Florida State University vs. SUNY Purchase for Flute Performance

<p>OK- getting a little desperate here... does anyone know about either of the schools for flute performance? or just the school of music in general? I've asked them for a dead line extension, so I have until May 9th. Please give me some information!!!!</p>

<p>Congratulations on your acceptances and extensions!</p>

<p>I don’t know anything about FSU.</p>

<p>Did you audition in person at SUNY Purchase and meet Tara Helen O’Connor? Or are you trying to make the decision without having been there?</p>

<p>How do the finances compare for you? How far will you be from home for each place?</p>

<p>When my D auditioned for O’Connor @ Purchase, she met a musician-friend from neighboring home-town who was a freshman for another instrument. She didn’t have anything negative to say.</p>

<p>Purchase has very easy access to NYC if you are the type of person who wants to be going and doing in a big city. It is a conservatory at a great price of in-state residents (not sure of oos price). O’Connor is not there full-time; she teaches at multiple colleges in the metropolitan area. When she arrived on audition day, students welcomed her warmly. My D and I attended a master-class she held at SUNY Buffalo; she knows her stuff, is energetic, articulate and is a straight-shooter (ie, tells it like it is).</p>

<p>spacesnlines,</p>

<p>I can’t answer that question, but would like to include your acceptances over on the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1045522-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2011-a-70.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1045522-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2011-a-70.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>If you were accepted to any other schools that are no longer under consideration, please let us know what they were and I will add them to the list.</p>

<p>mtpaper- I did meet O’Connor in person when I was auditioning, she’s very enthusiastic and warm! I got see her perform live about a year ago while she was on a tour and she’s phenomenal.</p>

<p>I didn’t get a chance to really get a look of the school, though (I really didn’t do that for any of the schools I was auditioning for because I went alone and quite frankly was a little overwhelmed). One thing I did notice, though, was the the school was a bit gloomy looking.</p>

<p>Finance will hopefully come around to be identical, or close. Purchase won’t know about scholarships/aid until next week, hence the dead line extension. And I’m from the West Coast so both of the schools would be equally as far from home, but I would have to have a one-stop flight to go to Tallahassee, FL, which could get irritable when going to/from home for breaks.</p>

<p>BassDad- I was also accepted to Temple and Oberlin. I’ve been following this forum for a while now, and truly appreciate all that you do!!!</p>

<p>congrats on Temple and Oberlin too! Crazy about the Oberlin flute teacher situation, isn’t it?</p>

<p>You are right. Purchase seemed… dated to us, more than gloomy. We’re not sure how much money, if any, they are able to invest in the program. We assumed it would be livelier if we were there when students were around and about.</p>

<p>You’ll have seasons at Purchase, which you would not have at Florida.</p>

<p>How did you feel about the flute teacher at FSU?</p>

<p>I think my parents would be willing to make the investment if the flute teacher thing was settled.</p>

<p>The flute teacher at FSU was very nice, she’s from Europe (Switzerland, I think?). I haven’t had a lesson with her or anything, but heard good things about her teaching. But she has a set list of limited repertoire that each year can play and freshmen only have to stick to obscure baroque/classical music. I’m not sure if FSU studio is the only one that runs this way, or if that’s typical.</p>

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<p>Are you referring to Oberlin? If so, have you called Manderen to fully discuss the situation? We know they’ve extended the deadline, but perhaps Oberlin will also reimburse you for your deposit at FSU or Purchase.</p>

<p>Oberlin really seems like a great opportunity if you can swing it financially. My D considered committing even without knowing the flute teacher. Have you visited Oberlin?</p>

<p>Re the repertoire - the teacher told her they’d work it out together. The teacher did give her a list of music to look for over the summer.</p>

<p>Since the FSU teacher is from Europe, I’d be sure to at least have a phone conversation with her, to make sure you understand her manner of speaking. Not just the accent, but her terminology, speaking pattern, etc.</p>

<p>Thank you! I hope I can attend Purchase. It would be a good school for me, I think.</p>

<p>I am very familiar with the FSU situation and maybe you should ask more questions about that program if you are even considering it instead of Oberlin or SUNY. She is a good teacher but her studio is huge and she teaches about half of them, the rest get grad students. Oberlin will end up hiring a top tier professor. If money is not the main issue think twice and get more information before passing up the better programs.</p>

<p>All the undergrad performance majors, including myself, would get weekly 45-minute lessons with the professor at FSU, as well as 30-minute technique lessons with a grad student. </p>

<p>Money IS an issue, and I do not feel at all comfortable with putting my family in a financial grave, especially for an undergraduate degree. It’s more about how much I am willing to practice, and how focused I will be the next four years. Additionally, it is definitely likely that Oberlin will hire a top-notch, well-known professor, but every professor has very different personalities and methods of teaching, and there are certain personalities out there that would definitely clash with mine.</p>

<p>I know Eva Amsler well and many students that have been in her studio as well as many other professors at FSU. It is a very good music program and if you are in state or are in the new program where you pay in state rates, it can be a good school. </p>

<p>If you are conflicted about whether you will practice and be as focused as you need to be you need to ask what you will get out of 4 years of school regardless of the name at the top of the diploma. If you are just going to enjoy yourself for 4 years and get to keep studying the flute and playing with a band, then cheapest is best.</p>

<p>FSU may very well be a good choice for you if you are getting the discounted tuition. Eva is a fine flute player, teacher and person. FSU is a solid and very large program and I think she is keeping her studio under 40 now. If you passed the auditon for Oberlin you must be a fine flutist. Good luck with your decision.</p>