<p>We just spent a great weekend in Dallas seeing (really for the first time) what college-level instruction for MT majors really looks like. Kaitlin Hopkins and her staff at Texas State run this audition workshop every year, and as a parent, it truly makes you realize not just the "do's and don'ts" of auditions but also what it looks like when trained professionals take kids and use educational techniques to really make them better. Our daughter definitely learned some great tips for what college auditors are really looking for and what can turn them off, but what really struck me was watching Kaitlin, Jim and the other Texas State folks work a master class. In the master class, they took four volunteer kids and had them work on specific things to make their songs or monologues better. Watching them work their magic and seeing how much each of those kids improved in the 15 minutes they worked with them made me, as a parent, realize exactly what you're paying for when you send kids away to major in MT. We came to Dallas from the KC area for the workshop hoping it would be worthwhile, and it FAR exceeded our expectations. You and your kid NEED to see these folks in action. The workshop is hosted by Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM), and I believe this workshop is typically on the second weekend of August--though I think maybe this is just the second or third one, so I'm not sure that weekend is set as a "tradition." As a parent, they do a great job of making you feel good about your kid choosing this major and career path, and they show you that the future of this art form is in great hands. Seriously good stuff.</p>