<p>KnowCurtis - I don’t want to start a war, but this is from the Curtis website:</p>
<p>Admissions to the Curtis Institute of Music are based on artistic promise alone. Enrollment is limited to the number of musicians needed for a symphony orchestra, opera department, and select programs in piano, composition, conducting, organ, guitar, and harpsichord.</p>
<p>Just saying.</p>
<p>Curtis is no different then any other music school, they have a certain number of slots available and they fill them based on the auditions. If someone sings or plays well enough that they are the best soprano or violinist in the audition, then they will get in (Curtis, on instruments at least, are different then most schools, if you get in, they assign a teacher to you or the teachers grab the students; in other programs, students specify preferences, and if a teacher on the list says yes, he/she is in).</p>
<p>If they had 10 great clarinettists audition, they still would prob only take the 1 they might have been planning to that year. Most schools also overadmit (i.e they accept more students then they have slots for, due to knowing not all students accepted will go there), but with a program like Curtis I suspect their enrollment to acceptance rate is prob near if not 100%. Maybe, just maybe, if they had let’s say 7 incredible violinists, for example, audition, and had only 6 slots technically open, they may open another slot, but from what I hear, that is rare. As the website says, they admit students to fill open spots, and as a result, a lot of incredibly talented people don’t get admitted there. The reality is that kids could be auditioning for no open slots, you just don’t know.</p>
<p>Post audition recap
D had her last audition yesterday at Curtis. We went into it with the attitude that we would have a fun trip to Philadelphia, forget about the cost, she would sing her heart out and see where the chips landed. We loved the city, as well as Curtis’ location steps away from a pretty little park and in an eclectic shopping, restaurant area. The institute building itself was beautiful–lots of wood paneling, antique furniture, gorgeous stonework, etc. The 28 or so singers auditioned were mostly girls, with maybe five boys. Chris Hodges (who is exactly like Project Runway’s Tim Gunn in appearance, accent, and manner–we had fun with that!) was very warm and welcoming. He told the students they should all be very proud of themselves for making it past pre-screen–a select group of 75 who would be auditioned. Everyone was happy and looking forward to auditions. Now, my daughter has auditioned and performed a lot, and always comes away feeling that the panel enjoyed her singing–there has always been something–a smile, a laugh, a few kind words–that has made her feel positive, regardless of the outcome. Not so at Curtis. The auditor, Mikael Eliasen, who is highly admired and respected as a judge of vocal talent, was alone in the room with a Curtis student. He spoke only two words during the entire audition–the name of the song he wanted D to sing. No smiles, no welcome. Now, I said D was a performer–she puts her whole heart into her singing and has wonderful acting abilities. Yet Mr Eliasen missed all this as he did not look up from his notepad. (We had researched the school and read interviews with him in which he spoke as though he very much valued the ability of singers to emote and perform, so this surprised us.) D came out quite unhappy that he had barely looked at her and seemed from the moment she opened her mouth that he wished she was done already. She did her best, and left. As we waited three hours for the callback list, I noticed the same looks of confusion/distress on the faces of many of the singers as they returned from auditions. I don’t know what happened in their auditions, of course, but there was none of the bright chatter and laughter we’ve come to expect from other auditions. Of the 28 singers, 3 were called back (two girls, one boy); sadly, my daughter’s name was not on the list. It didn’t take D too long to cheer up afterwards, and we’ve enjoyed chatting about the Tim Gunn look-alike, the highlight of our day. </p>
<p>In retrospect, Curtis seems to be a wonderful school and I’m sure Mr Eliasen knows what he is listening for (which is probably why he auditions alone). Would we do it again? Despite the results, probably yes. It was costly, but D entered the audition with a good attitude and hopefully took away a lesson or two about the audition process (the first note that comes out of your mouth can be the deciding factor). Would I advise others to accept audition invitations from Curtis? Again, yes, if your budget allows. I’d say prepare well (especially the first notes), then go in and show what you can do, but don’t pin your hopes on this school. And be sure to plan some downtime to enjoy being with your son or daughter in a beautiful city!</p>
<p>Just to add to some earlier questions in this thread:</p>
<p>My daughter applied in fall 2012 for an oboe audition. Curtis usually takes one student, sometimes two, and other times none, in a given year. After my daughter submitted her application, she was advised about two days later that there would be no oboe audition this year, and our money was refunded.</p>
<p>@woodwinds- that’s usually the way Curtis has done things in the past and it’s the polite things to do. It’s apparent that they’re auditioning far too many VP applicants this year though.</p>
<p>In general, I caution against using names or even being too specific in these posts just because the music world is very small and people take offense at the weirdest things!</p>
<p>Mezzo’sMama, thanks for the advice. I’ve tried to go back and edit my post, but the Help FAQ tells me no edits are possible, other than immediately after posting. I had no idea that music professionals took this site so seriously or that I shouldn’t assume anonymity for my daughter. I also didn’t think my post was especially negative–just our reactions to an unusual audition process. I admire Curtis for its transparency–they are completely upfront about their fees and their low acceptance rate. We did our research in advance and made a well-informed decision to attend the audition, despite the cost. I do not feel we were misled in any way. I still think the school is exceptional and everything I’ve read about the vocal director leads me to admire all he has achieved. Though I have talked to or read about voice experts who say it is possible to know everything they need about a singer with just a few notes, I don’t think I entirely believe this. At 17 or 18 years old, I think it is possible to identify talent but not necessarily professional potential or even musicality. So much more is involved–maturity, passion, commitment, intelligence, emotional intelligence, resilience–that are simply not in the make-up of students still in their teens. No offense or disrespect to Curtis, its philosophy, or its faculty was intended–just what I thought may be some helpful insights for those considering the school next year.</p>
<p>annie43,
Thank you so much for your informative post! That was so thoughtful of you to come back here and report on your daughter’s experience. Especially, imo, since it was not a wholly positive experience. It sounds like you and your D walked away with a great attitude, had some fun, and made the best of everything. Kudos to you!</p>
<p>Mezzo’sMama has offered a lot of good advice for years. She has a lot to offer, and she’s right that the music world is surprisingly small and that people take offense at the weirdest things. But I perceived that you were simply explaining the facts – your D did this; Mikael Eliasen did that --and then you explained your D’s perception of those facts. Besides, yes, I DO think you have some anonymity here. Mikael Eliasen is not, in all likelihood, going to care that a parent gave what I assume is a fairly accurate description of events at your D’s audition. I presume that he already knows that people go home and talk about their experiences. I also presume that he could give a flying flip about College Confidential! And even if he did care about anything anybody had to say here, I can’t see why or how he’d take offense at what you had to say. It read to me like a simple description of a somewhat difficult and tense audition, and I think it will be helpful to many readers to come even those who aren’t auditioning at Curtis. It’s a fact that some auditions are like that. And I believe it’s helpful for young auditioners to know going in that those types of auditions might happen to them!</p>
<p>So, thanks for sharing! :)</p>
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<p>I agree, Mezzo’sMama. It does sound like they’re auditioning far too many VP applicants. And annie43 was just describing ONE block on ONE day’s schedule! There are supposedly THREE DAYS of VP auditions! Holy smokes. The odds of making it through to the other side are crazy small!</p>
<p>Best of luck to all!</p>
<p>I’m going to go out on a limb here, after thinking about this for a bit…and I will dodge the rotten tomatoes that anyone might want to throw my way for saying this. In my experience, the best way to listen is with my eyes closed. I do it all the time so that I am not influenced by what I see. It has been a revelation, to say the least, to have a singer in the house who has enlightened us to the world of vocal performance. Stage presence is important, but should never trump true musical talent. Perhaps the person in charge was merely trying to listen to the voice itself without distractions. An institution like Curtis does not need to be friendly (it would be nice), considering the ratio of applicants vs. openings. In addition, the apparent coldness of the process might be a carefully thought out decision-afterall, how many posts on this forum have been from people wanting to know what a smile/nod/conversation might mean for the outcome of their audition? Perhaps, in the interest of fairness, the person in charge keeps his head down in order to listen and not give away anything positive or negative, or influence the performer. One cannot visually see the emotion in the performance…it’s there in the phrasing, etc. and can be heard. The stage presence should be secondary to the music. I actually applaud Curtis for the way that they have handled their auditions-it sounds as though they are trying to make this a blind process, similar to the instrumental auditions for a professional orchestra. (I think I just heard a tomato thrown my way…LOL) The fact that they have so few openings and allow so many applicants is a good thing as one can only tell so much about a performer from a video-nothing can replace the live sound at an audition. They are casting a wide net in order not to miss the possibility of a losing out on a great student, which is very positive. And once again, those who do make it through their pre-screening process obviously have something very good happening, and should take it as encouragement. This is a great lesson for those who are trying to make it in the business-the competition only gets more intense. </p>
<p>Hopefully, for future reference, next year’s round of VP candidates will read this thread and go in with complete awareness…CC is great for that.</p>
<p>And now…tomatoes please!</p>
<p>The other thing I give kudos to Curtis for is the immediate answer for many who audition. If you do not make call backs you know you were not accepted. It is hard to wait around for weeks to receive that notice.</p>
<p>Thanks ProMusician–it is very possible that “blind-listening” was the aim, especially from an auditor who has said in interview that he hears close to 400 singers a year. The trouble with young performers, though, is that their perception that the auditor is not engaged will affect their singing. Bit of a Catch 22. But all’s well–D brushed herself off and moved on. She now knows to prepare herself for this type of audition in the future. I am not a musician, but over the years I have had the opportunity to listen to hundreds of young performers and watch their development. I know that these young people have a tough road ahead of them and must prepare for rejection, but I also have seen that the mildest words of encouragement can provide them the boost they need to stay committed and keep improving. At this point, they are all seeking an education, not a professional engagement–I think the auditors should be sensitive to the difference between the two.</p>
<p>ProMusician, I think you’re right on all counts. The same thing occurred to me when I read annie’s description of the listener who had his head down the whole time. He may find that to be the most effective way to discern what he’s looking for. I don’t get why you felt you were going out on a limb to say that, lol. I cant see why you might expect rotten tomatoes to be hurled your way, silly, except for the fact that CC can be a rough crowd! 
You make some very good points!</p>
<p>I praise annie for her forthright description of her D’s experience (I think it will be helpful to others in the future, and that’s why we all come to these threads), and you may be on to something in your analysis of why she had that experience.</p>
<p>Or, perhaps the guy had no conscious reason in mind at all when he had his head down! Who knows? 
My son tells me that it’s counter-productive and/or useless to ever second-guess the various actions, sounds, or words that might come from an audition panel during an audition or following a rejection. Nobody will ever know–and much of what one experiences may well be entirely meaningless or without intention or awareness.</p>
<p>Singersmom07, we have had the same thought ourselves. What a blessing that will be, to have a relatively instant answer! Sweet.</p>
<p>LOL-thanks everyone…I guess I’m just used to people hurling tomatoes my way at this point in my life. And yes, young performers do need to realize that not all who are listening are going to offer encouragement during an audition. It’s a tough lesson, but the sooner learned, the better. At some point, those who want to make it in the business need to learn how to focus solely on their performance, regardless of the circumstances. A few years ago, my D was singing her heart out and was incensed that the guy in the front row was sleeping and someone else was sending a text, and neither were paying attention to her. I told her to get used to it, at least he wasn’t snoring and it will get worse. ; ) No distraction at the Curtis audition is a good thing, as uncomfortable as it may seem. </p>
<p>All in all, a callback from Curtis is encouragement and should be embraced, regardless of the outcome. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Dead on ProMusician!! Please don’t hesitate to post…anyone who hurls tomatoes at you is not worth our time to read their tirade.</p>
<p>My S also did the Curtis whirlwind last season, and didn’t make the Finals…but neither he nor his mother/myself were sorry he auditioned (of course, we were close enough to make a roughly 9 hour drive to the audition…his mother and I both had vacation time available…and we were able to book premium hotel space for multiple nights for free using Loyalty points). </p>
<p>As a tenor, he (in some respects) probably tried to talk himself into the notion that “there’s always room for a good tenor”…but most importantly, he left the audition stating it was (to that point) one of THE best he’d done. Under the circumstances, if your child is fortunate enough to walk out the front door with that attitude (even after the disappointment), you really can’t ask a whole lot more. </p>
<p>In retrospect…though we quickly recognized this during the process…Curtis just isn’t the kind of place for which you can go-in “assuming” anything; anyone who does so, IMO, simply invites disappointment (which, we all know, is always the case when subjective judgment is part of the equation). You’ve mentioned the non-emotional approach of the auditioner; upon reflection, I suspect you’ll appreciate his reason for being that way when you consider the sheer enormity of the talent passing through on audition day each year.</p>
<p>One more little tidbit of the experience; I recall my S trying to navigate the Day awaiting the decision to move on, as well as his management of the aftermath. One thing I distinctly recall him saying he learned after talking to some Curtis students during the day was that, while Curtis apparently DOES have a “quota” (for lack of a better term) for given voices, he got the equally distinct impression the auditioner will (and does) accept applicants who…for reasons not immediately evident/explainable, and again, for lack of a better term…“strike his fancy”. </p>
<p>I recall him talking of one current student he met…might have been a junior…who had nothing in the way of a “traditional” background (he may have been more a lead-singer-in-a-band type) coming in. The impression my S got was that the auditioner, for reasons unknown, simply found some qualities in this applicant’s voice that (again, my words here) just “struck his fancy”.</p>
<p>A year later, I remain under the impression this student…even several years into his Curtis career…was somewhat dumbstruck that he was actually offered admission.</p>
<p>My son auditioned for Curtis this past week. His experience and conclusions about the experience very closely mirror wvuguy’s son’s experiences and conclusions (above).</p>
<p>My son’s experience was different than annie43’s D’s experience for some reason that is not likely explicable and not worth evaluating. Like annie’s daughter, my son did not make callbacks.</p>
<p>I hope that what I have to share, from my son’s perspective and recollection, is somehow helpful to somebody in the future. I want to shy away from any identifying information, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to be super specific.</p>
<p>My son went in assuming nothing. It was helpful just knowing the odds. The chances of getting in are slim to none. So he found it easier to accept the “rejection” from Curtis than from other opportunities in the past.</p>
<p>From the start, the place and people were very warm and welcoming. The admissions director, Christopher Hodges, who ran the show, was kind and professional and made it clear that he was empathetic to their cause. He had been in their shoes in the past, he said, and so he went out of his way to make the process as painless as possible. He treated them very professionally. And, best of all, he ran everything on a tight, predictable schedule. He told them exactly how it was going to be … and it was exactly that! Nice.</p>
<p>To my son’s knowledge, his group and the group following his were made up of grad school applicants. There were roughly an equal number of men and women.</p>
<p>The applicants drew numbers for a warm-up time. The warm-up times were then clearly announced, and then posted on the wall. Each applicant was led to a warm-up room as his/her time approached. They were each given 30-40 minutes to warm up based on whether the applicant before them was running late or early in their audition. When it was time to audition, the applicant was led from the warm-up room to the audition space.</p>
<p>My son is not sure who was in the audition room. He can’t remember! He knows that Mr. Eliasen was in the room, and he thinks that perhaps there was a student or two in the room as well. He’s really not sure, which I think is indicative of his level of focus at the time. He said that Mr. Eliasen was welcoming and friendly from the start. He greeted my son by name, with a smile, and wasn’t intimidating in any way. There was water on the stage for the singers, which my son thought was a very nice touch. He sang his first aria of his own choosing. Then, Mr. Eliasen chose an aria. While my son was singing each aria, he thought Mr. Eliasen appeared engaged and friendly. My son raved about the accompanist. </p>
<p>His audition went very, very well. He left the audition room feeling extremely good about his performance. He thought he just might get a callback because it went so well.</p>
<p>Christopher Hodges mentioned that he’d post callbacks on the wall by a certain hour. He also mentioned that he’d try to email each applicant immediately after he posted the list so that they wouldn’t necessarily have to return to the building. He did just that. (But my son didn’t think to check his email – he went back to the building to check the list.) Out of the two groups who had auditioned that morning, 4 were selected for callbacks. As I said, my son did not make the list. To my son’s knowledge, nobody in his specific voice type, out of any group last week, made the callbacks. </p>
<p>I will admit, my son was briefly kind of shocked – like a kick to the gut. I hope that doesn’t sound like he EXPECTED to make callbacks or that he thought too highly of himself. In my book, those are two different things. He didn’t EXPECT to make callbacks, and he doesn’t think too highly of himself, but he knew he did really well in his audition, and his hopes were very high, and he probably wouldn’t allow himself to think negative things until he read the list. Anyway, he was very disappointed initially. One goes in with so much hope, even knowing the odds. But fortunately, he recovered from the disappointment fairly quickly.</p>
<p>As wvuguy said, “Under the circumstances, if your child is fortunate enough to walk out the front door with that attitude <a href=“even%20after%20the%20disappointment”>feeling like he did his best</a>, you really can’t ask a whole lot more.” That’s exactly how we feel.</p>
<p>From what we’ve seen and heard so far, (I’ll speak for myself, not my son) I would also agree with the rest of wvuguy’s post regarding that whole “strike his fancy” thing.</p>
<p>Overall, it was a very good experience for my son. It didn’t have the outcome he desired, but he’s really glad he did it. I’m glad, too.</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks for your recollections wvuguy. They are only doing 2 voice audition days this year. They said to make yourself available until 5pm of the audition day so they will be done the same day. I think men are Tuesday and women are Wednesday. The cut will be in the afternoon and then if you make that, then you go back later in the afternoon. At least the waiting won’t be as bad. We are hopeful for our D but we will realize that it is a long shot (especially as a Soprano) and we are going into it prepared to just have a good professional experience (and try to experience Philly a little). </p>
<p>wvuguy, was your approximate total number of 75 and the 12-15 making the cut both men and women? Does your son enjoy CCM? He must be in his second year now? </p>
<p>SimpleLife, I also appreciate you including your insight into the audition process at Curtis. I think the most you can expect is to please yourself by doing the best you can and it sounded like your S did that. You had a great attitude about it. Approximately how many people were there in 2013? How many days of auditions did they do?</p>
<p>I was told prelims Tuesday (men and women) and call backs Wed. 3-5PM</p>
<p>I agree with vivasolar, info we got says call backs are Wed.</p>