Grad School decision-double bass performance (classical)

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>Hello. I am am looking for thoughts about my son's grad school choices.
S is a double bassist so I am hopeful some of the double bass folks can offer thoughts on what school choices would be best. I may have leaned a little too much on the money aspect in advising with his applications and I feel that he may have elected not to audition at places he may have had a shot at (guilt). </p>

<p>Background (sorry so detailed):
S is a decent player and seems to be well liked by whomever works with him (invited back to festivals,etc). He decided to major in music after he was in college (his adviser wisely put him in theory his freshman year so he is finishing in four years). He is at Furman University where he has a music scholarship that covered all but room and board. He has a strong undergraduate academic background (for what it matters, probably not much in music-3.7overall/4.0 music) He is a paid sub in four regional orchestras, has attended EMF and Brevard with midrange scholarships (covered 50-60% of expenses). He casually had played bass since age 11 (piano and boy choir for many years before that), took lessons for three years in middle school (none is HS other than summer camp). He went off on an "exploration" phase in all things music in HS-jazz, middle Easterm music - owns and plays an oud, for example . He continued to do youth orchestra, allstate honors, summer music camps with the bass and always got good feedback (intonation, musicality). Once in college, he turned on and has grown by leaps and bounds.</p>

<p>The choices:
He auditioned at five: CCM, Eastman, Peabody, CMU, Penn State. He has heard from all but Eastman and Peabody. He was accepted to the three he has heard from and here is what has been offered:</p>

<ol>
<li>CMU-fellowship/ assistantship tuition waiver with workstudy with the piano tuner (my son tunes on the side). The program has mostly artist diploma students, most already have MM. We would have to cover living expenses. The teacher told him that he probably could earn money doing sub work with regional orchestras.</li>
<li> CCM-3/4 out-of state tuition scholarship. We would have to come up with living expenses and about 6K a year tuition. Of the schools he has been accepted to, this one has the best known teacher.</li>
<li> Penn State-tution waiver, health insurance provided and a stipend that would cover most living expenses. The teacher here worked with him at EMF, also teaches at Julliard some. He worked with the teacher at EMF and likes him a lot. Downside-he might be the top player and lacking a suitable peer group-don't know this for sure.</li>
</ol>

<p>He had what he thinks are good auditions at Eastman and Peabody. He seemed to hit it off well with the teacher at Eastman (ran over time, talked quite a bit).</p>

<p>He feels his best choices would be Eastman and CCM</p>

<p>Questions:
1. Are the scholarship/ tuition amounts typical of what one can expect? He has no undergraduate debt. We have now depleted the parental college fund and would really like to keep debt/continued parental investment low.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Which schools would be the best in terms of prepping him for orchestra jobs and the DMA? </p></li>
<li><p>Did his decision not to audition at some of the other top programs (IU, Rice, BU) hurt him for the future (assuming he would be offered admission)?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Many thanks!</p>

2

<p>I cannot answer 1 or 3 since I am not familiar with these issues from a performance perspective. As to question 2, is getting his DMA first and foremost or is it a fall back position? The answer as to schools may be different depending on the answer to that question. One other thing, between the schools to which he has already been accepted, CCM and CMU would likely offer more orchestra sub-work than Happy Valley…</p>

3

<p>Seems to me these are very good offers. Full tuition for MM is generally thought to be a great, and rare, thing. And musicians can always make money for living expenses teaching or performing. And he’s got piano tuning, too. I don’t think there are many, if any, totally free rides for MM’s out there (always excepting Colburn.) DMA’s are another animal - full tuition plus significant fellowships… At least from my limited research…(mostly from a composition standpoint.)</p>

4

<p>I think these are excellent offers. Colburn is the only free-ride M.M, Yale comes close with free tuition. Other than that, most could expect to pay way, way more than the great packages you have been offered. I can’t speak to the programs themselves, but my thoughts would be to go with what your son feels are the best choices. As far as him not applying to other schools, too late now for regrets (although I would recommend never writing off a school due to financial reasons as you never know what the package they offer will be until you’re accepted). </p>

<p>Orchestra positions are all about the auditions. So what is most important is that your son has a good teacher, a high quality school orchestra to play in, and keeps progressing. That said, I don’t think the program where he is the ‘top player’ is the best option–having competitive players around him will help him to grow even more as a musician, in my opinion.</p>

5

<p>I actually know a some string players who received full tuition scholarships (e.g., at USC, Rice, and NYU)-- although they are not bass players, so I cannot speak to your specific situation. I do agree with what the others have said, however. The only thing I would add that I would imagine he’d be in a better position to find paying gigs in Cincinnati or Pittsburgh than at Penn State. Also: it’s generally wise to surround yourself with better players than to be the big fish, regardless of what Malcolm Gladwell says. </p>

6

<p>Keep in mind that a well connected teacher can be important when it comes to landing an orchestral audition.
Your son needs to go where he feels the most comfortable and where he will be challenged, so I agree with Clarimom that the Penn State option might not be the best. That said, can he take a visit to the school and sit in on orchestral rehearsals and studio classes in order to get a better overview? In fact, at this point in time, he should try make time to check out all 3 schools before signing on the line.
Why is he looking towards a DMA? Does he want to teach at the college level? If so, he needs to look ahead, now, at what is expected of those candidates and again, compare the programs at the schools he is considering.
As for cost of the schools: it’s great that he has some wonderful offers on the table, but I think that at his age, he should be taking on the responsibility of the cost himself. If you want to pitch in and are financially able, great, but he should be able to manage that 5- 10K or so himself if he chooses.
Congratulations on all of the options and I’ll include his acceptances over on the “Acceptance Thread”!</p>

7

<p>I’ve actually heard that there are lots and lots of gigs for Penn State grad students at a variety of regional orchestras (may involve some travel, though), possibly more so than in larger cities where there’s a larger pool of professional musicians.</p>

8

<p>Thank-you for your insight compdad, SpiritManager and Clarimom. The music scholarship world operates so differently from the sciences and psychology grad school I was in. It is good to know that these are good offers for the MM.</p>

<p>S does plan to go on for the DMA. He is interested in early music and tuning systems in addition to his playing and hopes to be affiliated with a college. If he was fortunate enough to land a good orchestra experience, the DMA might be later.</p>

<p>Good to hear DMAs offer more $$$$. The thought of five more years of support is tough with retirement on the horizon. Thanks for the comments on the orchestra quality being important for progress as well. Being challenged is important. S always grows so much from the summer festivals.</p>

<p>Any other thoughts are welcome.</p>

9

<p>Wow! He sounds like a very interesting young man. How did he begin tuning pianos?
The number of openings for Double Basses in orchestras are limited- some play with just 2, all the way up to the 8 that play each concert with the Cleveland Orchestra, so keeping in the loop now is important for him. . Most kids take a break in between Masters and DMA programs because the application process for the latter is very intense and time consuming. Just as an FYI, the Chicago Civic Orchestra offers a unique opportunity for instrumentalists with some nice stipends and additional chances for further instruction, so have him keep that in mind also. I know of several young string players who have enjoyed that group quite a bit.
I listed the 3 acceptances on the other thread, so please post any others that come in there so that I may include them on the list.</p>

10

<p>Glass harmonica-I like your Malcolm Gladwell comment. S was concerned about not being surrounded by good and better players. You make a god point</p>

<p>Mezzomom-I do want S to take on more financially. He provided all of his college spending money through his sub work and working in the music library at his college. He has not been good with saving -he likes to eat out and always seems to be buying music scores, recordings and specialty coffee beans-hah. I am willing to maintain the health insurance car and possibly rent. Good point about the well connected teacher. S’s sub work has evolved as the result of his teachers.</p>

<p>Thanks stradmom for the insight on Penn State regional orchestras. S has made a list of the regional orchestras around each school and plans to send out his resume once he decides on his school.</p>

11

<p>Hi Mezzo-we have crossed posts! S began tuning while in high school. My husband’s cousin has tuned pianos as a side interest and, knowing of my son’s love of music, invited him to learn. The cousin is retired now and very active in the Piano tech guild as a retirement adventure. S has worked with mostly the cousin mostly but recently did some on his on. He planes to sit for the exam and get certified as a piano technician. Thanks for the information about the Chicago Civic Orchestra and for listing his acceptances.</p>

12

<p>stradmom might know more about Penn State than I do (even though I live in PA, I’ve never been to Happy Valley.) In large city there is a lot of gig work, and teaching. But maybe you can also do that at Penn State. </p>

13

<p>He applied to excellent schools and has already been accepted to three. Congratulations! I don’t see any reason to regret not applying to more schools, honestly.</p>

<p>One suggestion that is on a different point: North Bennett Street School in Boston has a renowned piano tuning program (and piano repair/rebuilding). Not a priority now, but to keep in mind for the future.</p>

<p>Masters programs are often not funded, as others have said, so congratulations to him on that too…</p>

14

<p>Thank-you compmom for the kind words. Bennett Street has an amazing program (but no scholarships-sigh). S looked at it when he was considering Florida State’s piano tech master’s program (applicants for the FSU program needed the BM and a year at a residential program like Bennett St to be considered).</p>

<p>Carnegie Mellon has some piano tech tech courses that lead to a certificate which adds another layer and makes CMU an appealing program to S on multiple levels. CMU’s program is not nearly as practical and detailed as Bennett Street and tends to lean heavily into the physics of music which S actually thinks is neat (don’t know if he has the background for this as he only took a survey course as an undergrad).</p>

<p>S has been talking to friends from summer festivals and his professors about his choices. I have funneled the comments from cc to him which he finds reassuring (in terms of the scholarships being good). Thanks everyone for your helpful comments! More are welcome and appreciated</p>