<p>It might sound silly, and others can tell you, but I would check with BU to see if they accept voice as your instrument, as a composer. BU and many state U.'s require that a composition applicant also audition for an instrument. Our daughter was an experienced composer, and plays classical guitar: BU and UMass did not accept classical guitar as her instrument, so she could not apply. I would assume that voice is okay, since BU has a voice program, of course, but you might want to check.</p>
<p>Composers who are applying for a BM program usually need to submit 3-4 scores and CD’s by December 1st. Sometimes, one score needs to be handwritten (Oberlin). Midi recordings are acceptable, but live musicians are better. Sometimes musicians.singers in your area will help you out by volunteering, or playing for less money than they normally do.</p>
<p>I would get some done this summer if you can, then work with your school or other choral groups in the fall as well.</p>
<p>You might want to buy or borrow a recording device such as the zoom H-2 (google it!).</p>
<p>BM applicants are usually judged mainly by the music itself, just as instrumentalists are evaluated mainly by auditions. Often, for composition applicants, there are interviews and exams in theory or music history (which, they say, are for placement purposes). One school we know has an overnight composition assignment (Manhattan).</p>
<p>If you are interested in a BM, you might want to get yourself a teacher, for the summer and fall. A teacher can help you with a lot of this, and, of course, help you with your composing. This can be expensive, but there are ways to keep costs down. Our daughter wrote a lot of music last year but saw her teacher maybe 4 times, when her material was ready, for instance. A good teacher costs $50-60+ an hour.</p>
<p>You might also want to take some theory classes this fall (or maybe you have already). Does your school offer them? Is there a conservatory prep anywhere near you, or a college where you could take a class on weekends? There are also online options.</p>
<p>If you are applying to a college rather than conservatory or music school, for a BA program, then you can handle the application by sending an arts supplement to the regular application. In this case, one score and CD would be fine, along with, maybe, a program from a concert, or a newspaper article, or, somewhere in the application a note about how you won that competition in November! The deadline is later, so there is more time: usually January 1 or 15.</p>
<p>Schools that come to mind for me, in addition to the ones you mention, include Ithaca, Lawrence, Macalaster, Carleton, Oberlin…Sarah Lawrence, Bennington, Skidmore, Goucher, Bard…a few of these have both conservatory and college, with a “low wall,” and a few have double degrees for both BM and BA.</p>
<p>If you are auditioning/applying for a BM, it can be exhausting to do too many schools, and you are wise to set limits, though you could do 6. However, if you are applying for a BA program, you could consider applying to more.</p>
<p>I think it is wonderful that your are starting on this path, and good luck!</p>