Hello - hope everyone is enjoying the summer. Our musician is away at a festival and I miss hearing her play (guess it is good practice for when she goes to college).
So, D22 has 2 violas - one she keeps in the orchestra room at school and one she keeps at home for practice, lessons, and performances. Her ‘school’ viola is good but not great and is starting to feel a bit small. Her ‘fancy’ viola is magnificent - originally made for her teacher (who is the same slight stature/build), incredible rich sound, and SUPER expensive. Originally we were happy to have the second viola for her to leave at school so as to not risk the fancy viola going in & out of the sweltering heat & AC, risk getting left behind at a class, lunch, etc.
Now that she is a rising Senior with a school instrument that is a bit too small and not loud/rich/mature enough, we are trying to figure out what to do and are trying to think beyond just this year and into the coming college years.
What do your kids do at college? While I am sure that there are many solutions, is there one way that is the norm? Her top 2 choice schools are Bienen (so there would be trudging through the snow) and Blair (so there would be heat/AC challenges). Next in her list are Rice, CMU, and UMich.
Without knowing the value, it’s a hard question to answer. If she’s going as a music major, I wouldn’t hamstring her with her second string instrument, unless it’s more valuable than even a very accomplished typical HS/college student would own. It’s a little hard for me to relate. My son’s instrument is guitar and super expensive in that realm can be pedestrian for carved instruments. The really expensive ones are due to historical value and not the best concertizing instruments. She’s ultimately going to have to be responsible for it at some time though.
There are lots of very expensive instruments (and bows) at the various conservatories and “better” music schools. Some are owned by students, some on long term loan. My own kids’ instruments were what most people should consider “expensive” - at least for our budget they were! The instruments followed them to college and were left in college lockers, brought out for orchestra rehearsals, gigs, off campus concerts, etc. Do check into a good insurance policy and the “rules” for coverage.
As far as heat/cold/humidity/dryness, each climate does different things to instruments. My kids’ instrument always sounded great in the humidity of summer program they attended in high school. Aspen used to - don’t know if still the case - have suggestions on how to manage your string instrument in the dry climate. It might be helpful to find a good luthier to talk through the generalities. I got a lot of my knowledge of string instrument/bow care (specifics now gone, aging mind!), by talking with luthiers and players familiar with the environment I was wondering about.
My kids are professionals now. None teach with their performing instruments, but I know many people do teach with expensive instruments. Mine definitely would not take their good instruments to an outdoor gig, but again, you do see some instruments I would not expose to the elements on outdoor stages.
To clarify, while in college, my kids had one instrument - the expensive one - and multiple bows at a couple price levels. Multiple degrees, multiple kids - no problems!
I think advice might change between a $2000, a $20,000 and a $200,000 instrument. It sounds like we’re talking $20,000.
Things get stolen in colleges. People would would rather deal with fencing a $2K laptop and would ignore a $2K viola might take a chance on a $20K viola and really might take a chance on a $200K viola. As far as insurance, you may need to get separate coverage. The magic words to tell your agent are “inland marine”.
Apart from this, things happen. Suppose the viola is in the shop for a month (perhaps someone turned a tuning peg and won’t say which one). What does your daughter do? It’s good to think about this before the inevitable tuning peg incident. Maybe the un-fancy viola is enough. Maybe it’s not.
I’m not an insurance agent, but I believe that Inland Marine is generally reserved for business policies. For our home policy it would come under Valuable Personal Property (VPP).
The D’Addario/Bovida Humidipack was a revelation for the guitar. No more guessing or dealing with potential water leakage. Humidipacks are sealed and both humidify and dehumidify to keep the instrument in a relatively narrow desired instrument specific range.
Our S kept his cello in the music school’s locker at both UM (Michigan) and CIM. We bought a separate insurance policy for it from a company that specializes in insuring instruments. Once we bought his expensive instrument our homeowners insurance co. did not want to cover it anymore. Look at the policies very carefully because we found many companies would not cover a theft from a locker. There were lots of different situations that varied between the different companies, i.e. theft from a car (locked vs. unlocked), temperature damage, damage from an airline flight, etc. You just want to go over your particular situation to make sure you will be covered in the most likely events for your situation. And yes as above, our homeowners insurance wouldn’t cover if it was used for a gig which becomes likely for a college musician.
Perhaps the OP could clarify value if it is important to the discussion of the situation. I assumed higher than $20,000. There are always students at the major conservatories that have instruments valued in the 6 figures. As I said above, some owned, some on long term loan from foundations and individuals and even instrument shops.
Hi - sorry about the delayed response - went offline for a bit.
The ‘fancy’ viola is valued at $25K and the ‘school’ viola is $5K - of course the bows are not included in these prices.
Her preference is to not have to lug (her word not mine) the expensive viola around her HS campus but she also doesn’t want to ask us upgrade her ‘school’ viola for just one year. In her school’s upper orchestra level this year there will only be 2 violas and I know she feels a level of pressure to have a better sounding and louder instrument for class time.
I had not thought about the ‘what-if’ scenario - and the fact that she quite likely will need a second viola for gigs and what-ifs. I remember being shocked when her teacher showed her the 5 violas that she owned and used for various reasons (seemed excessive at the time - but now I see how one acquires and uses so many).
I also think that the advice regarding insurance is so important and timely - I should definitely look into that as I remember the current policy was different for the school viola (which remains in place and is not used for ‘business’) whereas the fancy one has a different type of policy because it is moved around (currently at a festival) and is used in competitions (so can make $$ therefore changing the category).
I will also look at the D’Addario/Bovida Humidipack - seems like a great addition to her current set up.
@cellomom2 - she just had a lesson with the prof from UMich and was so excited - did your son like his experience there?
We actually have dealt with this for the first time this year, the school flute and the expensive flute, with ranges similar to yours. The expensive flute will travel with S24 to precollege on the subways and buses in NYC and stay in the locker at school. It has a very comprehensive insurance plan and a tracker in the case (the new apple ones are very cool and he has figured out how to sew it into the lining of the case). He does not like the sound of the school beginner flute anymore and if he cant be responsible with it we have an issue. I am very hopeful that we will be having the same conversation in a few more years ( but hopefully not with a more expensive flute)
Definitely I would recommend getting a 2nd cheaper instrument for school - especially if it will be stored in a locker. Some of the Chinese instruments, especially the ‘Jay Haide’ ones can actually sound quite good if they’re properly setup and you can get them for under $2,000-3,000. If you get your daughter a good case, such as a BAM or a Musafia, it will protect her instrument against temperature changes. I’ve seen a huge improvement in case technology in the last few years.
One of my kids was a music major with three brass instruments total value near $20,000. They were insured through a company recommended by the international trumpet guild. Kid kept them locked up in the lockers in the music practice room areas. He did not keep them in his dorm.
Second kid had an oboe and English horn appraised at well over $25,000. She also kept them in the lockers in the practice room area. Insured by a company that did instruments.
In both cases, we had riders on our homeowners as well for when they were here.
The trumpet kid got different insurance at some point because he was using the instruments for gigs.
In high school, trumpet kid had an intermediate level horn he used day to day at school…took his professional level instruments when they were nearing concerts.
The oboe kid had a student oboe, but she sold that in 9th grade. She just carried her oboe back and forth.
Instruments were always kept in climate controlled places. Not left in cars, etc.
My guess is that she’ll want to have the ‘fancy’ one with her. She’ll want to sound and feel her best and most confident while playing. As others have mentioned, instruments often ‘live’ in a locker at school. I had pictured my D carrying hers between dorm and music building, etc., but this rarely happens. Lessons, studio classes and practice happen in the music building, so it makes sense for her to house her instrument there. It rarely has to travel outside. Michigan weather and indoor climate can be challenging, but the SMTD kids seem to love it there! Good luck to you and your D as you embark on this exciting journey!
Thank you all for your feedback - I feel much better knowing that the bulk of the ‘fancy’ instruments live in the lockers at music schools and not on the floor of the dorm room. I will make an appointment with the insurance agents once we know where she is going to end up. Given that a backup instrument seems like a good idea (for accidents, general repairs, and gigs), we will probably get her a bigger/better sounding (but not more expensive) second instrument.
On to the next few milestone - deciding whether to ED or not, recording those prescreens, and writing those essays.
I think you will be pleased with your decision! I know I’ve relaxed over some of the gigs in “interesting venues” because I knew that the 2nd instrument was out and about and the best instrument was still sitting safely at home! I think your D will appreciate the flexibility more and more over time.
Where is she applying. Many colleges don’t really have ED for music majors as the colleges wait until the audition season ends to decide which musicians to accept into the studios.
Her list (before she left for summer festival season):
Schools of music:
*Northwestern - Bienen
*Vanderbilt - Blair
(Both have ED)
*CMU
Rice
UMich
(None of these had ED)
*was super excited about these 3 b4 summer - has since been playing with UMich teacher at festival and is VERY impressed, so UMich might be climbing past Rice pretty quickly
Music departments: Stanford (REA - and she liked the teacher and has a legacy boost, but serious lotto chances there) Princeton Columbia (great teacher but not sure NYC is right for her) Brown ( they were super enthusiastic and helpful, lovely teacher, but still crazy reach for everyone) Tufts (double legacy here)
Still thinking about….
USC
Yale
Amherst
UBC (British Columbia)
UGA (auto admit to university but still has to audition for HHSoM)
I am curious to see what she thinks once the summer programs are over and choices need to be made….
If she is going to be a music performance major, Yale doesn’t offer music performance as an undergrad degree.
But we are digressing from the instrument thing. If you want more info about her options (there are some terrific schools of music on that list), I would suggest starting another thread.
I will say, for my kid…it was all about the private teacher and the orchestral ensembles.