<p>Audition committee members would normally expect an increased level of play for the same piece(s) in comparison to a prescreen submission sent 3-4 months prior. Indeed, they would welcome it.</p>
<p>Semantically, if the terms "unaltered" or "unedit" do not appear within the parameters of the program's submission, I'll concede your logic, though I do not agree with it.</p>
<p>If it is stated that the submission represent one session, unedited, within each movement/piece, it's clearly a violation of the rules of submission.</p>
<p>However, if the words "unaltered" or "unedit" do not appear, and you proceed to ASK the committee whether it is permitted or not, they would obviously say no. But like the math analogy i made earlier, yes it's clearly a violation of the rules, but if you know you can play, by the time live audition comes around, just as well if not better than your recording, then you may have violated the rules, but you were not completely dishonest, and you do deserve your acceptance into the school. That's the point I'm trying to get at. Editing against the rules is indeed a violation, but that doesn't say a student that has edited his/her CD and gained entrance to a school "cheated their way into the school" which seemed to be the vibe in this forum.</p>
<p>My S has improved so dramatically since he did his prescreening that he is playing much more advanced pieces for his audition than he was able to play well enough for a recording in December. He was less ready in December, more ready now. Perhaps he could have edited this more difficult repertoire then, but he did not. The result: he didn't get an audition at NEC which is looking for more advanced players. We joked about sending another recording while waiting because he improved every week. I am quite sure that NEC would want to hear him live today. The schools know that you are all working like demons to perfect your auditions and that this brings vast improvement in your overall playing. Not only you, but all of these serious young musicians applying to music schools. Since you broke the rules, the playing field is not level. I wonder if my S will one day be bitter knowing that so many apparently didn't play by the same rulebook he had.</p>
<p>As for my S, it looks like he will get into a good music school nonetheless and if he really wants one he can't have now, he'll wait another year. He would not have dreamt of editing his recording. It is indeed dishonest. The rules are clear. It's no different from cheating on SAT's. Perhaps you will have a better grasp of the math in 3 months, but they are testing you today. If the faculty which heard you live knew, you would not be admitted. It's that simple. </p>
<p>I'm sorry if this upsets you, but this is the truth.</p>
<p>You admit that what you did would be considered a serious violation of the rules by those who made the rules. By doing so, you assert that your judgment on this matter should take precedence over theirs. In effect, you are making the argument that the ends justify the means in this situation. I beg to differ.</p>
<p>Completely agree Ablestmom - I hope you wouldn't find many students who would agree. And yes, I do believe that someone who edited the pre-screening tape did cheat his or her way into the school.</p>
<p>To each his/her own. I am also guessing it depends on the way you are brought up and the environment around you. In the world around me, this is not considered wrong, therefore I do not believe it is wrong. Even if I did cheat my way into the school, I can still safely say I am not one of the worse students in the school. Therefore, the school is not too advanced for me, and it is just fine. The adults and students around me all believe that editing is fine. So I guess there is no point in arguing.</p>
<p>I also don't really buy it--editing never enters into the discussion in my son's peergroup. I think the majority of students playing at a level where they want to go to a conservatory are perfectionistic enough about their work that they are looking for something to be proud of, and the excitement of a live session captured on the CD is a rush for them.</p>
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<p>you may have violated the rules, but you were not completely dishonest, and you do deserve your acceptance into the school.>></p>
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<p>Sorry....but if you violated the rules you were COMPLETELY DISHONEST.</p>
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<p>In the world around me, this is not considered wrong, therefore I do not believe it is wrong.>></p>
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<p>Are you saying that you were brought up in a dishonest environment and therefore you believe dishonesty is right? Sorry...I don't buy that either.</p>
<p>But do not forget that there are times you are just simply NOT ready to perform and play that piece without messing up. That doesn't mean you're not ready for the conservatory. And like I said, to each his/her own. I do not, and will not believe that editing is wrong. I will continue to do so, because I know I have the skills to impress the judges live anyway.</p>
<p>I do not and will not believe that selling one's artistic integrity for a leg up in the preliminary round of an undergraduate audition is anything but wrong, most particularly for anyone who feels that they have the requisite skills. If you feel the need to take shortcuts at this level, realize that there are a good many who do not need to do so. If you cannot match their work ethic even now, what rules will you have to break when barrier exams, graduate school auditions and employment auditions come along?</p>
<p>(Does anyone remember Paul Scofield's delivery of the line, "Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the entire world...but for Wales?" in the cinematic version of Robert Bolt's 'A Man for All Seasons'? This thread has put that scene in my mind, even though I have not seen the film in at least a decade.)</p>
<p>"Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the entire world...but for Wales?"</p>
<p>nice quote, bassdad.</p>
<p>There are always people in every business who are willing to cheat and use shortcuts. Maybe he will succeed, maybe not - usually not, in music, I think. I'm glad we've had the opportunity to air this issue here on CC so that everyone can be clear that editing is cheating and that those who don't edit are in fact playing by the same rules as most.</p>
<p>I hope we haven't been had by a troll with this, fellow parents! There is something rather absurd in musicalfeet's insistence that cheating is ok. Maybe I am livng in a sheltered world where students don't boast about cheating?</p>
<p>I wish it was true, but I know that some people cheat. The engineer we used for the audition CD asked about editing. He didn't say so, but it seemed clear that he would be willing to edit if we asked him to even though he knew what the rules were. It suggested to me that more than a few do cheat.</p>
<p>Just because they don't need to edit does not make them a better than player than a person that does edit. The key is who is the better PLAYER. Editing is merely a bump in the road.</p>
<p>Note that I did not question the level of playing, rather the integrity and work ethic of those who feel the need to cheat. A superior player who cheats either lacks confidence in their own abilities or thinks that the rules do not apply to them, possibly both. </p>
<p>Most music teachers look for more than fast fingers and can tell a lot about a prospective student by how they handle life's little bumps in the road. May you have all the success you deserve.</p>