<p>Thanks for your reply, Mezzo’sMamma. </p>
<p>Just wondering, what did you mean by “graded curriculum which makes evaluation easier each year and at the evaluation of studies”? Do you mean that the curriculum is standardized and that therefore I should be able to look at any conservatory to recognize the level? That’s true, although execution would no doubt vary. Also, the Bologna Process reforms have really upset the apple cart, at least here in Italy. Most students are in the old system, but my daughter is in the new, so it’s really confusing and no one can tell us much.</p>
<p>The issue with the local administration is that they simply won’t commit to an answer about the diploma. I did go ask, with a translator who attends the school and is familiar with the policies there as any student, and was told that no one knew. (And they probably didn’t, as I don’t think they’ve ever had another American student!) Finally I wised up and found an Italian friend who “knows someone” at the Education Ministry, and she’s going to ask them. Weird as it may sound in the US, this kind of run-around is quite typical in Italy, at least in the public sector. </p>
<p>Before we left, I asked a couple of US schools about grad school transfer, and they inevitably said it all depended. But I’m not terribly worried, since it’s impossible to predict exactly where things will head. I’d just like to figure out what we need to do to graduate and pick a short list of undergrad schools.</p>
<p>As far as competitive skill-level goes, I understand your point, and it is indeed hard to guess where any given student stands when you only have the parent’s word for it. And I’m pretty sure that my daughter is not in the running for a solo career ;-). My basis for asking about competitive schools is simply that 1) She is a little impatient with the peer level where she is now and 2) If she can’t get into a school that provides realistically competitive training in a hyper-competitive field, perhaps it’s better to make a Plan B on the front end. But being from NYC, we are at least somewhat familiar with the playing field, so to speak.</p>
<p>Very good point about the orchestras. I will have her look into that. I’ve also asked her whether her teacher will make recommendations. He’s a little proprietary, but I’ve told her to ask anyway.</p>
<p>The all-male conducting situation is curious, isn’t it? We’ve had some discussions about that. And yes, musicology is a different can of worms as well. My reason for asking about those at present is simply to create a database that might help us choose between schools A and B eventually, if it comes to that. </p>
<p>Wouldn’t it be nice just to have a handy “guide to music schools in Europe” like they have for liberal arts schools in the US? Having just moved to Europe on relatively short notice, I know very little about the educational system here. And, as opposed to what happens in the US, most kids in Italy just attend the local university while living at home. Heck, as it’s taken me all year just to get residency, settle into an apartment, and learn how to carry on a conversation! So I was hoping I had a little more time to figure this out. But being told a week ago that my daughter is ready for college level violin two years earlier than I anticipated makes me think I need to get started sooner rather than later.</p>