<p>For anyone considering an application to Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music, I'd heard this in the spring, and now it's just gone up on the Vanderbilt/Blair website: For the first time, they are asking for prescreening video recordings for all instruments (excluding harp and woodwinds). In the strings area (the only area I have any acquaintance with), it seems to be a result of both a vast increase in the number of applicants in the past few years, as well as an increase in the overall caliber of applicants.</p>
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<p>Almost all programs of any worth have gone to pre-screening. Given the huge number of applicants, it makes sense. While I’ll be the first to say that a lot of kids, especially young singers, come across much better in person, there are an awful lot of applicants who just are not of the caliber needed to succeed in programs. While a student may be the “best in his/her high school” or took part in “All County” or “All State”, the quality of those accolades may vary widely.
I’ve seen so many kids spend 4 years in college programs, just “getting by”, who get to their senior year and audition for grad school only to come up with a fistful of rejections, either from the pre-screens or actual auditions. It’s a bitter and expensive pill to swallow but far better to find out before shelling out 200K.</p>
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<p>That’s pretty heartbreaking. But I think in Vandy’s case, if I’m understanding you correctly, since they’ve always had live auditions, the new pre-screening and live audition by-invitation admission process won’t necessarily affect the caliber of the admitted students, but it should prevent those students whose playing is clearly below the caliber required for acceptance these days from wasting the time/money on a trip to Vandy for a live audition; at the same time, those who make it though the pre-screening hurdle and are invited to audition live will know they’ve got something of a realistic shot at acceptance.</p>
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<p>My first post may not have been very clear. This is the new info on the Blair website:</p>
<p>"Prescreening video submission and on-campus audition notification</p>
<p>Prescreening recordings are required for all Blair instrumental and voice applicants except those applying to the woodwind or harp departments… All applicants who wish to audition for the Blair School of Music must submit a video recording of their prepared audition materials via the Blair DecisionDesk application… All videos must include the appropriate repertoire. Audition requirements are available below. All candidates must have submitted their Common Application to Vanderbilt University before any recording will be reviewed.</p>
<p>After review by the appropriate Blair faculty, selected applicants will be invited to audition in person at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University"</p>
<p>Additional info is available on the Blair website.</p>
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<p>Looks like their aim is to cut down on those who have no realistic chance then. A good choice.</p>
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