@Parentof2014grad – that is great to know! So stressful, the instrument-travel. Yeah, or something super-compact. Like a piccolo!
Indeed this seems to be the best way forward. There is a FB group created just for this purpose with requests being posted by traveling bassists and various people providing lending or renting options at the given location. I think there is even a new app being released on this point similar to AirBnB but for instruments. Certainly a growing trend.
Its not so much the cost of flying the bass that is prohibitive actually but the possibility of damage to the instrument. Trusting the very expensive and heavy instrument to the mercy of the overworked airline luggage handlers is not a risk many are willing to take.
We look enviously at flute players as we rent UHauls to transport timpani and marimbas locally. The only saving grace is there are always big percussion instruments wherever S flies - sometimes they are rented but that is done through the orchestra.
Glad you were able to book a seat @Parentof2014grad !
Good luck to this weekend’s audition crew! Can’t wait to hear the reports.
It seems like this limbo period is lasting forever, yet somehow there’s another month or more to go. S is super busy applying for summer jobs, rehearsing (HS jazz ensemble concert tonight!), reconnecting with his tae kwon do buddies, going to the gym and generally being a senior. He’s much better at compartmentalizing than his anxious mom!
Yes, travelling with a bass is risky for sure. We fly with ours in a flight case and it is checked as over-sized luggage. There’s no way a bass can fly in a seat, lol. This last round of auditions S traveled by car to avoid flying. it was a super long haul to Chicago, that’s for sure.
.
I think that a bass flight case is actually more expensive than my son’s current bass so we obviously have not made the investment! It’s been on a couple of 6 to 8 hours drives but nothing extreme. It looks like he’ll end up either 2 hours or 40 minutes from home in the fall so travel to and from school should not be an issue.
So Ithaca confirmed the School of Music made all recommendations almost two weeks ago and “a number of decisions” have gone out, while some took longer “to process.” Pessimist that I am, I read this as “We already mailed all of our offers of admissions and thought it would be cool to let the rejected applicants linger.” He also received notice that his decision will be mailed this week, so we shall see. I’m expecting an envelope of the small disappointing variety.
Once that arrives, he can make his decision and go bass shopping - he is overdue for an upgrade.
@eh1234 The flight case is a whole other investment in and of itself! It’s crazy.
Sorry to hear that IC has been a pain…
@Lendlees the only thing that beats a flute player as far as transporting an instrument is a vocalist I think! ?
@eh1234 - I’m so sorry that IC doesn’t look good - but it’s not over until the fat lady sings. We were very lucky to be able to borrow a bass case from her instructor as they are so expensive - I want to say $5k? Nuts - but they do protect them very well. I wouldn’t want to risk it with a $100k bass, though (her former instructor has one of those :-SS I played the flute and piccolo in high school - loved that I could just put it in my band uniform pocket. It was wonderful!
Putting the audition fatigue to one side, we are tapped out financially with all these college tours. Just today: last minute lesson, chiro to work on her neck/shoulder, Lyft to the Flyaway bus, Flyaway bus, ditto on the other end (from Newark they at least have a train) - her brother is going to get a friend to house her at his SAB dorm for two nights (which is not really necessary because he and his friend are gay) and then all the food, Linda Oh concert on Sat. night, and I still have to book a flight back (wasn’t sure if she was going to secure a practice lesson) - oh - and did I mention renting a bass (she is picky pants). There is that Facebook page of Lend, Rent a Bass that @HereAgain noted - but she wants a selection. You would think she is already a professional diva! Or a vocalist ^:)^
Aviator daughter has it down to two colleges (North Dakota and Utah). Can’t wait for this to be over!!! - although then I have to start helping them find loans. Not sure which is worse. Oh - and on the “good news” front, SFCM sent our daughter an email saying how much they enjoyed her audition and she seems like the right fit for SFCM. Anyone else get one of those?
@tripletmama sounds like a VERY good sign from SFCM!
I am so glad that February is coming to an end. This is the longest winter ever!
@tripletmama great sign from SFCM… on a lighthearted front, I think you’re on to a good formula. Aviator D can fly Bassist D in the long run!
@thefirebird did you call Northwestern? My D’s portal also has that big red X. Please let me know if you learned anything.
@highnotes2018 I tried calling them multiple times today but they never picked up. 
But seeing that we both have it, maybe it’s just a system glitch…
@HereWeGoAgain2018 - that’s too funny! I cannot wait until I get buddy passes (free standby flights). She cannot drop out! I will disown her. I’ve said that she can also fly her brother on his ballet premieres. Kidding aside, our son has a solo in an original dance piece on Friday - and it’s set to live jazz (Julliard musicians). I wish it was his sister playing! I would fly to see that!!!
Did you all see that the New York City Ballet FINALLY has a new Artistic Director (Jonathan Stafford - who invited our so to the NYCB School) and Associate Director (Wendy Whalen) ? Yeah!!
@tripletmama wrote: Oh - and on the “good news” front, SFCM sent our daughter an email saying how much they enjoyed her audition and she seems like the right fit for SFCM. Anyone else get one of those?
My s has not gotten one of those letters yet, but a friend of his did. Hearing that his friend got this letter and he did not has him totally stressed and bummed.
Congrats to your daughter on getting one!
Wish I could tell you all that we also had a financial offer bumped up, but since we haven’t received any yet… However, we do have a friend whose son got a music award from their state flagship a couple years ago which was increased late in the process without any action on the family’s part. My guess is that by then the school had already had some applicants turn down their offers and were reallocating the scholarship money to other students who were likely to attend and could use the extra money. Made their son feel wanted and even happier about his choice.
OK - small world! Went over to the Lend/Rent Bass Facebook page and connected with someone who graciously lends out his spare bass to auditioning students…and…drumroll. He is the principal bassist at the New York City Ballet. Small world. Our daughter is going to meet up with him tomorrow since he will be playing at Lincoln Center tomorrow night. My oh my how things work out. Now - let’s hope she likes his free bass - she’s a bit of a picky pants. Oh - and today, she got a phone call from the bassist at SFCM to answer any questions. :-* Now - I’m having a mama dream of our daughter playing in San Francisco and her triplet brother dancing at the San Francisco Ballet (they have expressed an interest in him - gave him a full ride to last summer’s intensive and the AD singled him out in class. Since I spent 30 years here in San Francisco and it’s my home. A girl has to dream, right?
@CaraCoMo - bassists are hard to come by. They are always fawned over Same thing with male ballet dancers. I tried to get one of our other kids to take up crew (I’ve heard they are in demand - but no dice). What does your son play? Did he like SFCM?
@PercussionMama - I really hate it - but the back and forth on $$ will likely happen in April. I have to read up on how that happens. I was a realtor at one time, but negotiating on a house seems a bit different than you kid’s college. Completely different animal. To be honest, I kind of like it that there are some places (e.g. Berklee) that don’t haggle. Are there any others that don’t?
What are we talking about for scholarships at places like Berklee, SFCM? I’m guessing the price tag is pretty steep at these places. I think for my son it will be a simple, “Can’t afford it, sorry” for some schools, end of story.
@tripletmama Amazing news about SF — that would be a dream!! My grownup kids are all over — Seattle, Maine, Arizona, Philly — I’d love to have them nearby.
Re: scholarships, don’t know about SFCM but Berklee is anywhere from $5-30k or a little more for merit, I believe, plus some amount for financial need. Now that the bill is topping $70k a year for these places, it’s hard for many people to make that work unless you’re willing to take on substantial debt.