities but offers a BA, and thus a less music-focused experience than the next options where a BM would keep her in music for 75% of the time (vs 37% plus out of class time). She also hasn’t yet heard from all her remaining options, and there is a boyfriend factor and I’m not sure how much that is a part of her deliberations.
All this said to say: I can’t tell if she’s wrong to be most interested in the most familiar and nearby, or if my life experiences (and certainly moving far from family and all known things was not easy) are blinding me to the values she may have that bind her closer to home.
I know there is no right answer, and I want her to choose the future that she feels she can live with, but I want her to know the options she may have.
Do your children know what they want? I remember my father’s disapproval of acting as a check on my life, but I loved my college experience so am not sorry I came to the US. On the other hand I admire people’s strong ties to family and location, while my husband still kicks himself for never having left the state. Also, he is not in the utmost best of health so places far away do present a barrier to attending music events at the school. Car rides can be too long.
So what do you as a parent wrestle with and how do you accept/encourage your child’s wishes and desires? Will D not going out of state now for a BM Conservatory experience mean she might not go for an MM in four years? Will she give up? Will she have enough money? Will leaving crush her budding romance? Will she be happy either way? Am I too pushy? Am I living vicariously?
@bridgenail I wonder about this as well. My S is technically waiting to hear from four of his six schools, but I wonder how long he’ll go before cracking and just saying yes to the top choice where he’s already been accepted?
Good question @bridgenail. Frost sure seemed to roll out the red carpet for audition day and they seem to be really aspiring to be a “top ten” music school. Would be great if S didn’t have to wait until late March/early April for all 7 of the schools he applied to (4 of which are music/dual degree programs).
@“Pikachu’s Mom” I loved your thoughts, especially the questions at the end. This process is so intense, it’s hard to tell where we end and our kids begin sometimes! No advice except she’ll find her way (I’ve got five older kids so I know something about this!). You and your H gave her both roots and wings, now it’s up to her to decide how and when to use them. Meanwhile: deep breaths! She’s a great kid and will thrive wherever she lands. Great work, mama.
Thank you for the advice @akapiratequeen! And congratulations on your son’s big news! Now for some distractions through February…
Congratulations on all the good news. Waiting together is fun!
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I may be late posting this…it is about Peabody. I try not to add my son’s or my personal opinions about any music schools / programs. Because one school unlikely fits everyone. Young musicians, particularly in jazz have very unique thinking (possibly brain working) and full of personality so they need to figure out what the best for them to grow as a musician and an adult (hopefully without debt).
Peabody Institute Live Audtion (2/18/19-2/19-19)———
There are currently total 630 full time students (50/50, Undergrad/Grad). And there are 1400+ live auditions plus 500+ recording auditions (mix of undergrad, transfer, grad) for fall 2019. Peabody is anticipating about 100 freshmen for Fall 2019. It sounds like a lot more selective school than what I see in some website data. I clearly heard that audition results (recommendations by faculty) are the first and the most important criteria (all applicants must pass an audition as “performance” even applying to “compositions”, etc), then Peabody looks into applicants’ academic / transcripts / SAT or ACT / essay(s) / letters of recommendation to make sure applicants can do well to meet Peabody’s liberal arts requirements. This seems like very common at most stand alone private conservatories.
Peabody requires all undergrad applicants to do “group discussion” which is like a group interview for 45 minutes. Applicants can sign-up (choose) a time for group discussion at check-in which must be on same day as their live audition (choices seem like 9, 10, 11AM, 1, 2, 3, 4PM).
My son auditioned for Jazz and interviewed for Music Education. It is combined “double major” in 4 years. There is no “Music Education” only degree at Peabody. Currently, there are 40-ish music education combined double major students. So, every year, about 10 students do 4-year music education combined double major. Music education double major applicants have a 10-minute private interview session before or after live audition.
About Jazz auditions…It was different than what was described in webiste. There was a live rhythm section, not formed by students or grad students like other music schools, it was formed by FACULTY ! New jazz director is really changing and rebuilding jazz program with great faculty. Currently, there are 10-12 students in jazz program but some are graduating. At the meeting for parents, they said that about total 20 students in jazz for fall 2019 (probably one big bad). So, there maybe about 10+ openings. Peabody may need to be hand-picking musicians since jazz auditions were held in total 3 long days. In such a very small program, some results may start showing in 2019-2020.
Peabody Institute General information———
Peabody is one-building conservatory and has one-large-block campus with options and freedoms for music students to take any classes at Johns Hopkins campus. Students who aren’t dual major with Peabody / JHU still can get credits (certifications) on classes completed at JHU (if I heard right). Free shuttles run between 2 campus, 15 minute-ride, every hour, classes at both campuses have staggered schedule for students to be transported between two campuses. Peabody is located in Mount Vernon district in Baltimore which seems very safe. Lyft / Uber from Peabody to BWI-Airport was about $20 (+tip) and took about 30 minutes in heavy traffic hours.
Two dorm buildings (Eastside and Westside) are connected with main building so no need to go out if it rains or snows. Dorm is very basic, double occupancy in general (sometimes triple occupancy with a discounted housing fee if there aren’t enough rooms for all freshmen and sophomore) with communal bathrooms in hallway and lounge in the middle. All freshmen and sophomore are required to live in dorm.
Campus cafeteria seems very basic. It opens for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night snacks, until midnight. Students can swipe their meal cards at both Peabody and JHU cafeterias (same menu). Food options around Mount Vernon are good.
So, basic dorms and basic cafeteria but amazing George Peabody Library which is attached to Peabody main building.
There are only 43 practice rooms to be used by 630 full time students but open 24 hours! Just to compare, MSM has 105-ish practice rooms (used by 950-ish students) and SFCM has 35-ish practice rooms (used by 450-ish students) but practice rooms are not open 24 hours.
Private lessons are included in the tuition. Peabody gives all students (including “composition” major) 1 hour private lesson per week. Just to compare, Berklee gives 30 minutes per week, SFCM gives 50 minutes per week. Students can take extra lessons (secondary instrument, etc) with additional cost. However, all electives are included in the tuition.
@bridgenail I don’t have the answers for you, but I’m right there with you on the things you wonder about. I had a wonderful college experience, but I realize that my s wants something completely different. We live in the midwest, but my son really wants to go to NY for jazz. I would have been terrified to move there at his age, lol. If he doesn’t get enough scholarship money he won’t go though. For his three affordable choices there are pros and cons to all three. Right now he is leaning toward UMKC for the money, stability of the program, and the urban experience. It’s not the school I would have chosen for myself, but he is craving a vibrant city jazz scene and that’s where he will find it best (from his three affordable options). I think your daughter should go where she feels the most comfortable, because that’s where she will thrive the most and gain confidence for the next step of her journey. Just one way of looking at it.
@akapiratequeen Wow! Congratulations to your son for the Ithaca admit and scholarship. Regarding earlier question about D’s auditions, there wasn’t a pattern of getting worse or better. On the 1st trip, she did well on her 1st 2 auditions but was tired by the 3rd and didn’t do as well. On the 2nd trip, she was had a severe cold at her 1st audition and felt it didn’t go as well as the next 2.
@sbjdorlo Back to question about “thank you’s.” D’s audition panels were very small–usually 1 person, maybe 2–so she felt a personal vibe at most of her auditions. She meant to send very short thank you emails just to express appreciation, but she was so tired and had so many balls in the air that I think she just didn’t manage to follow through. However, she definitely sent one to the prof who emailed her to let her know they were admitting her to their studio. She expressed her excitement (esp. since it’s among her favorites) but stayed away from commitment since we don’t know if we can afford it.
@HRoFan My percussion D had to upload a resume and rep list on her application for at least half of her schools (head shot for 2 or 3), so we had them all ready to go. A friend told me that when her percussion S auditioned last year, he always took a copy of the resume and rep list to the audition along with the audition list, so this year D did too. Only 1 or 2 profs were interested in keeping the packet, but I know at least one prof looked at the resume because he made small talk with her about one of her school activities.
Some good news for S today while he is waiting on his music school decisions – he found out he was admitted to Emory University with a nice merit scholarship. He visited the school last April and met with the head of the jazz program at that time and was very impressed. The admit came with an invitation to an “Inspire for Change” weekend event at the school at end the of March – with travel expenses paid by the school. He is quite excited and has already signed up!
S and wife just pulled in the driveway having made it back through snow and sleet from Baltimore. S is now DONE with auditions (hooray!), having travelled more than 8,000 miles in less than two weeks to Frost, Thornton, Oberlin, and Peabody. I am so impressed that he held it together on this odyssey (which my wife and I split 50:50), but the poor kid is now sick as a dog. Anyone out there whose auditioning kids haven’t gotten sick from all the anxiety, travel, and weather? What an ordeal!