<p>I've been accepted as a Trombone/ Euphonium major in Music Education to Ithaca College, SUNY Fredonia, Penn State, McGill, and Eastman. McGill and Penn State have been essentially ruled out because of money, leaving the three New York schools.</p>
<p>Considering the option that I could attend SUNY Fredonia for very close to zero cost, I'm having a hard time making a decision. Eastman's reputation would undoubtedly be a huge factor for grad school and the other schools can't compare to its conducting and music ed programs.</p>
<p>However, it's in the City of Rochester, and I would be surrounded by musicians 24/7 (I'm sure most of you are aware that being surrounded by crazy musicians is a blessing and a curse at the same time). Another question I'm struggling with is if I'm prepared for a conservatory lifestyle in my undergraduate experience. I am not overly concerned about this, because I would like to be pushed as a musician; it's just a little scary.</p>
<p>Ithaca is not as strong, program-wise, in all areas that are important to me. But, I would have the opportunity to play in major ensembles on both instruments (unlike Eastman, where I would technically be a euphonium major), and would be in what I view as a nicer environment.</p>
<p>Like I said, Fredonia would be virtually free. All considered, Eastman would cost $18,000 a year, and Ithaca $13,000. Thanks for your help in advance, and if you have any questions, please ask.</p>
<p>Do not play down either Ithaca or SUNY Fredonia for music ed. If teaching k-12 in NYS is your goal, you would be smart to minimize your ug debt. NY final certification will require a masters. Bank your savings for that.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice. Thing is, I’m considering post-secondary teaching and would be hoping for a T.A. position to pay for grad school. Eastman would better set me up for that kind of opportunity. $0 of debt versus $70,000 over four years is very appealing though.</p>
<p>Post secondary teaching does not require a music ed degree. Some of the coursework is indeed useful and beneficial, but you may want to concentrate on the courses geared to pedagogy and specific instructional methodologies. </p>
<p>TA/GA fellowships at the MM level are most often awarded based on ug gpa’s in specific areas of expertise, such as theory or music history, depending on the needs of the institution that accepts you. The MM acceptance will be largely based on your standing within the audition pool, so think along the lines of which undergrad school may offer you the best applied instruction and peer interaction, performance opportunities. This is not necessarily the most expensive school with the “name”.</p>
<p>I have decided on a BM in Music Ed because of my interest in teaching and conducting, and because I am not interested in a performance career. Luckily, all three of my final schools have outstanding music education programs. I have been told that Ithaca excels at secondary instrument instruction, while Eastman is known for research and pedagogy.</p>
<p>My goal for graduate school was to get a position as a teaching assistant within a low-brass studio or in conducting, depending on where my undergraduate takes me. I hadn’t considered GPA in this equation, though. I wonder if that plays a big role in studio-type TA jobs as well.</p>
<p>When it boils down to doling out the fellowships to equally talented MM candidates, GPA in (specific) undergrad coursework can well be a deciding factor.</p>
<p>My son is a Euph Perf and Music Ed Major at Crane. Have you had lessons with any of the profs. Mark Kellogg (Eastman) and Barry Kilpatrick (Fredonia) both teach Euph and trombone. Either might suit you better than David Unland (Ithaca) who teaches Tuba and Euph. I know of one eupher at Ithaca who is now a grad student with Bowman at UNT. My son’s choice was between Guy (Crane) and Kellogg at Eastman and ultimately felt Guy would be better for him (that and the fact that Eastman took him off the waiting list and accepted him after he had already decided on Crane.) He could not see himself studying with Kilpatrick at all, pretty much oil and water in 5 minutes but YMMV for sure.</p>
<p>Based on your choices and desire for trombone as well, Eastman and Fredonia might be your best choices.</p>
<p>I agree that you should go for visit and contact the professors you might be studying with to help you decide as well as getting a sense of the different school experiences, finances aside. My daughter graduated from University of Rochester and studied voice at Eastman. Eastman has an outstanding placement record in music education and the suburban districts around Rochester are very strong schools with well recognized programs. Fredonia also has a strong reputation.</p>
<p>Hey. I’m a current student at Eastman who happens to know the trombone department here decently well (despite being a violist). Mark Kellogg is a fantastic teacher. His students love him a lot. But he is not for everyone. Last year I had a couple of friends come up to audition and while they were here, I sat in on some trombone choir rehearsals, which Kellogg was directing because Doc Marcellus was out almost all of last year with various health-related issues. His rehearsals honestly were very boring. This worries me because he has a very serious personality, which makes me think lessons may be the same way. But some people are often better suited for what I might find to be boring. Either way, his students sound very good, and tend to do well for themselves. </p>
<p>As far as the Ed. Department goes; If you have the oppotunity to come to Eastman for Music Ed, money permitting, it is truly the best thing you can possibly do for that track. People say that having on your resumee that you attended Eastman for Ed is an enormous plus, and in the present day, where school music programs are getting axed left and right, that kind of security is essential. That being said, the Ed students here get absolutely worked. Its a very tough major to do. In fact, it takes at least 1 extra semester no matter what because of student teaching requirements. Your degree requirements are identical to those of performance majors, just with a couple of extra classes every semester. But the work is worth it in the long run.</p>
<p>I hope this is helpful. PM me with any more questions.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for your input. I suppose I should have clarified that I have taken private lessons with all of my potential teachers. I found that Kilpatrick (Fred) has a massive amount of musical knowledge and experience, and would be great for developing my musicianship. I am not sure how hard he would push me, but I’m fairly self-motivated. Prof. Kellogg (Eastman) was fantastic as well, with some very unique methods and ideas that I would need to adapt to. I’m just having trouble imagining denying the opportunity to study at Eastman. It would certainly not be a typical college experience, but the doors that open and the education I would receive is hard to beat. Anyone have experience with someone not enjoying the conservatory lifestyle as an undergrad? How about regretting not taking the chance to go to a conservatory? Those are the problems that I envision. Thanks!</p>
<p>Listen to your own question, pbesthall, and you may hear your answer! The “conservatory lifestyle” is pretty much live&breathe music. Eastman is set apart from the River Campus, and you live in the dorm where the dining hall is. A block away are your classrooms/studios/performance venues. There is some spare time, but Rochester has terrible public transportation so you are reliant upon the U of R-owned bus to get places.
I won’t put in my 2 cents about the schools themselves, but it seems to me that if you truly have no interest in a career in performance and you are really doubting that you would be comfortable in an all music-all the time environment, then perhaps you should rule Eastman out of the equation?</p>
<p>Thank you, Mezzo’sMama. Since I’ve never had the opportunity to live in that type of environment before, I’ve just been wondering what it would be like. I actually received advice straight from famed choral composer Eric Whitacre- whom I think many would assume could handle the “conservatory lifestyle”- not to go to a school like Julliard (where he went) or Eastman for an undergraduate degree. He said that Julliard almost ruined music for him, to the point that when hearing a song on the radio, he couldn’t help but break it down mentally into a set of chords defined by numbers. Anyway, I see a lot of great things about being at Eastman, and the idea is exciting to me. Does/Did your Mezzo D attend Eastman?</p>
<p>My D goes to Eastman (voice, music ed) and she loves it. Really, really loves it. Though she got a good scholarship, we do pay considerably more than $18k, but it’s worth every penny. It felt right to her when she auditioned, she said she had found “her people.” She feels inspired surrounded by top musicians from all over the world. </p>
<p>We are paying out of savings and current income, however, no loans. $70k would be an awful lot of money to pay back on a teacher’s salary. At 6.8% your payments would be $805 per month for 10 years, paying more than $26K in interest alone. To comfortably pay that back you need to make $120K per year.</p>
<p>Your other choices are also quite good, being debt free is certainly something to think about. Good luck! You will bloom where you are planted.</p>