<p>Depends on the instrument, as well.</p>
<p>I just wanted to add onto my last post (which won't let me edit anymore) that I'm not trying to brag or anything of the sort. Many, many student musicians are as good as I was in high school, so I wanted to use my own experiences to show that music camp and such aren't necessarily needed to show passion, induce passion, or demonstrate ability or commitment.</p>
<p>Mamenyu</p>
<p>"You need to win prizes, play in a top orchestra, go to prestigious and competitive summer programs for it to help."</p>
<p>is not the same as </p>
<p>"Attending summer programs shows "passion" -- and is also the source of "passion.""</p>
<p>Your first statement is simply not accurate. You do not need to do all those things. You do not need to do any of those things. You need to play and you need to play well.</p>
<p>The second is more on point, but passion is of more interest to the admissions department than the music dept, (... and there are other ways to display that passion) and for a "hook" you need the music dept on board.</p>
<p>JHS</p>
<p>1) Exactly - All region and the like honors make one's application read well re character/dedication/this kid didn't spend all his time with his nose in a book .... but its not going to get you on the team - that's the coach's decision (and even HS AllAmerican honors aren't a hook if you are not on the coach's list)</p>
<p>3) Summer programs and competitions apply I think more to that second level down with the admissions dept, not that top level with the music dept where the hook would be.
As for showing seriousness about a career in music, don't see that that applies so much to the LACs as to the conservatories and there everything depends upon the audition.
Finally, when I say play and play well, I mean that to encompass playing with others and playing for others. If all one is doing is playing by oneself in an empty room, then he or she isn't really playing - at least not from the jazz side of things where the interaction with the other players and the audience is all part of the gig. The jazz resumes that I've seen are all about who one's played with and who one's studied with.</p>
<p>I second the New Orleans options: Loyola and Tulane. I know that a Jazz Ensemble from Tulane will be playing in Jazz Fest there this year.</p>
<p>You can't beat New Orleans for the sheer opportunities to hear and play jazz, and NOT having to major in music to do it. </p>
<p>D is in the performance arts (ballet) elsewhere and it's true that usually most in-college performing opportunities naturally go first to the majors, rather than the minors. Probably is only fair....</p>
<p>For some studies, like jazz music or architecture, it's tough to bring the mountain to where it ain't. It's best to go to the mountains to see-- or hear --God.</p>
<p>For jazz, the mountains in the US would be in New York and New Orleans.</p>
<p>The city of New Orleans and New Orleanians are steeped in jazz--old and new. They listen to it on the radio and dance to it at the dance halls. Tulane has an amazing student run jazz radio station.</p>
<p>
[quote]
WWOZ, 90.7 FM. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation
One of the best non-commercial radio stations in the United States, if not the best. NOW WEBCASTING LIVE!
A true community radio station, "Your Jazz and Heritage Station", as their slogan says, is operated by the same organization that puts on the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. 'OZ is the only station in the city that is devoted to local music. Contemporary and traditional jazz, R&B, "New Orleans music", blues, Cajun & zydeco, gospel; plus African, Caribbean, reggae, Latin, Irish, country & bluegrass, and more. 'OZ also has some of the greatest DJs and on-air personalities anywhere in public radio, like John Sinclair, Billy Delle and Bob French. Have a look at their current weekly schedule. For live music calendar, community news or membership information, call (504) 840-4040. Request line (504) 568-1234. Studio (504) 568-1238. Business line (504) 568-1239. WWOZ, Armstrong Park, P. O. Box 51840, New Orleans, LA 70151.</p>
<p>WTUL, 91.5 FM. Tulane University, student-run
New Orleans' award-winning college station, and 1996's College Station of the Year, according to The Gavin Report. As much as I adore 'TUL and the music it plays, I must confess that sometimes I find some of their student DJs' on-air performance to be execrable (those kids from the Northeast have got to learn to pronounce local place and personal names.) However, there's always great music, and that's what counts. This is one of the best college stations in the country, bar-none. My old high-school classmate Lenny Bertrand is the Cheeze and Blues Music Director and the Technical Director, too!
Alternative, jazz, world music, hardcore, Broadway and more. They run a weekly series of live broadcasts of alternative and local bands called "The 'TULbox", every Wednesday night from the Howlin' Wolf, from about 10:30pm to 2am. And don't forget the venerable, long-running "Cheeze Music" show, which I used to listen to when I was in college (which goes to show you how long it's been running, ack). Another great thing about 'TUL is that they give away tons of free tickets, practically every day. Unlike the big commercial stations, if you listen for an hour or so you will probably pick up a pair of tickets to some local musical event. (504) 865-5TUL.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Although Loyola has a great long-established program--it is focused on big band jazz--Tulane's program has four small ensembles on top of it's jazz orchestra. One of the ensembles played at Jazz Fest last year.</p>
<p>Besides Columbia and New School--your son could do what Harry Connick Jr did--go to Hunter (or wherever) and take classes at the Manhattan school of Music.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Connick moved to New York City to study at Hunter College and the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, where a Columbia Records executive persuaded him to sign with that label.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>H.Connick attended Loyola before he went to Hunter. Jason Marsalis is an alum as well Ellis Marsalis, who currently teaches there as well. It has to be the friendliest music school I have ever visited and Im sure Tulane has that same warm fuzzy N'awlins vibe. sigh........</p>
<p>Loyola New Orleans has a great program. The Thelonious Monk Institute just relocated there from Univ. of Southern California.</p>
<p><a href="http://mfa.loyno.edu/monkinstitute/%5B/url%5D">http://mfa.loyno.edu/monkinstitute/</a></p>
<p>Their Jazz Ensemble placed first in the University of North Texas Jazz Festival and will be playing at Jazzfest on May 5.</p>
<p>Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis are on staff and regularly work with students. My son had Terence Blanchard observing his combo class last week. Lots of gigs are available for students.</p>
<p>That is so cool, Jazzdrumom.</p>
<p>I have a definite bias against summer programs for jazz (and we live 40 minutes from Interlochen). IMO, the best way to develop jazz chops is to play, play, play. That means form a band and play gigs - anywhere you can. DS did summer jazz camp in 9th grade, but after that he played alone (piano) and with a combo whenever and wherever he could. Nothing shows jazz passion like a well-worn "Real Book". I can tell you that putting down "Summer Job - Musician” was a real plus in the admissions process.</p>
<p>I was addressing the original post and was not referring to summer programs-
somehow the thread got a little off-track.</p>
<p>
[quote]
H.Connick attended Loyola before he went to Hunter. Jason Marsalis is an alum as well Ellis Marsalis, who currently teaches there as well. It has to be the friendliest music school I have ever visited and Im sure Tulane has that same warm fuzzy N'awlins vibe. sigh........
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You know, it absolutely does. Even the administrators there are incredibly friendly and accomodating. My S does not feel like a number. Well not yet, anyway!</p>
<p>Bassdad: Glad your daughter is having a great experience at Oberlin. Good Bass players are in demand everywhere, in my experience -- too few of them to go around. So, perhaps a pianist or saxophone player might find it harder to penetrate all those different ensembles. Just a theory about why there is so much discrepancy between various Oberlin posts here.</p>
<p>As for other points mentioned here: Harvard definitely considers music a great ec. I read an interview with an adcom rep there who talked about how much he thinks kids get out of pursuing music to a high level, and they have many music opportunities on campus that are not competitive. Yale, on the other hand, fills its groups with conservatory students, and has relatively little going on in terms of jazz. So music per se will not help with admissions. Every place is different. At some, only the adcom listens to the CD. At others, they forward it to the music department.</p>
<p>As for CDs -- my kid's saxophone teacher recorded some tracks, others came off recordings of school performances, then my S burned the cds. Cheap, low tech. He still got a very nice e-mail from the head of the jazz program at a college responding to his admissions CD as "impressive". I have a feeling that when you're talking about jazz as opposed to classical performance, the expectations might be different. If your kid has written any pieces, definitely include them. Likewise, I'd choose a good solo with a live audience responding over a studio recording, even if the recording is of lower quality. I don't think you have to invest a fortune, but maybe other people have had different experiences.</p>
<p>Harvard does consider music -- and someone there does listen to CD's; indeed, one adjunct faculty member (an Oberlin graduate) said that he listened to about 50 CD's -- though he only recommended two out of the lot, both of whom, interestingly, were also interested in Oberlin. There are a lot of terrific musicians at Harvard and lots of orchestras and chamber groups, but it not like going to a conservatory; and the music department is adamantly academic, regarding performance as extracurricular.</p>
<p>sac,</p>
<p>It very likely would be harder for a pianist or saxophonist to get into one of the established groups there, but not at all hard for them to either join a student-run group or start one of their own. Typically, my daughter plays in either the Orchestra or Chamber Orchestra and everything else is either an ExCo (Experimental College - classes taught and taken by anyone in the community who has a particular interest) or a makeshift group that lasts anywhere from a single gig to a couple of semesters. There are also at least three established school-run ensembles (strings, winds/percussion, and voices) that draw most of their members from the college and town and not from the conservatory.</p>
<p>What you say about the availability of good bass players is true in most places, but less so at Oberlin. Between the classical and jazz departments, there are approximately twenty bass players on campus at any given time. There are a few more who are not in the conservatory but who are studying with conservatory teachers or their top students, so there are enough to go around.</p>
<p>I still think a decent pianist or sax player would be able to find plenty of opportunities to play outside of the main ensembles. Of course, being merely a decent piano, sax or bass player is probably not going to be much of an admissions hook there.</p>
<p>You all are giving me so many ideas and good information. Just wanted to thank yu again--Jazzdrummom, can you tell me more about your son's search for a school, since we're talking about the same instrument?</p>