Having learned so much from @akapiratequeen 's thread for the previous class (and since it’s that group’s “Journey-versary”), it makes sense to start a thread for the next group of musicians! My hope is that we can duplicate the type of community that this year’s group formed, complete with camaraderie and support offered by the knowledgeable and insightful parents on that page! Parents of current juniors, please tell us about your child and share your child’s journey over the next year. This thread can be an amazing reference for all of us as we begin this process.
My S20 is a drummer (rock, jazz, pop) and is interested in film scoring as well. We are at the very beginning of our journey, so we have only looked at Berklee so far. The Berklee Professional Music major seems to be a great option since he can study performance and film scoring under one major, but we know enough to cast a wide net. He is our second child to go to college for performing arts. For our first child, we had the benefit of an audition coach. Fun fact: he applied to the 5-week Rock Workshop and we are currently awaiting results (due April 8th). Fingers crossed for that!
Would love to hear from others starting this journey. What is your kid’s background, and what is s/he looking for? Have you done any tours? What are your impressions so far?
So glad you started this thread! It was transformative for me last year. We’ll all definitely drop by to offer support and advice. Good luck to the class of 24/22!
May your school visits be filled with fun
Prescreening videos smoothly run
Applications get promptly done
Audition flights all land on time
Acceptances roar in fine
Merit and aid be abundant and shine
Wishing you all the best. Hang in there. It will all be fine.
I love that you were inspired to start this new thread on what is the journey-versary of those one year ahead of us, @DramaMama603! I actually can’t believe that I’m posting on what will be my/D’s journey thread. Feels like a rite of passage!
Approximately one year ago, I devoured the stories collected on @SpartanDrew’s thread, then went back and obsessively read a good part of the journal founded by @GoForth. This year I’ve faithfully followed the progress of all on @akapiratequeen journey (or should I say odyssey?) thread. There are no words to express my gratitude for the positivity, support, information and insights shared on this board. I feel as if I know you all. I am deeply impressed by all that you and your young musicians have accomplished thus far!
My D20 is planning to major in music performance for (classical) clarinet. I go back and forth with myself wondering how specific to be in my public posts–especially as there seem to be few, if any, clarinets on this board. (Where ya at, single reed fam?!?) I would never want the information or opinions I provide to influence/jeopardize her opportunities. At any rate, based on the wonderful information gathered here, we have a preliminary list of schools, and have been fitting in visits and lessons wherever possible. These have been helpful in terms of tweaking technique AND checking for teacher/school fit.
Looking forward to the adventure ahead! And may it be as @HereWeGoAgain2018 has written above!
Just popping in to say that us oldtimers have your back! I can’t tell you how much that I learned from the last two Journey threads. Very appreciative to all who shared information so freely. And made some good friends along the way! Clicking a glass to your journey that starts today!!!
I’m so excited to finally jump in here. I’ve been following the class of 2023 thread from the very beginning. I’m so thankful to the entire community here because I’ve learned so much. I’m also sort of scared that this whole college music major thing is for real now. My D20 is a violinist. She decided as a high school sophomore that she wanted to make a career in music after a lot of careful consideration. She knows the challenges she’s likely going to face but she just eats, breathes and sleeps music! I’m looking forward to joining the community on this journey!
Hi everyone! I’ve been secretly reading the class of 2023 thread, reading up on the Music Major posts here on CC, etc. Glad to say I have found a lot of super helpful information.
I’m a junior in high school right now, almost ready to get started on my apps (hoping to finish submitting general university apps by the time school starts in the fall, so that I can focus on audition tapes/live auditions during the regular application season) and really excited to embark on this journey with all of you. Thanks for being such a great community!
@Racingfan53 Hello and welcome. 4 years ago, my D thought it was a good idea to start essays over the summer, and focus on music prescreens in the fall. After getting it all into Common App, the entire thing was wiped clean on August 1 to restart the system for 2015-2016! She had worked within the application and had to rewrite and reenter everything. This was 4 years ago, but they may still have the same process. So if you are working on essays, keep them in a Word Doc as a backup in case the portals are refreshed at the start of the academic year.
Hi 2024! Wishing all of you the best in this process! Definitely use these threads as a resource & ask questions of “old timers” as it does get really confusing at times. Good luck!!
Hi everyone! Mother of 11th grade violinist here. I have been on CC for about four years, but have not posted much. I have been following along most of the music threads, gaining info to help my daughter in her college search. She plays several instruments, but violin is her primary, and favorite. I feel blessed that she decided in 7th grade that music was what she wanted to do. Having that much time to learn everything feels like such a luxury compared to those who start later in the game. Like many of you, there is not really anyone around us who understands the process of applying to music schools, or even why she would want to major in music in the first place. Without this forum, I would be completely lost. We have, for the most part, narrowed down her list of schools and visited a few. She’s even had a sample lesson at one. Looking forward to sharing the journey over the next year.
Welcome@musicfamily! I’ve got an 11th grade violinist too! I also have an 8th grade violist so I’m hoping to be a lot more savvy when it’s her turn. We haven’t had any visits yet. We’re hoping to go up North in the Fall to see some schools and get trial lessons.
You’re pretty early in the game, which is great (I didn’t find this board till the year following my S’s admission to music school) - so make your appointments this summer with 2/3 professors you think they may want to study with and get that lesson - at least on Skype if not live. They may not be on campus, so you may actually need to visit them where they’re working during the summer. This is about the right time to get that underway so you can make a more informed choice next spring. It’s all about the professor, and the school is somewhat secondary.
Once fall kicks in, you’ll get busy with apps and prescreens which will make travel hard.
Good luck to '24, and looking forward to hearing your experiences here.
@SweetStrings Good to have another violinist! Haven’t really seen any the last couple years. Since you are going to go up North, do you live in the South? That’s where we are. Not too many schools close by, so lots of travel, though we are trying to limit distance.
@gram22 Yay for another violinist! And one with some recent experience. I feel pretty good about where we are in the process. Still, I know the next year is going to be crazy. Good thing we like roller coasters!
@DramaMama603 Thank you so much for starting this! I’ve only been on the 2023 journey thread (and on CC) since early March, but I have learned SO much! The main lesson: that this is a fantastic and really supportive community. So glad to be part of it and appreciate all the folks who are still part of it after their fledglings have left the nest!
Mom of a 2024 prospective VP here! D is a soprano who’s been taking private voice lessons for just over two years and singing with a well-respected children’s choir for 8 years. (She’s also played horn for five years but voice is her true love). Interested in many types of music but her voice seems best suited to classical. Definitely interested in a BM and would prefer a conservatory or program with fewer gen ed requirements. Lots of schools on the table from a no-name regional in-state university with a great – but not especially well known – music program (still an audition-only program but with a low barrier to entry for the university itself), to a long list of others that still needs narrowing down but includes some mid-range and some top schools, mostly in the midwest and northeast. (Visiting a couple of them as we speak, during spring break!) D is attending Tanglewood & the Oberlin vocal program this summer and maybe will cross paths there with some of your kids!
@songbirdmama thank you so much for the tip! I have a friend (current senior) who started writing her common app essay last July, so I will ask her about that.
@akapiratequeen My primary instrument is voice, soprano although I can comfortably sing a fairly wide range. I’m not interested in VP. My goal is to teach choral music at the grade school/high school level, but my particular interest is the English choir school model, so I although I’ll be probably going with the music ed option at most places, I like what USC’s choral music major looks like and some of the sacred/early music options at some other schools.
What a wonderful path @Racingfan53 ! I know a gifted choir director here in NJ who has taken a similar road. She went to Westminster and got her Masters at Rutgers Mason Gross…is now working on a PhD (from I believe BU) while working for our district. Where are your dream schools?