<p>Hello.</p>
<p>I am from Brazil and I was accepted in two universities with scholarships to get my doctorate degree. I don't know which one I should go to. Both of them have great programs and great tutors. Would someone be able to help me out?</p>
<p>The Universities are:</p>
<p>University of California, Riverside (Tutor: Prof. Paulo C. Chagas)</p>
<p>Universit</p>
<p>ggpenido, I do not know enough about either program to be of help in selecting between them, but I have added your acceptances to the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1427644-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2013-a-49.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1427644-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2013-a-49.html</a></p>
<p>Do you have an instrument (or voice) that you consider your primary means of making music? I like to add that information to the list when available.</p>
<p>What criteria did you use in choosing these two programs?</p>
<p>@BassDad
My instruments: flute, acoustic guitar</p>
<p>@SpiritManager
Both programs are very strong compared to those that we have in Brazil. Universite de Montreal is a very good school, such as UCR. I applyed to Harvard, UCSD, MCGill and those two. I was accepted in the ones that I listed. They all share the same musical aesthetics.
Professor Chagas is quite famous in Europe (specially Germany) and Professor Leclair is famous in Canada and France. It is a little different from the regular american schools, but they are both strong.
Can you help me make a decision?
Thank you</p>
<p>I think you may wish to make a decision based on where you’d like to live and work afterwards. The networking connections between the two schools will be quite different. As will the surroundings and the weather! I know nothing about either program and have never heard of the professors - so I’m no help there. I do see that Prof. Chagas is Brazilian, so that seems like a positive for you!</p>
<p>Have you visited Riverside? It’s about as different from Montreal as you can get.</p>
<p>Thank you Spirit!</p>
<p>That is true. One is freaking hot and the other is cold as it can be…
And you are probably right. That is what making me crazy. I have no clue about where to live afterwards. Since they are both great professors (you might want to look in you tube for a percussion piece of professor Chagas called “Rumores”, performed by the german group IMPULSO and in Prof. Leclair website for orchestra called “Lettre d’or 2”), I am still in doubt. Do you by any chance can suggest me another website where some people might help me out?</p>
<p>Thank you very much</p>
<p>I think that Montreal will be much more fun as a place for a foreign student to live. But Riverside is not that far from Hollywood that you might not have some opportunities in the film/media world. Are there any visa issues? For instance - if you get a PhD in Canada does that make it easy for you to get a work/residency permit there? I’m not sure how easy it will be for you to stay in the US after you finish your studies.
What do you hope to do with your doctorate? Will you be looking for an academic position, or are you hoping to get work as a composer? If so, composing for what? Riverside might have more access to media opportunities because of its locale, but I’m not sure…</p>
<p>Thank you so much Spirit.
I don’t really know about the VISA Issues. There might be esaier for me to stay in Montr</p>
<p>I think you should look into the visa issue before deciding between the United States and Canada. One of my daughter’s accompanists had to return to her country last year when she finished her PhD in the United States. It was sad–she had full-time work in her studio, very much liked what she was doing, but she had no legal way to stay in the United States.</p>
<p>I’ll research about the VISA then. Thank you woodwinds.</p>
<p>This is killing me! lol. So many doubts.</p>
<p>If someone else have any ideas or suggestions about this issue, I would really apreciate it.</p>