debating violin performance

Hello, I am a high school senior looking for advice about pursuing violin performance in college. My prescreening results are back, and they’ve been a wake-up call of sorts about how realistic my goals are. I can go for final auditions at Indiana, CIM, Eastman, but was rejected by Northwestern, NEC, and Rice. I will also be auditioning at University of Michigan, which does not require prescreening. I also applied as an applied math major to these schools, along with UIUC and Case Western.

Music is my greatest joy, and I am so lucky and grateful to have it in my life. But I think I’ve been living with my head in the clouds for too long and not anticipating how difficult it will be for me to support myself. From the prescreening results, I’ve learned that I’ve been overconfident about my abilities. I should have applied to more schools. Is it possible to “catch up” in four years?

All throughout high school, I never seriously thought of becoming a professional musician until late sophomore year or so. Math was the primary focus, as well as AP classes, extracurricular’s-the standard, favored path at my high school. In terms of a musical education, the gap between my peers and me was extremely wide, and I had little foundation in music theory or chamber music, and this gap probably still exists. I don’t enjoy math anymore for some reason, and dropped my math class for more practice time this year. My parents never expected this, and they are supportive of my double major. I am thankful for their willingness to let me pursue music. But I don’t know if I can get a job in music after graduation.

What sort of “job in music after graduation” did you have in mind?

Remember also that as you are trying to “catch up”, others, who you recognize are already more advanced and better prepared than you, will also be moving forward. So, you will be chasing a moving target. The violin world is incredibly competitive and I admire you for recognizing this and confronting it early on.

One of the hardest things to do in life is to set something “big” in motion and then see it through to the end. At the first hint of failure (a few rejections) you’ll want to bail. Better to give up and say it wasn’t for you than to actually “fail” at something. This may be you or not. But if it rings a tiny bit true I would say it’s a good time to hang tough and do nothing. You’re too deep into the process. I’m not sure your assessments of yourself are correct. So keep on the path until the end and the offers may tell you if you were right or not. Nothing will be lost by trying. And It seems like you made contingency plans for academics too. Smart move. See what offers you get.

But DO talk with your parents about your concerns. The questions you are asking are good and your concerns are normal. Your parents will know your personality well and can help guide you in an area where there are no answers. Maybe if you do get a music acceptance you could go to a school where you could transfer out of music and still get the education you want if you are still on the fence after freshman year. Music and math will be different at the college level and there’s still time to move around.

Good luck!

It looks to me as if you have done really well in prescreens. Indiana, CIM and Eastman. Are you a glass-half-empty kind of person? And Michigan is a great choice too. Then you have your academic back-ups at these schools plus the other two. I think you are in good shape. Once your final results are in, you will have several options, and I think you were smart to keep them all open until April. (My daughter did that too, and decided between conservatory and college on April 30th, the last day!)

You can also keep in mind the possibility of a dual degree when the time comes.

I know how you feel about playing catch up with your instrument, and with theory. But late blooming happens too. Theory tests during audition time are generally truly placement tests, so don’t worry too much about that.

I think your decision to focus on music is a mature one, honestly, and I admire it. Please know that a degree in music is like any other bachelor’s. It does not limit you to one option for career, or one aspect of music either. It allows you to apply to any job that requires a bachelor’s, and gives you access to grad schools, medical, law or business school, and so on (with prerequisites, which can be done after graduation).

You can also work, volunteer or intern during your school years, if you have time, and gain skills related to the work world, music-related or not. My daughter had two internships in music organizations and gained skills that can be applied to any non-profit. We know young people with BM’s who are trying to make a living playing, and some who went to grad school. I know one who went into the entertainment business (agent managing artists), another who manages a theater, and one who is the development officer for a music festival. Music grads do very well with medical school admissions.

These four years really are a chance to pursue what you love to do and don’t have to be specifically vocational. But chances are, your prospects in music will end up better than you think if you work hard and work well with others and grow.

Finally, if you do end up going to the academic side of these institutions, you do not have to go with a major already decided. It is a really healthy thing, if uncomfortable, to have doubts about any path, including math. Take time to explore other subjects that you might not have encountered before. I know someone who was going to major in math but took a class in Russian, and ended up studying in Russia, and changed his major to Russian language and culture. Just a random example.

There are talented musicians who do a BA or BS in something else, continue lessons, practice and performing (in extracurriculars) and who still go on to good grad schools. It is a harder path in terms of development of your playing, but possible.

But right now, you are dealing with auditions and I don’t mean to muddy the waters. You passed at three great conservatories and have UMichigan too. This is a positive sign of your abilities.

I really encourage you to focus on these prescreens that DID pass you on to auditions. The rejections may reflect factors that have nothing to do with you. For instance, there might be only one undergrad spot for violin. If you love music, I hope you will continue and worry about employment after a few years of work. Every conservatory now has the same concern for its grads, and offer business or entrepreneurship classes, as well as gigs and internships. Go for it and good luck!

I was thinking the same thing as compmom. Congratulations on the pre-screens you passed. Those are fantastic schools.

All of the programs you mention have strong to excellent violin programs, so I wouldn’t let being rejected by the schools you did in the pre screen dissuade you,compmom is dead spot on, rejections are never necessarily a good indicator of your level, unless maybe if all the high level schools had rejected you. You never know why a prescreen is rejected, it could be the program has relatively few openings on violin and a ton of prescreen for audition, it could be simply that whoever listened to your prescreen felt you weren’t a fit for that particular program, so much of this is subjective it is hard to tell, and a lot of it can come down to luck of the draw of who is listening to the pre screens, I have heard things from people I trust that there are teachers at some of the programs who listen to prescreens who if they are on the panel, want to reject as many as possible, so they don’t have to listen to too many live auditions, so it all depends. If you really are worried about your skills, if you don’t think your current teacher may not know, if you can seek out a high level teacher you think might know, and pay for an assesment. That is only 1 person’s opinion, but it may give you more perspective on where you are.

As far as that being an indicator of your ‘success’ down the road, I would be careful about that. Not only are the pre screens subjective, with the world of music a failed audition or prescreen is likely to have little relevance to outcome in the music world, because so many things are involved in that ‘success’, including just what it is you want out of music, what your expectations are. I can tell you that more than a few times those who have been the seemingly ‘top’ students end up out of music, while those maybe technically less talented, can end up with something with music that makes them happy, whether they immerse in it full time as a career or it is something they do with other things. A lot of it in the end will come down to what you want and figuring how to get there, and persevering, there is no ‘easy’ path into music, for anyone.

Thank you all for your comments! They’ve really helped me look at this process more positively. I’ll work smart and try my best!

You have done well with prescreens! Good luck with auditions and future choices!

I second the comment above. You’re in a very good spot and just have faith in the process. Carry on and be calm!