<p>Hello - I have been a lurker here for some time and need advice. Thank you to the Dads & others for all the knowledge, especially the "So you want to be a music major" area. This is a big help to prepare for the upcoming years.
My S who will be a Sophomore in HS wants to be a music performance major. We support this, but suggest a double major or minor. Son plays piccolo, flute and his other passion is photography. S is a very good student (3.8) but has not taken any honors classes, is headstrong and refuses to. Any ideas to help us please? Thank you</p>
<p>Welcome. The combo with photography is probably the first time that question has been posed. </p>
<p>Try searching using my methods detailed here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html</a></p>
<p>“Double major”, “dual degree” “music and” as separate titled searches (use the quotes) will bring up the past general threads, good for background. As for “minors”, a performance minor is a rare bird, and perhaps more effective is a BA rather than BM approach, dependent on potential goals. Try “minor” as a title search as well.</p>
<p>You might also want to look here [Visual</a> Arts and Film Majors - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/]Visual”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/), and do some cross referencing. The best advice for the creative disciplines is most often found within the discipline specific forums, not the general CC seach and admissions areas.</p>
<p>patientpoppa, is he thinking of going to an art institute/conservatory or a regular university/LAC? The reason I ask is that my #2 daughter, who was a fairly serious precollege violist, decided to go to art school to study at 3-D art (in her case glass). Her initial hope was to continue studying music, but the foundation year at an art school turns out to be extremely rigorous and time-consuming: 4 foundation studio classes (9:30-4:30 PM) plus two liberal arts classes (held at 8 AM, in the evening, or occasionally nestled inside the longer class), and a half-credit shop course. She barely had time to sleep, let alone practice or take lessons at the institute of music next door. We had even made a special trip during her senior year of high school to line up a teacher, but taking lessons would have been physically impossible. </p>
<p>The other thing I’ll mention (because it was a surprise to us and my daughter really had to scramble) is that admission to BFA arts programs usually requires a portfolio of 12-10 drawings from life. Some of the requirements (such as RISD’s famous bicycle drawing) are more specific to the institution. This was a problem for my daughter, who was a 3-D “materials” person, so she spent about 8 months studying drawing and drawing practically every spare second of her life in order to produce a portfolio. We were advised not to include more than a few samples of photos of art in her major in the portfolio. I am pretty sure this is also true of photography. Of course, he can discuss his passion for photography in his essays. But the admissions committee are assessing your ability to render the 3-D world in front of you into 2-D via your drawing skills. So if your son has not been drawing from life, I’d advise him to start ASAP. As for not taking honors classes-- admission to arts school is more dependent on the quality of your portfolio than anything else. If you check the college board website you will find stats for average GPAs and SAT scores. One thing we regret: my D went to a high school that did not offer AP courses. I now wish I had signed her up to take the English AP, even without a course, so she could have placed out the mind-numbing English composition courses she’s required to take and have more time for academic electives – or even a music lesson.</p>
<p>Your son sounds like an interesting fellow! Has he looked at Bard? My second D is currently a photo/lit major at Bard with a strong interest in music (although she’s not majoring in it). If he’s interested in pursuing a BA in each field, Bard could have some good opportunities, and if he wants a BM in music, Bard of course has the Conservatory with the requirement that the student also major in “something else.” The place is full of independent thinkers.</p>
<p>Hi patientpoppa – I’m glad you got the advice you did from people who know better than I. My only thought here regarding the AP and honors classes is that if art school is anything like music school, I would imagine that the portfolio, like the audition is all important. But what’s also true about music school is that grade point averages, curriculum, and test scores also make it easier for schools to award more scholarship money. Another suggestion is to take your son for visits to the admissions departments and actual art schools where he wants to apply. Learning for himself (and not from a parent) he may be more willing to accept the information he needs to make the right decision.</p>
<p>patientpoppa,</p>
<p>My son is somewhat like this. He seems to be a very good singer and that’s where we’ve planned on the college money coming from, but he’s really come on as a 2-D artist (pencil, watercolor, digital) these past two years…he’s scheduled to be taking the highest 2-D (AP Art IV) class he can take at his high school his senior year starting next month, and will actually have a portfolio to submit for college credit should he successfully finish. He’s looking at two and possibly three college roads (choral/vocal music, art, math/science) and I know he’ll have to narrow down to at least two though he’ll probably dabble the rest of his life in the third. I second the other parent in saying if you can convince and get him into his school’s high level art classes that offer a possibility of AP placement and portfolio development, that will help.</p>
<p>When my son and I toured TCU in Fort Worth last year we talked with someone there about a dual music/art major. That person said it wouldn’t be impossible but that my son would be very busy if he opted for that. :>)</p>
<p>Thank you for the replies everyone. It is appreciated. I’ve been told that (and have seen in many posts here) that a significant amount of preparation & time needs to go into the persuit of any Music degree and we will surely need more advice down the road. Music comes first for him and a conservatory tied to a college would certainly be on the list (Baldwin Wallace in Ohio comes to mind, but I do not believe that this school is strong for flute) StradMom - thanks for the suggestion of Bard, I do think I remember driving by it many years ago when I lived near the Hudson River. That will certainly need to be considered. Thanks also for the portfolio suggestion, as it’s never to soon to start assembling that. I found another thread about schools that are known for flute and will pose my next questions there. Again thanks for taking the time to read my note.</p>
<p>Some additional flute specific threads:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/224146-schools-flute-help.html?highlight=flute[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/224146-schools-flute-help.html?highlight=flute</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/484442-good-colleges-not-conservatories-flute.html?highlight=flute[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/484442-good-colleges-not-conservatories-flute.html?highlight=flute</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/863538-flute-studios.html?highlight=flute[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/863538-flute-studios.html?highlight=flute</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/784597-flute-major-my-list-too-long-top-heavy.html?highlight=flute[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/784597-flute-major-my-list-too-long-top-heavy.html?highlight=flute</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/307288-good-flute-performance-schools.html?highlight=flute[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/307288-good-flute-performance-schools.html?highlight=flute</a></p>
<p>An afterthought, I just remembered UHartford, with both Hartt and the Hartford Art School. Whether either of these programs is a fit, or if a joint pursuit is a possibility, might be worth investigating.</p>
<p>Thank you violadad for the links to all these threads. Much Appreciated!</p>