<p>Is it critical to take lessons with teachers before auditions? I told S to choose three schools for lessons. He thinks he might be at a disadvantage if he doesn't take lessons from all of the schools to which he is applying. He wants to apply in the Midwest and in the East. We live in California. Taking lessons from all of the teachers he will audition for will be very expensive, will require my husband to take off a lot of time from work (or we'll have to split it), and my son will miss a lot of school (and his is not a forgiving institution). It's going to be tough enough to fly to all of the schools for auditions.<br>
If it's really critical, we'll make the necessary sacrifices...but is it? I know it's preferable to meet teachers in a lesson setting....but S is very easy going and works well with many different personalities..he's had very difficult teachers/conductors and very nurturing ones...he's fine with both.
Are there some schools that place more emphasis on taking lessons before auditions?
As usual, thanks for the help. The logistics are starting to seem overwhelming.</p>
<p>I don't personally know of any place that puts "more" emphasis on taking lessons before auditions. The reality is that the audition is the most important part of the application process for prospective music performance majors. Now...having said that, I think it is important for any prospective major to have at least some sense of their possible private teachers. The private teacher is the single most important (in my opinion) and influential person the student will spend significant time with over four years. DS auditioned at seven schools. He had lessons prior to auditions with teachers at all seven schools. Logistically it wasn't a huge issue for us, except for the DC area schools where we actually spent a week during April of Junior year. It was a close enough drive to three other schools. The remaining two were different. For one, DS saw the teacher at a more "local" music festival in the summer prior to his senior year. And for the last one, the teachers were most accommodating (actually two at this school) and he had his lessons the day after his audition (which I do NOT believe is the norm). DS began the private teacher lessson quest when he was a junior in high school, and had all those "sample lessons" done by July of the summer prior to his senior year (except the one done at the audition). It would be virtually impossible to do this once senior year has begun, in my opinion. Re: school absences...you should talk to the school about this. DS missed a ton of days of school his senior year between auditions, music festivals, honors music ensembles, and the like. We had a serious discussion about the audition issues with the school BEFORE the year began. They were very understanding. Another option is to take lessons AFTER acceptances come in. Some schools will be prepared to assign the student to a specific studio at acceptance.</p>
<p>my son wanted to go to a conservatory in the NE and arranged lessons with teachers at each of the schools. When applying for admission - the applications asked for 1st, and 2nd choices of teachers. MY son knew who he wanted to study with and who he didn't want to study with after his lessons. As a parent - I was really glad to meet each of the teachers and really appreciated that. The bios on the web don't tell everything you need to know - teaching style, personality, communication. After the one lesson with a MSM teacher - my son said - that is the sound I want!! after hearing the teacher play demonstrating in the lesson. Long story short - my son decided where to apply after the practice lessons - and literally crossed a couple schools off his list based on these lessons. My son's top school choice was MSM after having his 2 favorite teachers in practice lessons at MSM. In his MSM audition in March - both of these teachers were on his jury and greeted him by name. He had his best audition at MSM and said he was really relaxed and that it made a major difference in his performance. He got accepted at MSM to the studio of his first choice teacher with a nice scholarship. </p>
<p>I can't emphasize how important the practice lessons were. My two middle kids play cello and are currently in Elementary school, voicing interest in music careers. Without a doubt - we will do the practice lessons prior to college auditions if they go the music major route</p>
<p>I would definitely do a lesson at the safety, and then whichever schools you decide not to visit/have a lesson at, make sure you do the audition on campus. A lot of teachers think that if the student doesn't make an effort to get to the campus at least once, then they are not really interested.</p>
<p>I have to agree with violamandad.</p>
<p>The logistics can be very difficult because of geography. We had an easier time as Son's schools were all in greater NYC area.<br>
It's a two way street as violamandad said. Your student can eliminate some schools if he just doesn't click with a certain teacher. Happened with one of my son's schools also.
Mostly, the advantage is that comfort level thing. Our son had opportunties to sit in on master classes at one conservatory (helping a friend out with some piece) and made a favorable impression on two teachers who later sat on his audition panel. Son auditioned well there, his confidence certainly bolstered when he was remembered on audition day. He also was offered a merit award. </p>
<p>If geography prohibits lessons at all schools, maybe he can prioritize his top choices?</p>
<p>Thanks for this. Thumper..why is it impossible to do it once senior year has begun? S is in junior year and there has been no time whatsoever to do any of this. He also has a very busy summer and has to come back and prepare his audition tapes before school starts (which gives him a week). That only leaves senior year for lessons (which I know is completely suboptimal...but I'm not sure we have a choice). He has a few days off at the end of October...which could be one group of lessons. Maybe he could take a few days off around Veteran's Day for the rest. That's two trips: one to the East and one to the Midwest. Just shoot me.<br>
Violadad...soon to be cellodad....thanks for the advice. I know in my heart it's the right thing to do, but S has six schools on his list and that's a lot of travel for us. I guess we just have to do it.<br>
Lessons after an audition sounds like an interesting idea. We could definitely do that. I know we shouldn't do regional auditions, but making all of these trips all around the country twice in a year is going to be rough.</p>
<p>Just read the other posts...thank you! I wanted him to prioritize too...but that still puts him all over the country in a week. I'm wondering whether early January is too late for lessons. He doesn't start school until the second week in January. I guess it depends whether the teachers are back yet. Doesn't leave much time before auditions in February and March, but it may be better than nothing.</p>
<p>Hello symphonymom,
I started a thread about this a few weeks ago with more information on this topic:
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=334339%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=334339</a>
I DO think it is important to take some lessons before the auditions, but it is equally important not to drive yourselves crazy or broke in the process. DD learned an enormous amount from the lessons she took, but in fact, the school and teacher she chose in the end was the one we never managed to see ahead of time, not because we didn't want to visit, but because there just wasn't enough time between Sept. and December to make all the trips. Don't underestimate what you and your son will learn from even a few lessons about the kind of teacher and kind of school he wants, even if he doesn't meet every teacher on his list in advance. Also don't forget that there will also be time AFTER the auditons to revisit the schools (as Thumper has pointed out). Be sure to pace yourselves! Your son will also need time to practice and prepare (and perhaps do a little school work in the meantime!)</p>
<p>Dear symphonymom- DS has had numerous private lessons during his junior year...and we have not paid for any of them. His private teacher even told us that if money is mentioned then consider it a red flag. We were able to cover 2 schools at once by taking a lesson from the teacher at Oberlin and the Cleveland Conservatory (one in the same). We have found that many of the better teachers are employed at more than one conservatory/university.</p>
<p>Momnipotent, why is paying for the lessons considered a "red flag"? We have paid for all lessons that DS has had so far (although not meetings...just lessons), and this is from the most disparate group of teachers imaginable, from all different institutions.</p>
<p>I don't consider it a red flag AT ALL! My son asked about the lesson price up front, and we paid it, as I would pay all people who provide a service! I am so curious as to what your son's private teacher meant!</p>
<p>Beats me! We are newbies here, guess we got off lucky!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for this! NYCM...that thread is invaluable. Thanks so much. If teachers are available during Thanksgiving and on weekends, we are in much better shape! I feel very encouraged. Do teachers seem to mind if the lessons are recorded? Has anyone asked to do this? Violinists always record the lessons...trumpeters don't seem to as much.</p>
<p>Interestingly on the subject of cost - I got my checkbook out at each lesson and each teacher except one said - I give 1st lessons free. The one teacher who charged - was actually my son's favorite and the teacher he is assigned to at MSM for the fall. It was quite pricey (over $100/hr - I forget exactly) - but it was priceless - in that, that one hour changed his sound - since he was able to identify the sound he wanted - and she gave him some great guidance achieve it.</p>
<p>Momnipotent...boy, you did get off lucky:) I guess that raises another question: what is protocol for asking how much one owes for a lesson? Does one ask up front or after the lesson with checkbook in hand?</p>
<p>Violamandad..That's good to know! I''m prepared for pricey lessons...especially in NYC. I would agree with you...that is a priceless lesson.</p>
<p>We had been told that you ask in advance, in e-mails, so that you aren't standing at the end of the lesson with a checkbook. My son wrote and asked the teachers, so we knew how much the lessons were. I sat with the prewritten checks, which I then handed discretely to the teacher (I suppose they could have said, "oh, it was on me", but none did!).</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Thumper..why is it impossible to do it once senior year has begun?>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>Well...as I posted earlier, DS was absent a ton just with the auditions, festivals, etc. Adding college trips in the fall while preparing applications, preparing for auditions and writing essays just wasn't possible and would have added many more days off of school. When we checked the schools during Junior year, we found that most schools were actually closed on holiday weekends in the fall (Columbus Day and Veterans Day weekends).</p>
<p>symphonymom- violadad and violamandad be 2 different posters. Other than having similar nom de plumes and being saddled with male progeny who play the instrument associated with some very poor jokes, we are distinct individuals. Besides, I'm sure violamandad is far more handsome than I, (who have been mistaken for Mel Gibson before Mel started to let himself go.)</p>
<p>All kidding aside, it's important to try and get as many reasonable private lessons as possible. Styles and personalities may conflict, yet some kids can work well with anybody. This process is an investment in the future. You're definately paying more money than most new car purchases (at many schools per year)... would you buy without test driving based on the brand name alone? </p>
<p>If you have to limit the number of lessons, try first to eliminate the schools that may not be fits for any number of reasons. You may need to limit geographic parameters, or size of student body in coming to a shortlist and save the lessons for the schools in the bullseye, the first ring and a safety or two. </p>
<p>Sometimes life and reality get in the way. This process is expensive and depending on your available resources, you may be forced to limit the lessons. Just try and get those at the schools that seem the best match across your child's criteria. Give it the best shot within what you feel is reasonable for all involved.</p>
<p>I checked my emails to the teachers that we did see and I DID ask them for particulars regarding fees for lessons and times available. I did ask what was owed and the teachers declined payment. To date we have seen 3 teachers. One teacher continues to email son with info regarding events related to DS instrument.</p>
<p>Just to add a slightly different view. My son, due mainly to finances and lack of knowledge about the proper way to do things, did NOT have any private lessons before auditions. In fact, most of his auditions were regional or sent by tape, again due to finances. What he did, instead, was take a whirlwind trip of his top four acceptances in April, getting lessons then. It may not be the ideal way to do things, but it worked for him, and he is quite happy at the college he chose.</p>
<p>There are lots of great ideas and suggestions in this thread. However, don't drive yourself crazy trying to do the "ideal" if it doesn't work with your schedule and finances. Somehow things seem to work out.</p>