With the pandemic, my thread feels trivial as so many undergrads, such as myself, are concerned and confused as to what the next 10 years will hold. Nevertheless, I’m going to have faith and keep pursuing my degree despite the prospects of a career in the arts not being so bright right now. Also, now that we are all quarantined, I am forced to be with my thoughts more often so perhaps posting and receiving advice from experienced students and parents will bring some comfort.
In the fall, I am going to be a senior majoring in violin performance which means that grad school auditions are coming up. Unfortunately, I did not have the best undergrad experience for a music major. My violin teacher highly discouraged attending summer festivals so I never went to any despite successfully auditioning for a few, my orchestra never had the same conductor for more than a year because they did not manage to hire anyone until this month, the only chamber music experience I had was performing with a piano trio one semester, and my violin studio rarely held studio class. Additionally, I have been told by professors that I need to continue graduate studies because at a “towering” four foot eight, I was going to struggle teaching high school and middle school orchestras because conductors aren’t that short. (If there’s any short music teachers out there, please let me know! It will make me feel better!!) However, because I could not afford transferring and had my undergrad paid for by the university, I stayed put. My teacher somehow believes that I can make it to a top-tier music school such as Rice and does not recommend a gap year. However, looking back on the repertoire I covered during these past three years and my resume, I feel that I need to take a year off to build up my repertoire and perhaps attend a festival or two in the summer of next year because in the end I would love to teach violin (or music history because I have become a complete dork haha) at a university/college. Would a gap year look bad to admissions even if I take the year to improve and keep playing with my local symphony? I hope everyone is staying safe out there.
Gap years are fine. Your personal reasons for a gap year seem great to me. (Improving your craft and gaining more experience.) Note of caution: before you decide to take a gap year, line up with your high school ways to get them to send the transcripts etc you will need for applying to schools when you do. It’s probably a simple matter of getting to know your Guidance Counselor there, communicating with him/her your plans, getting a plan in place for the time you apply–whatever they recommend you do.
Most people here recommend that you first get into college then take a gap year because of there might be a difficulty getting these documents from your high school. But as a parent of gapping / gapped child, I personally found no issues.
As far as being limited by size to do a career in conducting–bah humbug to all that. Your stature is just fine. It’s perfect for you. If you need a taller podium, that can be arranged.
I say, you have a nice solid plan in place. Go for it!
@Dustyfeathers The original poster is in college and asking about a gap year going into MM program.
@CherrySakura002 There is no harm in applying to 4-5 grad programs to see what your chances are. You might be surprised! If audition is king, you will have a lot of time this summer to practice and the playing field is somewhat leveled since there are many cancellations of festivals. Think more about what you want to do: conducting? Teaching violin? Performing? History? Target your application to the right department and roll the dice. You will never know the outcome unless you try it! I think your lack of festival experience is preventing you from knowing your relative talent. Application prescreens can give the same information. What is there to lose in making an attempt? Just clarify your direction over the summer. Good luck.
P.S. A gap year is not a bad thing but you need discipline to really improve and grow and to find a good private teacher to keep up lessons.
@CherrySakura002 I have no answers about the gap year, but I am a middle school teacher, and you can be a middle or high school teacher at any height! I promise! I work with plenty of teachers (in all content areas) who are shorter than their students. The orchestra teacher at my middle school and a high school in the district was tiny. She was probably 4’11" and I doubt she weighed more than 100 lbs. It didn’t matter. She was a great teacher and respected by her students. Students respect teachers for their actions, not their size.
I cannot imagine why your undergrad teachers would discourage summer programs and festivals. Can you explain?
For grad school, do you know what you want to focus on? You mention teaching middle and high schoolers in public school, which would mean getting a master’s in music ed, right?
If you want to go for performance, we don’t know your level. I agree with @songbirdmama that if you actually WANT to go to a master’s program right after undergrad, go for it. No harm except some effort and money spent.
But if you want to take a year to develop, then do that.
The gap year would require commitment by a teacher excellent enough to help you progress, and as @songbirdmama said, that will also take discipline on your part. Would your local orchestra really offer enough experience to be of help? Where would you live and would you need to work?
If you want to teach at a college or university a doctorate can be needed, but not always. Your current school has, at least, not been financially stressful and I hope that leaves financial room for grad work.
Definitely decide on your goals. In fact grad school applications will ask for a personal statement on your goals and that is an important part of the application.
Finally, if someone tells you not to do something, like a summer program, and you think it would be good for you, DO it. You need to have a strong will in this area of work 
Thank you guys! Your responses mean a lot to me! @compmom my teacher discouraged my entire studio from attending summer festivals because she did not study in the states and does not understand the concept behind them. In her eyes, summer festivals make you a worse player because you won’t be able to hear yourself since you’re playing in an orchestra most of the time. @songbirdmama thank you for providing your feedback! @CaraCoMO , that makes me feel a lot better! In terms what I would like to do as career, I personally would love to teach violin or music history at the univeristy/college level. However, like most music majors, I might end up teaching in the public school system so despite it not being my main focus, I have to keep open to that idea as well.
If you are interested in teaching music history at a university, the lack of summer festivals is inconsequential. You need to invest time in researching program opportunities at diverse institutions that may have paths other than performance, as it sounds like you are not preparing for a career as a performer. Could you pick up a Music Ed degree, perhaps staying on as a fifth year at your current university?
@songbirdmama I have considered doing a Music Ed degree along with my performance degree but teachers and colleagues of mine told me that I can get a teaching certification after I graduate although I still need to look into that.
Cherry - The audition will be, by far, the most important data point in getting into a program. “Resume” will have nothing to do with entrance (at least for the “better” schools) - poor grades can get you rejected (even if a top instructor wants you. I’ve seen it happen to stunning players.). Gap year will not matter.
The height comment is loopy. Ignore it. Coincidently, my kids grew up with a 4 foot 8 string player who went to conservatory BM, did a second degree BS in Music Ed and is now a HS orchestra instructor. There are other short conductors, I’m sure.
It is not simple to get a teaching certificate after graduating. You will probably need additional coursework and to pass State teacher exams at a minimum. Most states have an “alternative route” to certifications, but this may require that you are first offered a teaching job - Catch 22. Take a look at your states requirements - they vary.
Re the festival bit, your teacher may have not “understood”, or may have actually understood well what can happen. My kids’ conservatories (going back 10+ years) had statements in the policy books, paraphrasing - if your studio teacher did not want you to attend a particular summer program or study short term with a particular teacher, you were to follow their instruction.
There are reasons - I only know violin/viola here. For instance, some teachers insist on re-making the set-up of students, even with short term, very advanced, very capable students who are not struggling with set-up problems. Luckily, these die hards are dying out (literally), but this can still be a problem. Students generally want to listen to and respect their instructors and in trying to follow instructions for changing their basic playing habits can get really messed up - and then they return to school in the fall with no new, improved set-up and a screwed up version of how they have been playing.
One of “mine” studied a standard Mozart concerto one summer with a Baroque specialist. What a mess! Luckily, kid knew to listen and basically ignore. I later heard one of the graduates of this instructor perform the same concerto with a professional orchestra. Performance was reviewed - and panned. It was truly a bad performance (although true to the instructor’s mentoring) from a performer I have heard in stunning performances of other works.
One of our good friends (a “known” teacher, now retired) did allow students to attend orchestra based festivals - but noted that frequently the students came back playing with a small, undistinguished sound.
Cherry, do you plan on a DMA following the MM? You do know that “teaching violin at a university/college” is extremely unlikely to happen unless you have a DMA or a background as a renowned soloist? Certainly not something to be expected immediately on completing an MM. Even getting very limited adjunct positions without someone knowing you and you having an already established presence in the area is unlikely.
What do you actually want? Do you want to perform, teach in public school, teach at at a college level, or a combination of performing and teaching?
A grad degree in music ed or a DMA in performance are both possibilities.
I was not thinking of orchestral programs for summer. The info given by @musicaspirant is super helpful in terms of why a teacher might want you to avoid a summer program. Makes sense. Though it seems typical of the old fashioned classical world that limits input. I have attended master classes where the coaching of a different teacher achieves stunning improvements.
ps I am more used to the kind of summer program where a string quartet or some other smaller ensemble plays, often in the world of new music with 20th or 21st century composers and even more often emerging composers. So not really relevant to many on this forum.
@Musicaspirant and @compmom I definitely do plan to get a DMA. I thought that was a requirement for either teaching violin or any position in the university. My goal is to teach at university in either violin or music history.