<p>Thanks for the feedback to all. Especially the part about the audition being the be-all, end-all for conservatories. I was not entirely aware of the importance of this all-or-nothing "event". This information will help both my D and my wife and myself prepare. </p>
<p>I was, of course, facetious regarding my question of "why prepare"? We will use your input and the lists that many of you so kindly pointed us to, to do our homework in order to choose the right "list" of summer programs to target for summer 2009.</p>
<p>Spidermonkey, the auditions are pretty much the 'be-all, end-all", but don't forget that it can help if a teacher is looking out for a particular student. Pre-lessons/hearings have been known to help in some cases. Might take a teeny bit of pressure off a student if they have a good relationship with a particular teacher...</p>
<p>So, operahorn.... when you recommend "Pre-lessons/hearings", what do you mean? Arrange with various conservatory instructors ahead of time, a chance to hear and provide (informally) feedback on our D's chances of a successful audition at their conservatory?</p>
<p>I will chime in that prelessons are very important if they go well. If you have a teacher at the audition who is very enthusiastic about you, they can help to push you over the top with others. </p>
<p>As for the audition, make sure your child has their audition repertoire down cold way before the time they must audition it. They can still work the musical aspects of it up to the actual date of the audition, but the better they know their pieces, the more confidence they will have in that 20 (sometimes only 10) minutes. In the summer before senior year, therefore, you want to make sure they have plenty of time to practise audition repertoire.</p>
<p>The resume is not irrelevant, however, once they've been accepted. It can have a big impact on the studio they end up in and, more significantly, it can make a difference in the size of any merit award offered. I think academic record affects merit money too.</p>
<p>I went to Kinhaven many years ago - it's a wonderful, small and nurturing place in a beautiful spot. Ditto for Greenwood which my son and my niece both attended. They have really good students at these camps. Even though they are less well-known, they are special and get special kids. Caveat: they are both focused on chamber music and solo practise time might be somewhat limited. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>"If you have a teacher at the audition who is very enthusiastic about you, they can help to push you over the top with others."</p>
<p>Bottom line, teachers want to teach the best prepared talents and those who are responsive with a tremendous upside potential. No matter how kindly disposed the teacher is going in, if others outshine, they will be offered admission. Faculty will not put themselves on the line to override their colleagues. At many schools an individual faculty member will not have more clout, the admissions issue is one of statistics and votes and rankings. No matter how enthusiastically the auditioning faculty encourages the musician before and after the auditions, if superior talents come along later during the audition season, there will be (unpleasant) surprises. There can be a huge difference from year to year, what the talent level is on a particular instrument.</p>
<p>Regarding summer programs, I think that another good reason for your daughter go to a music intensive program such as Tanglewood is so that she can figure out whether this is what she wants for college.</p>
<p>juggling mom --</p>
<p>funny you should mention this - when asked recently whether he was enjoying music school (he's a freshman), he said he loves it: "it's just like going to music camp all the time"!</p>