My daughter plays quite a few instruments. She has two primary instruments that get most of her attention, a few others that she plays well, and several more that she dabbles with when she has time. She also is a singer with a wide vocal range. Her heart lies with the violin, and that is the instrument she will pursue in college. She is currently in 9th grade and she and her violin teacher are working the plan to have her ready when it comes time for auditions. We have received varying responses from teachers about her ability and interest in multiple instruments. Some love that she is so involved musically and feel it is beneficial. Others have told her to focus on just the violin. She would like to continue some of her other musical interests in college, so we are looking for an environment that would be supportive of that. Do any of you know of any schools where someone with multiple musical interests would thrive? Which schools would discourage it? Any insight would be appreciated.
New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Improvisation Department is home to many a multi-instrument musician. Many in that department sing, compose and play at least one if not two or three instruments. If you live in commuting distance to Boston you might want to check out their prep program.
Thank you @StacJip I’ll look into NEC a little more. We live in the South, so nowhere near any of the good prep programs up there.
There aren’t too many conservatory programs where they formally encourage different instruments, (except music ed majors and jazz woodwinds), from what I’ve seen. NEC and the Contemporary Improv major was an exception that way. New School for jazz also allows/encourages exploring different areas, but I don’t know how Mannes approaches it. (if your D is planning to pursue classical violin-Mannes is the New School classical arm). It can be done more informally through electives at many schools, though.
How supportive an environment a school provides for pursuing multiple musical interests really depends on who you talk to. A couple schools S talked to discouraged it. Some didn’t encourage or discourage. When it wasn’t discouraged, the representatives made it sound much easier than it ends up being. I think it is fairly safe to say the more rigorous the primary instrument training, the less time and encouragement there will be for exploring secondary areas. With an instrument as competitive as violin, that is probably even more true.
S is in a jazz program but also takes classical instrumental classes as well as singing in a choir for credit. He had to load up his schedule to do so, and it is brutal keeping up with rehearsals and practice for everything. (Fortunately, he thrives on that, but I worry a bit about his ability to keep it up.) He hasn’t been able to do anything with his second tier instruments, (low brass), yet, and he may not be able to at all while pursuing his degree on bass. His private teacher is cool with his branching out as long as his main focus is his main focus-the head of the jazz program not so much. The conservatory coordinator is cautiously supportive but not really encouraging…more supportive now, after he did well the first semester. (He needed her approval to overload his schedule.)
I’d encourage your daughter to just enjoy all of her musical activities for right now. During the next year, she can think about and decide how she wants to focus her efforts. If she wants to try for the most competitive schools for classical violin performance, she may need to concentrate on that alone, but there are many other paths she could choose to take.
Thank you @indeestudios I think she realizes that she will not be able to be as musically active because violin will take up so much time. Her teacher frequently talks to her about the amount of time he spent practicing in college. She just doesn’t want to feel like she can’t do anything else. The conflicting feedback we have received made us curious about what to expect. We’ll be asking questions as we do research and visits to hopefully get a feel for what each school and teacher will be ok with. It’s kind of interesting, though, the ones that have heard her play other instruments and sing are the ones that think it is a good thing. The ones that have only heard her on violin are the ones that tell her to just do the one.
In the 9th grade, I think she should continue to do anything she wants musically, but that’s me. If she develops a desire to focus just on violin, herself, that’s great, but she can also continue as she is and evolve-as they all do- over time. Many changes happen in the next few years.
I would suggest that you read the Double Degree Dilemma posted above, which is about options for doing music as an undergrad, with specific examples of kids following each path.
Look at Berklee’s website. I know some multi-faceted kids who ended up there. And yes music ed is a possibility depending on how her interests develop. Or improve.
If she loves loves loves violin and really wants to focus, and practice many hours/week, and your family supports it, then that is a different story.
There are so many paths to study music I personally think it is a shame to limit this kind of “joy in music” too early. But of course getting into a top program for violin does require these early decisions. It’s a reality.
Every kid is different. As long as the decision is really hers (and not even her teacher’s) and there is flexibility going forward if she changes, as teens do, I think either way will work out.
And going to an LAC or other non-conservatory program is a viable option for talented musicians down the road too.
Completely agree @compmom ! We support her in all her musical endeavors. She wouldn’t be who she is without them. She has a tremendous grasp of theory because of it. Her violin teacher also encourages her musical interests, which is great, and spends lesson time on viola and cello when there is time, as well as discussing other music activities. The lessons frequently run long. Really long! The decision to focus primarily on violin was, and still is, hers. It’s her favorite instrument. But, teens do change their minds! We talk occasionally to make sure this is what she really wants. I don’t want her to feel pressured to continue with violin if she should change her mind, but I really don’t see that happening. I knew before she did that this is what she would want to do, but never told her that. When she asked about college, it was just one of many options we discussed.
I’ve been lurking on here for a while, gaining insight from each post. I have read the Double Degree Delimma a few times and have been looking into all the different options. It can be overwhelming and I’m so glad I was given years to sort through it all. She definitely does not want to do Music Ed, and her teacher doesn’t see her doing that either. A performance degree is what she’s looking at and her teacher is pushing her at each lesson to increase her skill level. Right now, we’re just enjoying the ride to see where it takes her.
I remember reading an article about how even the most technically competent musicians now sometimes lack a holistic feel for music, and that in the end musicality can suffer. I wish I could find it. To me, kids like your daughter bring a richness to the field. Everything goes in the pot. And now, she can focus in more as she desires and will be better off for her background I think. And she still enjoys music, which is the biggest motivator of all. You sound like a great “music parent” : enjoy the music while it is still in your house!
That desire to play multiple instruments is common with musical kids, and in many ways it is a great thing.If that is what she wants to do, things like the program at NEC stacjip mentioned is a possibility, in jazz they may be more open to that kind of thing, or even a contemporary program.
However, if she loves violin that much, then I am going to suggest something that others may disagree with, but knowing how violin is only too well, I would recommend she not ‘dilute’ it (and I hate using that term, it makes it seem like the other instruments are ‘wasted’ and whatnot). In theory, because they are somewhat similar, she could potentially study viola and violin, but they are different enough that IMO it may not work out the way you would hope (and take this for what it is, just my barely informed view of both instruments), to do either justice takes a lot of practice and dedication. If she somehow has her heart set on seriously studying violin and then going into performance, I would recommend strongly that she focus on that and put all her effort into working on that. Violin is insanely competitive and only getting harder, kids are dedicating themselves earlier and earlier, and the level required to get into a decent level music program has grown harder and harder with that. My son had a teacher that in a different generation was, as she put it, a ‘casual player’ in high school, got into one of the better known conservatories, and did well enough to get into a pretty high level regional orchestra, where she is a principal now…yet to be blunt, today she couldn’t do that, kids today are coming into the conservatories and music schools IMO at a level of playing that likely would be higher than many graduates back then. Every instrument is different, what applies to one doesn’t the other, but violin like cello and piano and flute because they are solo instruments have generated high levels of competition (maybe for the wrong reasons, but that is another thread0.
To try and keep it from being so focused on the instrument alone, encourage her to work on music theory, that is going to be a huge help in her playing, it can distinguish her from other kids (take it from me, a ton of kids get into the top music schools knowing little theory, care little about it, and it hurts them, for a number of reasons), plus that can feed her soul, as can be learning about music history and the like, and that may help, too:).
@compmom and others aren’t wrong, there have been a lot of articles about music students and complaints about students who are one dimensional, all playing the same way, and there is likely truth to that, I personally feel that way myself, but the problem is that on violin at the top programs, that technical mastery is going to play a huge role in getting in, it doesn’t mean someone needs to be at the very top level, they make allowances and teachers do look for musicality, but there is still a base level they are looking for on violin, and allowances for musical kids is not as great as some may think, the diamond in the rough may not be as rough as people think…:). It is why I encourage you to have your daughter focus on the violin and get the work in she needs (and it is gonna take a lot of practice, the 45 minutes a day won’t do it to be blunt), but also find ways to encourage things like her interest in music theory, maybe finding if there is a class in aural skills (solfege) or classes she could take locally, and encourage her to also learn about music history, read what others have written, to fill the other parts of things:).
I was a bit “worried” because I always hear that piano, violin, and flute are super competitive, and figure some number of people are just going to focus only on that instrument and take top spots, if that is relevant to your mission. OTOH, we found that allowing some time for S’ drum corps snare was very handy for his listening in to the other players (on top or behind the beat), timing, and he says he can’t explain this, but he got a better sense of tuning.
Musicprnt, most of us would suggest focus on the violin if the daughter wants that. In a later post, it seems that is what the daughter wants. I think most posters and readers on this forum know quite a bit about the single focus path. The mom wrote about her daughter’s new focus so there didn’t seem to be much of a reason to add to that, since the family is well aware of what it takes for violin.
In the original post, it seemed the daughter wanted to continue with multiple interests musically and there may still be some hesitancy about giving some of them up going forward.
I know successful musicians who have continued down this road in college, but not conservatory. Our own local music teacher went to an LAC, got a BA in music, teaches/runs a middle/high school program, plays in regional orchestra, and plays in an Indee/ cabaret band- mainly violin but also horn and piano. He seems to have a wonderful life, as do some of the conservatory single-instrument grads we know.
So yeah, if violin at a conservatory is the goal, hard work is ahead and single focus. It is tough to make that decisions in 9th grade but this daughter seems capable of deciding especially with a supportive parent on board.
But I also feel it is important to mention other possibilities that work out in case the daughter changes her mind. That does NOT mean that anyone here thinks you can decide to do violin in senior year after fooling around with lots of instruments until then.
I’m also a big fan of NEC’s Contemporary Improv department but just want to point out that a large portion of the audition is performance of an original composition and also a reconception of an existing work. Ear training/singing is incorporated into the audition as well as instrument proficiency/theory. So it attracts a particular type of musician, who is searching for his/her “voice”, and may not necessarily be multi-instrumental (The program actually originated as Third Stream - synthesis of classical and jazz). The student concerts are really great and there’s always an instrument you’ve never seen before!
I just want to add that you do not need to be in NEC’s CI department to enjoy or benefit from it. My own was a Jazz major but in his four years at NEC he not only studied with CI faculty he was in many groups created by CI majors. The nice part about a small conservatory such as NEC is that everyone gets to know everyone and there is a nice exchange of ideas among students in different departments. At one point my son was in a group where each members was in a different NEC department (Jazz, Composition, Classical and Contemporary Improvisation).
@compmom:
I wasn’t suggesting there aren’t other paths to music besides the classical route or that getting into a conservatory on violin is the only path per se, I was simply commenting that if her goal was to get into a top level performance program on violin that the single focus is going to be necessarly, that’s all. If she dedicates herself to the violin, then finds out she doesn’t want to do it in a year or two, then she could pursue other things too while backing down a bit with the violin. I have no way of knowing what the OP knows about the various paths, and when they said her daughter was heading towards the violin I let her know what that path was like, and I wasn’t talking to anyone else on here. Why do I do it then? Because I see and read a lot of bs out there, including here on CC, about what the world is like (especially on violin), how a kid if they work hard enough who learned violin in school could get into a competitive music program and so forth, and that isn’t true, I hear all kinds of anecdotes, about the guy in the X symphony (some high level orchestra) who picked up the violin at 14, made it into Y (a respected school), and made a great career as a teacher and player, and while maybe, just maybe, that once was true, it isn’t any more, it was an outlier back a generation or two ago, today it is pretty much an impossibility. I am not talking someone who makes a career as a teacher at a local music school or a private school, who does local gig work, I am talking to someone who wants to attempt it at a higher level. Even with gig work or local semi pro orchestras and the like, there are so many talented violinists out there that that is not even easy to do any more shrug. Idiot school guidance counselors still say "oh, concentrate on your academics, music is a good hobby, and if you get serious you can do it ‘in college’ gag.
There are a lot of paths with music, that have been talked about on here a lot, hopefully the op did some searches on threads, but my response was about the path with the violin and professionally playing it at a relatively high level.
My son will be applying for music ed next year - he has played viola since 4th grade but discovered percussion in 9th grade. Since then he has focussed on percussion, but still takes orchestra. We asked around with regard to his senior year schedule because he will be auditioning on percussion, and thought that maybe he should drop orchestra. The advice we got was to stay the course - that, for music ed, the versatility of strings and percussion is an interesting combination. He is now taking private lessons only in percussion but practices viola on his own - there are only so many hours in a day (and so much money in the bank). With a 9th grader, I would say that you don’t know yet what the next few years will bring, so let her continue to explore some interests. She might be interested in music ed, or conservatory - or she might become a physics major. 
Thank you for all the responses! I have read a lot on here the last couple of years and it has been a great help as we look at all the options available.
I will try to clarify where my daughter is and what she is looking for. She is focused on violin and wants to play professionally. What that means specifically, she doesn’t know yet, but she has time to figure that out. Her violin teacher is preparing her for auditions that will come in a few years and feels they are on track. She understands theory way better than anyone we know and the same with aural skills. She can hear a note or a chord and tell you what it is. Her choir director is always amazed by what she knows. Her involvement with the various instruments and activities has helped her to really hear the music and understand how they all work together.
As far as her other musical interests, she knows she will have to slack off on those, but doesn’t want to give it up completely. Being a part of other school ensembles is probably next to impossible, but suppose a few students decide to start a group and she wants to play something other than violin, or they’re just hanging out and she’s playing something else. Those would be fun outlets for her and she doesn’t want to feel she shouldn’t be doing that because she is supposed to be doing nothing but play the violin. If she wants to spend an hour or two with her keyboard or guitar or clarinet or trumpet or whatever, she wants to know that won’t be frowned upon because it’s not her primary instrument. As long as she’s keeping up with her lessons and orchestra responsibilities and advancing as player, shouldn’t spending time on another instrument be okay? It doesn’t seem that it would be any different than spending a few hours at the movies or playing video games or involved in any other activity. Her other activities just tend to involve more music and art. Having small breaks where you’re not worried about what’s required is good for everybody.
It is possible she could change her mind about what she wants to do, but not likely. As I said in an earlier comment, I knew before she did this is what she would want to do. But it had to be her decision, something she came to on her own. We support her completely and would support her if she should change her mind. Music does require lots of advance planning throughout high school, so trying to stay informed and be prepared.
@musicprnt agreed about the counselors. While our school is very supportive of the arts, it’s really not looked at as a career path, except as a teacher, and they really have no clue how to help.
I guess what I’m wondering in all this is if there are schools where everyone is only focused on their primary instrument. I don’t think my daughter would be happy in that environment, so would prefer not to waste time visiting and going through the whole process for those schools.
I believe it is the norm to focus on one instrument and maybe its near cousin.
I’ll put another plug in for NEC! They really encourage all kinds of cross-pollination, right down to lessons, and branching out too. Lots of interesting opportunities there. Nice size too.
Thanks @drummergirl ! Lots of mentions of NEC, so we’ll definitely be looking into it more.