<p>I would like to have people comment on their experience researching or auditioning at programs where several professors teach the same instrument. Both in those where the professors choose their students at audition and those where the student tries for one proffessor.</p>
<p>Also where a professor teaches at 2 or even 3 programs and if you like the professor it could be difficult deciding which school or if they are spreading themselves too thin.</p>
<p>That brings up a third issue. Big time reputation performing teachers who have so many performing and travel commitments they do not have the time that another professor might have.</p>
<p>All of the schools to which my son applied have more than one teacher for his instrument, and he was asked to indicate and/or rank teacher preference on the applications. The one program to which he has already been accepted suggested in the acceptance letter that students contact the faculty member with whom they would like to study. My son emailed the preferred teacher who conveyed his interest in having S in his studio but stated that studio assigments will be made after all auditions are completed, and he will be formally notified by April 1.</p>
<p>Regarding the issue of teachers missing lessons for performance/travel commitments: this is an important question to ask. At some schools, it is customary for grad students to fill in for absent teachers. At other schools, the regular teacher is expected to schedule make-ups for all missed lessons.</p>
<p>Rockford: I think you bring up some interesting and important issues. At the bigger programs and especially for the more common instruments, it is often the case that there are several instructors. This gives the student a better opportunity to select the most compatible teacher. There is also the possibility of changing instructors if the initial selection does not work well. There is also some risk in this situation. Rarely, does the student have a guaranteed choice. They usually request their preference and may be assigned only after they have accepted admission.</p>
<p>For smaller programs and less common instruments, instructors are often adjuncts. Many teach at multiple schools and may also play in outside orchestras or other groups. Many teach at more than 2-3 schools. In fact I know of one who teaches regularly at 5 and occasionally at a 6th school. I think these situations need to be considered carefully. Some of the negatives are pretty obvious. A part time adjunct may not be available and cannot be actively involved in the school and all of the programs. Often the commitment is missing and adjunct faculty tend to have a high turnover. Most adjuncts are paid poorly and this can indicate a poor commitment from the school in providing a strong program.</p>
<p>My daughter also only applied to schools that had more than one teacher on her instrument. In all cases, we knew whose studio she would be in before decisions were due on May 1. </p>
<p>A couple of the teachers were on faculty at more than one of the schools she was considering. In those cases, the choice of where to apply was based on other factors particular to each school.</p>
<p>As the others have pointed out, the frequency with which a teacher misses lessons and how those lessons get made up are important considerations. That is a great question to ask students of that teacher when you visit or audition.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies, those are the kind of issues I had hoped would be discussed and put on the list of things to check on for prospective students.</p>