<p>Does anyone have any experience with music students going abroad for a semester (or year) their junior year of college? My D is a vocal jazz major, and most programs we have found for voice are classical. Beyond that, I gather it can be hard to transfer music credits, and the kids get off sequence with the classes from their particular school. But there are obviously benefits of studying in a foreign country. Any insights or ideas welcome!</p>
<p>Our experience is that most VP majors go in the summer not in the semester. There are a number of specialty summer programs for music.</p>
<p>Since one of my D’s goals is to study abroad, she’s been asking about this at every music school we’ve toured. Pretty much everyone claims to have a study abroad option, but reading between the lines it seems as if it really is school- and teacher-dependent. Some places really encourage and facilitate student travel while others seem to make it so difficult that a summer program is the only realistic option. How supportive is your D’s teacher to the idea?</p>
<p>Ah, yes, I see this problem in our future. Although my D will be classical voice, it will still be a challenge to arrange study abroad. I’ve been doing a lot of research on this.</p>
<p>Start early. Hopefully, your D is in her first year. She should see her school’s study abroad office and her music advisor. Here are my suggestions:</p>
<p>Save up general ed credits and take some of those abroad.</p>
<p>Plan ahead regarding possible language pre-requisites.</p>
<p>Look at countries whose culture has influenced our jazz music, ie, Brazil, Argentina, Caribbean countries, African countries such as Senegal, Ghana, or Spain, Ireland…</p>
<p>Think of cities where jazz music is really alive: maybe Berlin, Paris, Montreal, Amsterdam…Check out IES Amsterdam.</p>
<p>Look at these college websites for some ideas: Northwestern, Carnegie Mellon, Sarah Lawrence, Syracuse, NYU, Lawrence, Berklee…Berklee might be especially relevant for you.</p>
<p>Look at ethnomusicology course offerings. </p>
<p>Links:
[Study</a> Abroad, Programs of Study, Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University](<a href=“http://www.music.northwestern.edu/programs/studyabroad.html]Study”>http://www.music.northwestern.edu/programs/studyabroad.html)
[Study</a> Abroad with CIEE in Accra](<a href=“http://www.ciee.org/study/programOverview.aspx?pID=1768#1rightForYou]Study”>http://www.ciee.org/study/programOverview.aspx?pID=1768#1rightForYou)
[BERKLEE</a> | International Programs](<a href=“http://www.berklee.edu/international]BERKLEE”>Berklee Global | Berklee)</p>
<p>Good luck, and keep us updated on progress!</p>
<p>Stradmom: just curious, which schools did you find that “really encourage and facilitate student travel?”</p>
<p>DS attended Boston University as an undergrad. They had a study abroad relationship with the Royal College of Music in London for a semester abroad for music majors. I don’t know if they still have that relationship (I think they do). BU actually has a very extensive study abroad program in London. They OWN classroom buildings and housing. DS had to apply for the program, but once accepted it was “seamless”.</p>
<p>Oberlin stands out in my mind as being more open to travel. D is applying to a mix of conservatories and liberal arts colleges with strong music programs, and not surprisingly, the latter seem more supportive of study abroad.</p>
<p>One thing we’re discovering with our older D, not a music major, who is in the process of setting up a study abroad experience for next year: her school only applies her financial aid to certain, specific pre-approved overseas programs. Something to keep an eye out for, I guess!</p>
<p>A young friend who is a vocal major at Northwestern just completed his entire junior year in Vienna. He did take German prior to.</p>
<p>Some schools have reciprocal programs with conservatories in other countries. They may require a one-for-one exchange, which means that a VP major from say, the the Conservatoire de Paris would want to study at the school here and a singer from here would attend school in France. They also may require that the student going abroad be fluent in the language of the country where they will be studying. It is also teacher controlled- a teacher may not want her/his student picking up a “bad” habit that they know is particular to another school. So while a VP major may not be able to make the trip, a flutist might apply. I wouldn’t start arranging courses around study abroad, but you honestly can’t do that anyway as there are set things which must be taken in a particular sequence and not much leeway is allowed. In particular,sopranom92, be careful about telling your D to “Save up Gen Ed credits and take some of those abroad”- that’s not really feasible not only because it’s doubtful that the registrar is going to give that much leeway in putting those off, but also because conservatories abroad are not like those here. They have few or no courses available which are not specific to the study of music and the particular instrument/voice. It wouldn’t make much sense to try to take a course in English diction while in France! The bulletin boards in the hallways of music schools are loaded with information about programs all over the world, but it is far too soon to even think about those. The relationship between student and teacher here needs to be very solid and the school needs to be sure that a particular student will have something to gain from studying somewhere else, and that may not turn out to be the case. Wait a couple of years and the subject will come up naturally in conversation during a lesson etc. The teacher will decide and help guide the student and it’s really true that they know so much more than we can glean from an ad on a web site or from perusing the internet. Many schools also have affilitations with summer programs and the teachers even trek to Europe to teach in them! Stradmom, great point about the FA too, and that even applies to living off campus! It’s really better to let the school take the lead in all of this so that no one is disappointed or offended.</p>
<p>My experience with Oberlin is that they have a great summer program (Oberlin in Italy) and occasional tours abroad for the orchestra during the Winter term. They did not seem especially eager to have their conservatory students spend a full year or even a semester abroad, however. I have heard of a few students who managed to do a semester or a semester plus a summer in Europe, but the number is quite small compared with the total number of students in the conservatory.</p>
<p>The study abroad options at Oberlin College are much more extensive and popular.</p>
<p>Interesting, BassDad - just goes to show that you really do need to read between the lines at these info sessions!</p>
<p>My D did a month summer opera program in Florence through another university (almost ALL of these programs are open to other students) and that same summer studied Italian for a month near Milano while living with an Italian family (old friends of my family). She felt she learned the most by living with a family and speaking Italian everyday. For singers in particular, I think the most important aspect in study abroad is language immersion. Luckily for her, my friends are also patrons of the arts who organize a local music festival, so she was actively participating in music during her stay.</p>
<p>musicamusica, DD’s voice teacher thought immersion was so important she has her students go to Middlebury’s summer language institute that is a 7 week full immersion program. [Language</a> Schools](<a href=“Middlebury Language Schools | Unlock Your Language Skills”>Middlebury Language Schools | Unlock Your Language Skills) She prefers this over going to Europe because the European summer programs tend to have too much English in them. After the Middlebury program last summer, DD is looking at programs in Italy for this next summer with her teacher’s blessing.</p>
<p>I agree re most American based programs IN Europe. Even her month singing in Florence, most of the interaction with faculty and students was unfortunately in English. Thus the month with an Italian family being more productive. The following year she was planning on two months in Germany staying with her teachers coach and her family, but she got into a really good American based YAP. This summer will be in Europe, but doing auditions and a possible series of concerts with a few other grads. If possible, it can be more productive to make up your own program on the fly.</p>