<p>do most musica theatre majors know how to read music?</p>
<p>Can only answer for my d, but BIG yes! She plays 5 instruments and studied instrumental music for 10 years before starting voice training. She is very strong in music theory.</p>
<p>My S could "sorta" read music. But after his first year he's becoming very proficient, he can sit down read the music and play it on the piano, not just Mary had a little lamb stuff, Les Miz stuff! The training is amazing!</p>
<p>Some schools (probably the ones that are BM vs BFA) actually have a basic music test they require as part of the audition (Belmont for example); others may require a brief exam for leveling purposes after the fact (OCU is an example of this) and may require a remedial class before you start the basic music theory.</p>
<p>S asked about it at Belmont (the test itself was pretty basic and took approx 10 min) and was told it was told it was essentially a way to weed out the "American Idol" sort of candidates.</p>
<p>You may not absolutely have to have that skill to get in, but I would think NOT having some semblance of it puts you at a disadvantage.</p>
<p>As srw noted, most schools are going to require some amount of piano (OCU requires up to 4 semesters I think) and if you don't that is one more skill you have to start working hard on once you get there.</p>
<p>oops, I hit "reply" before I was finished typing! :D
I was going to add that many schools will have you take some kind of theory placement test but they will tell you that it will not affect your chances of getting in to the MT program but will be used for placement purposes only.</p>
<p>At Unich we were told, if you dont read music and play a little piano, RUN - dont walk - and get started today on these skills- even the basics will help. My D is lucky enough to be very proficient at both piano and theory. </p>
<p>She says she thinks it will always be helpful - nothing beats being able to pick up a piece of music, play it and then learn to sing it! </p>
<p>Guess that is why there is "music" in musical theater!! :p</p>
<p>MikksMom</p>
<p>I would think that at most MT programs, the answer to your question would be a definite yes! :) Most kids we know who are in programs across the country, both MT and straight drama, are also musicians. This is also true of the relatives and friends we have in the business. Most successful MT actors have their own music that they work on as well as their work in shows, which you probably already know. You may even have some of their cds! Most that we know play piano and guitar at a minimum, and often other instruments as well. MT students will definitely need to know how to read music if they hope to have a successful career.</p>
<p>thanks for the response. i was just curious because i played the piano for my drama department's musical theatre piece at a festival this weekend and...most of them don't know how to read music. Most of them learn the songs my ear...which takes FOREVER unless you have an amazing ear. So..i was just curious if it was the same for a serious student who wanted to pursue a degree and career in the musical theatre world.</p>
<p>Oh yea...i know the UMICH wants many of their applicants (if not all) to play the piano at their audition. I remember because one of my friends last year asked me for some simple classical pieces that she could work on for her audition.</p>
<p>This has been discussed a lot here, but to ease fears, UMich does not REQUIRE you to be able to play well in order to be admitted to the program. That having been said, there is a piano placement audition for all applicants, and many, many students enter UMich as really excellent musicians (piano or otherwise). As several have already said in this thread, good sight-reading and at least basic piano skills are pretty essential to a professional MT actor's survival, and most programs have some kind of basic proficiency requirement for both piano and sight-reading in order to move beyond either freshman and/or sophomore year. I know I personally wish I had better piano skills - but luckily I am blessed with a teaching partner who is equal parts performer and music director/orchestrator/theory genius/incredible accompanist! :) (And yes, he's from UMich. ;) )</p>