Hi everyone! I haven’t been around for a while - my daughter went through the audition process back in 2020. But my son is auditioning for a couple theater programs this year, and I thought I’d take a swing by this board to see how everyone is doing. It looks like a lot of you are in Oberlin this weekend, so I thought I would say hello! My daughter is now a junior in their voice program, and it has been the best choice for her. In fact, she is about to hop on a plane back, and I believe that she will be at the reception this evening. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a note. Toi toi toi to everyone at their auditions!
3 Likes
When we went yesterday my son went to the checkin and let them know his audition was today. But because we flew from Houston he hadn’t had a chance to practice since Wednesday and our hotel didn’t appreciate his tuba as much as we do! Lol
They were so friendly and accommodating. There seem to be a gazillion practice rooms available. We are up and about to leave for the school in about an hour.
For those traveling out of state here is our experience thus far:
We are staying in Elyria at the Courtyard Marriott right off the highway/turnpike. We rented a car and didn’t realize you have to go through the turnpike and grab a ticket then produce said ticket when you get to the other toll section . In TX it is easy tag or license plate scan to pay after the fact. The lady in the booth was apologetic bc she had to charge us the full trip 13.00. No biggie but the rental car place said we didn’t need the toll tag. So be aware of that.
We have eaten at The Foundry downtown Elyria and it was awesome. We also have eaten at Wolfies and Blue Sky. All were good but Foundry was our favorite: breakfast at the hotel was meh so this morning we ate at Bob Evans near the hotel.
Taking the advice and having bagels and coffee today while DS is at his audition. Will update after. Good luck to all auditioning today!!!
1 Like
That’s great to hear about DPU. Kid is auditioning there in a couple of weeks as a grad student. Kind of wondering how it didn’t get on our radar for undergrad, but would be a great choice for MM. (plus I 
Chicago)
3 Likes
I’m loving the Oberlin updates! It makes me feel like I’m there too. Hopefully you’ll run into a nice bass-baritone at check in! He tells me he is having a great time greeting prospective students and talking to them. His auditions last year were all virtual due to covid cancellations, so I think he’s getting a little of the experience, obviously without the pressure.
@runninglate- I wonder if our kids know each other?? They must, right?
@melfitz- we have a friend who’s daughter is at DPU as a non music major. She loves it!
I know all of your kids are going to have some tough decisions to make in April!
Keep the updates coming! TOI TOI TOI, all.
4 Likes
My daughter was just admitted to U Maryland for vocal performance. Great news and will help keep our excitement up through these last few weeks of her out-of-town auditions! She is up at Ithaca now.
6 Likes
Hi all!
Haven’t posted here but have been following along. Currently at our first trombone audition at Vanderbilt sitting nervously in the warm up room. While late to the game, I just wanted to weigh in on the asking for a lesson during the audition weekend/day/days in case it helps any one. ASK FOR THE LESSON. All schools may not participate or be able to accommodate you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. I read earlier that it might be frowned upon to ask. However, of the 6 trombones here- FIVE had lessons. It was one of the questions at check in they asked. My son was the lone trombone who didn’t have a lesson. We just didn’t know. It lead to a bit of regret and worry, but nothing can be done now. I realize this is our first audition and not every school will be this way, but we will be asking for the rest of the auditions.
Good luck to everyone!!
6 Likes
Sitting in the family waiting area at Blair now too. Toi, toi, toi to everyone auditioning this weekend!
We loved the student showcase concert yesterday and couple of rehearsals we visited.
Weather improved today here in Nashville! 
2 Likes
From what we’ve seen at schools and festivals, the quality of the students is not necessarily dependent upon whether or not graduate students are around. At some schools, if there are graduate students the undergraduates end up getting taught by them rather than the primary instrumental teacher, and at others, the undergraduates are equivalently mature to the graduate students elsewhere. I don’t think one can generalize. I’m glad your son is happy with his decision! I lived in Chicago for a bit and never realized DePaul had a conservatory! Maybe it’s newish…
The DePaul SOM has been around forever. However, the Holtschneider Performance Center is newish, opened in 2018.
1 Like
What instrument does your son play? (Sorry if it has been stated, I didn’t see it). We visited and were super impressed with DePaul! The facilities were state of the art and best we’ve seen! The trombone faculty is top notch as well. My son auditions in two weeks and we are so excited!
1 Like
We attended EVERYTHING yesterday. I was exhausted. It was all so impressive and the students so nice! We probably passed each other all day long and didn’t know it!
Hope the audition went well!! 
2 Likes
DePaul SOM is well-known and well-respected in our area. At my D’s first YAP, the tenor was a graduate of DePaul. I’ve noted their graduates other places as well. It may be regional (for example, DePaul would be better know in our area than Ithaca).
As for talent and progress, I don’t think on the “macro” level it matters at all if there are grad students or not in a program. However it is not uncommon for people to believe that if graduate students are present that 2 things will happen. 1.). You will end up with a graduate student as a primary teacher. I have never seen this in reality for a BM degree. Every student must have a faculty teacher for a studio. My D did have a graduate teacher as a TA for the lab portion for a class. But again a faculty member taught and oversaw the course. The only time a graduate student was allowed to be a teacher was for a non-music major. 2.). The graduate students get all the attn. This misconception tends to stem from the belief that opportunities are “finite” at all schools. When grad students are present, there are more opportunities at a higher level opportunities appropriate for the grad students. And, of course, opportunities present for the UG as well. So UG and grad students are not necessarily competing for the same opportunities particularly in the first couple of years. Sure they can overlap to a degree in senior year….and certainly some student who wants to a be a big banana too soon (maybe my kid?)…might have an attitude on occasion…but all schools present many opportunities for all levels of their students…in my experience.
I think the differences are more “micro”, meaning some personalities would do better without the distraction of grad students…and others would do better by watching the grad students. My D was the latter. She knows colleagues who have said to her….that would have been a bad environment for me. So it is true, it’s not best for all. My D had grad students in her program…and besides feeling some intimidation and awe early on…she said that she watched them like a hawk…and learned a lot about the “business” from them. It worked for her.
Hoping everyone finds what works best for them.
2 Likes
Trumpet
3 Likes
I believe we met your son, he was very helpful and kind! (He was the only second semester student of the trio at sign in)
3 Likes
Hi everyone. I hope all the auditions are going great!
Oof - Right now, I’m feeling a few things. One: pretty mad about Miami. My son put in the work to get everything in by Nov 1. The trip was above what we could afford, but EA required he be present so we did it. After 6,000+ miles, thousands of dollars, late night essays, prescreens, he has been…deferred. In other words, no answer. After all that effort to be EA. Ugh.
Following that, I started to kind of panic about his list. Miami was one of the ones in our mid-price-range based on guesstimates at scholarships. When you remove Miami, and remove his very lowest cost safety that he is not super excited about, that leaves us with three financial target schools. However one of them, UNT, is super hard to get into, so we can’t count on it at all.
It’s like Miami was somehow holding this list together! So weird, like options just shrank. 
But here we are!
I know he only needs one great school. Still, I feel like maybe he should apply to one or two more that have Feb 1 or Feb 15 deadlines, just for options. The thing that concerns me is not knowing anything about the peer skill levels and faculty at all these schools. It seems like a big mish mash of info, with several cool schools jumping out at me only now after deadlines have passed. Boo.
I have to remind myself that the two remaining targets, after you remove all else, are schools I think he would love. He’s been admitted to one of them (CU Denver) and has an audition coming up at the other (Loyno). Is it time to just stop at that? I have no idea.
Somewhere in the recesses of my brain, I seem to remember a year with many jazz applicants on here…and hearing that most music students get deferred to RD at Miami…begging the questions of why to do it. Before you assume that he will not get in, you may want to explore that deferral rate a bit more. I could be wrong about this…but I vaguely remember something on this years ago.
2 Likes
I recently learned that Miami defers a lot of people in all majors, not just music. We talked with our kid about that and he was expecting it. It’s actually been good to have one school completed and out of the way.
I do think he has a chance of admittance in March/April, and now I just wonder about stuff I’m learning about housing availability and costs there. It’ll be an interesting day, if an acceptance at Miami comes at the last minute with $$!
1 Like
One school that did not show up in my searches of jazz programs is Shenandoah, I think because the Jazz & Commercial program is brand new. I assume it’s highly selective, but I wonder if it might be a cool time to get into and be part of a new program. It’s a little hard for me to tell, but it says it’s a rolling admission process, but that audition times fill up. It’s unclear until you apply to see if an audition is possible.
Love that! Thanks for the report!
To piggyback on this - when my son was going to apply EA for Miami the tuba prof told him not to bc he would listen to all of the prescreen recordings at the same time and make decisions then. Not sure if this might be the case for the auditions as well? I understand the frustration. These students work so very hard and the deadlines put extra pressure on them. I’m sure you will hear an acceptance soon- don’t be discouraged. 
4 Likes