<p>We have carefully avoided competitive teachers - and the name-dropping pre-college programs. </p>
<p>When my oldest was younger, lots of teachers would approach us at recitals and the like, asking if they could teach my kid! They knocked themselves off my list right away with that behavior. One local and prestigious pre-college school offered us a full scholarship, as well, but when we saw students crying in the hallways when we visited, we decided that was not the school for us. </p>
<p>Loving the music and the time with teachers, practicing, playing with others. . . that is way more important.</p>
<p>I think part of it probably has to do with the community in which you live. We live in a medium sized city with a large university. The classical music community all knows each other and is extremely supportive of its young people. I was always amazed at the number of private teachers and professional orchestra members who would come to youth orchestra concerts and student recitals. Most of the private teachers that I know across many instruments encourage competitions for the skills that they develop but don’t push them. I know several teachers who have cooperative arrangements where younger and less skilled students start out with one teacher and then are referred to the other when they need higher level skills. It isn’t seen that one teacher is better than another, just that the teachers have different interests and skill sets. </p>
<p>We don’t have a pre-college program in the city. Youth orchestra is the closest thing which provides 4 different orchestral levels, a chamber music program, percussion ensemble and brass choir. They also have a scholarship program to provide lessons to low income students. </p>
<p>I also believe that competitions were critical to his eventual success. They gave him a focus point. They forced him to learn to perform under pressure. They gave him a chance to see what other talent was out there beyond our community. They taught him that losing a competition didn’t mean he was a bad player and winning one didn’t mean he was a great one. They helped him to put himself and his talent in perspective. </p>
<p>I also want to say that when he was admitted to Eastman as a freshman, he had technical issues. However, his sound and his musicality were excellent. He had a nice resume but had never won anything other than a couple of local competitions. He did not study with a “name” teacher. They must have seen potential in him anyway. Most of freshman year he felt like he was admitted by mistake :)</p>
<p>There is a lot of wackiness with teachers. During one audition cycle, my son mentioned that a group of teachers was talking during his audition, gesturing and so forth (which from what I am led to believe, is not exactly unknown during auditions in this place, can’t say for sure what it is like elsewhere), yet some of those same teachers glare at other teachers who talk or gesture during students audition they are trying to get in there…and yes, the culture is that some, maybe more then a few, of the teachers are competitive with each other…usually the teachers who are competitive in that way, even in the high level pre college programs, are the same ones who thrust their kids into competitions and reputedly (I can’t validate this, so be careful) also are known to grade other teachers students down on juries to make their kids look better…but it wouldn’t surprise me if that were true.</p>
<p>DD has been blessed with the right teachers for her. Her HS private teacher did not encourage competitions, even though she tried a couple. He knew she was not the winning type right then. Now her studio teacher has told us DD’s voice is going to be like a fine wine - treat it well, do not subject to extremes and let it age. .Again no pressure for competitions or even festivals. Does not do much for her ego right now and her resume is thin, but she is on the right track. It is good her teacher is not trying to get her own recognition or resume by pushing. She is also content to be a part of the process, not the credit for current recognized success. She has that with other, older students. </p>
<p>This has been a great thread for the various issues raised. Good things for those looking to consider.</p>