<p>Can anyone here share their insight on Curtis VP auditions? I've done several CC searches and read a few things already. It seems there's not a whole lot posted about Curtis here on CC. POTO Mom wrote a great review of her D's experience several years ago. Anybody else?</p>
<p>Things I'm curious about:</p>
<p>*Anything and everything you'd like to express about your own Curtis VP Audition experience!
*The general format of VP auditions.
*How many people would you say were there to audition that year?
*How many received callbacks?
*How many were selected?
*The format of the callbacks.
*One poster, a few years ago, said something like, "Only 4 were accepted, and it was a veritable who's who of performers." In what way? They were already relatively famous and accomplished singers with big resumes??</p>
<p>I don't have high hopes for a lot of response, simply because there's so little posted about this already. But is there anybody who can share some personal insight?</p>
<p>I do know they have only a certain number of singers in each voice category at any given time. Therefore depending on who thy already have, they may need for example only 2 baritones, 1 soprano, etc.</p>
<p>We have heard âMany are called, few are chosenâ which I guess means that they audition many more people than they have slots for (2 bass, 2 baritone, 2 tenor, etc) But, of course, I donât really know. One year, I was told that something like 20 baritones auditioned for one place.</p>
<p>Before I get jumped onâŠyes, I know that that is what every music school does. I just get the impression that the odds are even worse for Curtis.</p>
<p>There have been high profile singers out of Curtis, but the singers chosen do not not all grow up to be superstars, just like every other school. They will be interested in voice, voice, and voice, plus performance skills and their current needs, plus that special spark. So sparkle, sing wonderfully and movingly, and all will be well. It is all anyone can do.</p>
<p>For one thing, as I have understood the process, applicants present a resume and recommendations, but not (?) a performance CD or DVD. (This be old information, not currently valid.). At any rate, in that instance, when applicants appear, there may not have been actual pre screening vis-a-vis the actual sound, musicality, and musicianship. This may lead to some shortened audition sessions. I believe performers are scheduled by blocks of time, an hour long (?), in an order determined when applicants sign in. There are call backs for those under continuing consideration. (I have several professional friends who have either been students or final applicants there, in different fields of musical performance, so this information is a hodgepodge from what they have said about their experiences.) It is not uncommon for a student to transfer there in the middle of degree work or after completing a degree elsewhere to get another degree at same level. The point is that for singers, they do want maturity, not just promise.</p>
<p>This year, though, and I think in recent years past, VP majors DO submit prescreens, and the prescreen DVDs are reviewed prior to awarding auditions. Thatâs why the audition decisions were delayed this year, Christopher Hodges wrote. Because they hadnât had a chance to review the prescreens on the timeline that they expected. </p>
<p>I think youâre right, though, that some (most?) instruments are not prescreened.</p>
<p>I did not know that itâs not uncommon for a student to transfer there in the middle of degree work. Really? Thatâs interesting.</p>
<p>InterestingâŠI know a singer who applied last year and was invited to audition, and I am almost positive she did not submit prescreen, just her resume and references. It may depend on voice type? Or things may have changed this year? Regardless, this yearâs requirements and procedures are all that count for your young musicians. </p>
<p>I do know a baritone who started MM at MSM, transferred to Curtis in the middle of the program. I also know a mezzo who is in the middle of MM in another part of the country who is currently applying to transfer into the program. The baritone was phenomenal on stage with a good, though not great, voice. The mezzo is an outstanding vocal talent, excellent performer. The line is shorter or longer depending on the voice type.</p>
<p>^That is really interesting. No wonder they need and accept so few! If people are transferring mid-year into the program (and people who already have SOME graduate experience under their belt, no less), why would they even want to take somebody âright off the street?â Intriguing.</p>
<p>I donât think it matters two whits what degree, if any, a singer has, if the voice is truly wonderful, the technique is solid, and the person is an intriguing performer. It also helps if the voice type is less common. So off the street, out of a graduate program, from another country, whatever, the choice is made based on what they hear and see.</p>
<p>lorelei, was your friend maybe one of those who âknew somebodyâ or was currently working under somebody whose opinion was respected well enough that they wink-winked her through the application process just a little bit??</p>
<p>Weâve known only 2 people who applied for VP and were invited to audition. This was years ago. One decided not to attend the audition at the last minute. The other attended the audition, made it through to callbacks, and felt that her lack of theory knowledge was the tie-breaker that eliminated her. Both of our acquaintances were high schoolers applying as undergrads; both went through the process many years ago; and my son wasnât interested in applying to Curtis at the time. So we didnât ask as many questions as we would today! Weâve since lost touch. They also had to submit prescreens.</p>
<p>Curiosity was killing me⊠I just checked the Curtis website. It appears that prescreening is required for Voice and Opera applicants ONLY. So it looks like most people DONâT have prescreens at Curtis.</p>
<p>Her teacher is the person who told me about her progress through her grad school applications. I know her teacher well, and she would have told me if there was an inside contact. I am almost positive there was not.</p>
<p>Simplelife, I have chatted with so many folks about auditions and applications, I could be remembering Curtisâs process incorrectly, so donât read too much into my report, except for the specifics about the singers I have known who auditioned there and how good they were!</p>
<p>SimpleLife, you are so much like I was when my son was doing string auditions. I was trying to find out every detail about how everywhere did what. I missed a lot, and most of what I learned was not particularly relevant to anything except me being about to visualize how it would be or what to expect. And that is the thing, you can never imagine what it will be like, how it will go, whether anyone will react in a particular way. So just chill and enjoy the time with your son. He will do fine, and he will find the right place for him. Hugs.</p>
<p>Itâs been a few years but what I remember is that you never know really what they need that year (some in the inner circle do) so you could be spending alot of money on applications and audition fees and then they end up picking one tenor. That is the reason singers apply after starting out in another place, an opening for their fach has become available. You remain at Curtis for as long as they deem necessary so it is not necessarily a four year path. Singers audition (or did) in their blackbox theater which is disconcerting because is seemed to be accoustically deadened. Was quite a suprise. Everyone was very cordial including all the auditionees, so tell her to just relax and do her best.</p>
<p>Does anyone think it is worth calling before the audition to find out if an opening for my Dâs voice type is available? She has been invited to audition (after a pre-screen), but some of these comments have me worried that the trip will be a waste of money. Or do the faculty simply listen for voices they feel positive about, regardless of type (which is what Iâve been led to believe at Q&A sessions in two recent auditions). Iâm anxious about spending hundreds of dollars to visit when there is little or no chance of an offer. Any thoughts? Or any idea of how many students are invited to audition? Also, we have no connection with anyone at the school, so the comments about needing to know someone there have me a little nervous, too.</p>
<p>This information is from 2011, so it is fairly recent. The VP audition process at Curtis was very pleasant. The people could not have been more friendly. There were grad school and transfer students auditioning at the same time, so it was difficult to say how many were auditioning for undergraduate spots. They had a quick information session in the morning, then everyone came back for their allotted audition times. The audition space was quite dead, as mentioned above. In the afternoon, they posted call backs, which consisted of a theory exam and further auditions. My daughter did not get a call back, but her friends said that the later audition was in a different venue with better sound. That year, Curtis took one undergraduate female (donât remember voice part). The year before, I believe they took one tenor. I doubt they will tell you in advance what âslotsâ they have open because they want to hear everyone and they want to keep their options open, understandably. It was a great experience for us, but we are fairly local and did not have to spend significant sums to get there. Hope this helps. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks, Wundone1, this makes me feel a little better. You can probably tell this is my first child to go through the process. My D was thrilled to pass the pre-screen, but understands weâve already spent quite a lot of money taking her to other auditions. Still, she would be terribly disappointed not to have her shot at Curtis, so we will likely take our chances. Itâs good to hear the visit was pleasant, not just a cattle-call!</p>
<p>@ABlestMom and wundone1, thanks for the insight! It does help, I think, to know ahead of time that the audition room may be dead. The fewer surprises, the better. ABlestMom, did your D make the final cut? And did she attend?</p>
<p>@annie43, I have read somewhere over time (I think on CC) that some people have called ahead to ask. Somewhere, at some time, I read something that suggested as much. It will cost a small fortune to attend the audition. Especially if our kids get a Mar 21 audition slot and have to plan on sticking around until Mar 24 for Mar 23 callbacks. Iâm not complaining. Really! My son feels so blessed to have the opportunity. But it would be disappointing to discover after the fact that they really werenât considering his voice type this year due to lack of openings!</p>
<p>Holy smokes, wundone1. One female one year and one tenor the next? Incredibly small odds.</p>
<p>annie43, we feel the same way â though weâve mulled the idea of him placing a call to inquire, I donât think he can pass up the opportunity to try no matter what they might say if he did call. As a graduate applicant, my son has made a few contacts over the years, but he is by no means âwell-connected.â I really donât think any of the applicants will need to know someone anyway. If you were worried about the question I asked (âwas she wink-winked through?â), THAT was just a stab in the dark that carried no water at all. The person in question WASNâT wink-winked through. I was just asking on a weird hunch. And my guess was wrong.</p>
<p>Best of luck in the process! We may be in the same room at the same time in about 6 weeks! :)</p>
<p>For Dâs grad apps one of my Dâs UG teachers was a Curtis alumna ,she was still well connected with the faculty and called ahead for her. She discovered that though they were auditioning Mezzoâs, they were not planning on having a slot available. So D nixed the overly expensive and futile âopportunityâ. And yes, that year there were no Mezzoâs taken. But if you have ample funds and time, go for it. Every audition can be a sort of learning experience.</p>
It is all anyone can do.</p>
Anybody?</p>