<p>Others have written about the programs, Stanford doesn’t offer performance (but probably like many top level schools seeks good musicians for its orchestra program), ASU is not a particularly strong music program and on violin I don’t think it is particularly noteworthy, USC has some pretty strong teachers, and is probably the best of the 3.</p>
<p>One thing I would strongly encourage you is if you go to USC, ask for an evaluation rather than a sample lesson (you will probably have to pay for it, but it is well worth it IMO), and see where you are. You are going to need to ask some questions of yourself, I obviously don’t know who you study with, how long you have studied, so this is generic, but here is my advice in a nutshell,:</p>
<p>1)Get an evaluation and ask them how they think your playing matches up against the kids who usually audition there. It is very, very easy in the violin world to be one of the best violinists around, and then find out how rought it is in violin. I think you said your dad was a professional cellist, which gives you an advantage, but with no disrespect meant to your dad, he may not know what is out there entirely, your dad went to music school in a different era, when someone like one of my son’s teachers along the way was a casual high school player, then got into a fairly top notch conservatory, ‘got serious’ there, and came out of school and right into a pretty high level regional orchestra…today, to be blunt, they wouldn’t stand a chance doing what she did, even assuming they could get into a good conservatory, and to get into a decent full time orchestra now…it is a different world out there then what it was 20,30 years ago on violin…kids are getting into the highly competitive programs playing better than graduates did back then in many cases…</p>
<p>With the evaluation, you can see if you are in range, and also see what you need to work on. Someone like a Dicterow is going to charge a lot of money, but it is worth it, because having taught the way he has, at Juilliard and MSM, and being in the NY Phil and seeing what is coming into there, it is worth it. </p>
<p>My advice? USC is a pretty good bellweather in terms of competitive music programs, if they feel you are in range, that is a good sign. If they seem to be saying you aren’t ready yet, or near ready, you might want to rethink your options (for example, you may want to go to USC or Stanford, and instead of performance, major in academics, and play in the school orchestras and take lessons as a non major or minor if they allow it). I know some are going to disagree, but if you aren’t near that level now, catching up is daunting, and while I have heard the story of the person who started late, who went to the less competitive program and then blossomed and went to a great grad program, with the violin it is just such an incredibly competitive instrument where levels are skyrocketing, making up that gap is going to get more and more impossible. </p>
<p>2)If you decide you want to go on, it looks like you will be ready, then start looking for a teacher and program that you think will match you. It could be a great teacher at a ‘lesser’ program (relative levels, not talking major music program and a community college music program), it could be a ‘less’ stellar teacher at a tip top program would work better…keep in mind these are relative levels, and I reiterate the choice of program should be that you could get into the competitive/highly competitive programs but choose something different, for teacher or finances, rather than let’s say Juilliard, a strong program with a great teacher offered you significant aid.</p>
<p>Once you find likely schools, then look at the audition requirements and work out a path to the pre screen and audition. Most schools on violin, for example, have a requirement for solo bach, but in most schools it is contrasting movements, Curtiss asks for a whole sonata or partita. Juilliard wants a piece since 1940, other schools don’t or may not require it…from this, build an audition rep that satisfies all the requirements of the schools you are targeting while minimizing the unique pieces you need to learn (for example, a modern sonata might fulfill the Juilliard modern piece requirement, and a sonata requirement at other schools)…and see where you are with prepping them, CW is you should have your rep decided upon and in good shape by spring of Junior year…pre screens are usually by December1st, then auditions are usually jan-mar, depending on school (some do auditions before the new year, though, which is why you have to check). Lay out landmarks and things you need to do, a path, to make this happen. </p>
<p>3)If there are teachers you are really hot to study with, try and see them, either at a music festival, or sample lessons around the time of audition, just before/during/after. While you don’t have to do this, having a teacher who knows you already is a big plus, because when you audition, you also have to have teachers willing to teach you. A teacher is more likely to pick someone for their studio they know then one they saw for the first time on the audition, all things else equal (and I would argue that a kid who did less well on the audition but knew the teacher would do better in many cases then the kid who played better but the teacher didn’t know; the obvious thing here is degrees of better, not miles of difference:). </p>
<p>I wish you luck:)</p>