So, I was recently admitted to Vandy, and plan on attending this fall in the class of 2022. However, I was only admitted to the CAS as I applied as a neuroscience major and did not audition for Blair during the Admissions process. This is because, I’m only interested in the non professional music as a second major rather than the B.Mus. Degree. So I know I must enroll in a semester of lessons (for me that would be for voice) and then must get permission from my instructor to audition. My real question is how competitive is this process for my situation? Am I still competing for a spot in Blair even if my home school is still CAS? Am I competing against professional degree seekers? Are they more lenient with the auditions for music as a second major seekers? Any information would be helpful!
You should contact with someone who has done what you planned to do. Checkout the link: https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/insidedores/2018/03/embodying-diversity-rachel-miles/ and try to see if you can contact the person through the school.
I recommend you contact Blair directly by phone and ask for a call back by an admin. They want to be helpful. It would be nice if you had more information this spring and summer as you will be given a day in late summer to sign up for classes with an advisor assigned to you.
There are many people with musical backgrounds in the other schools at Vandy. There are a few who are good enough on their instruments to have seats in exclusive groups like the Symphony. They must find the time to keep up in expected rehearsal and private practice hours however. Blair is really all-consuming and a true conservatory. But it is also unique in ways that reflect Nashville, including some roots musician opportunities. There are ways to take lessons for sure. That said, since my son, an “above average violist” who is not a true musician graduated Vandy, I believe that Blair conservatory students started up a second-tier symphony themselves for the conducting experience-- which would have been an appropriate place for my son to play since he was not good enough for the Blair conservatory symphony and would not have practiced enough to deserve a seat in it. Rice also now has a second tier symphony for the average player who is not truly committed to musical education–run by conservatory students.
You may get accepted by a Blair vocal teacher. You may discover that some advanced vocalists who are upperclassmen in Blair teach students who are not majors. There are many singing groups on campus and there is a strong theater season annually. Dual majoring with Blair will be a big commitment and a challenge. My son dual majored (not in music!) and does not regret it but it does dilute your ability to excel in each department because it reduces the number of courses you can take in each major to the required courses for the major only. Perhaps you can Skype with an admin at Blair or get an appointment on an Accepted Students day in the spring in Blair. My other son met with a Blair admin briefly and was told that he could not audition till fall semester for the symphony. He was pretty sure he was not good enough to be in their symphony but he was hoping to figure his standing on his instrument at Vandy early. He ended up at Duke where the student symphony is less demanding and rehearsal hours are much fewer.
Perhaps you can Skype soon with a current student Blair will find to chat with you who does a dual major. Congrats on your admission. One of the great benefits to Vanderbilt is cultural arts richness and plenty on campus and off campus. Performances are frequent and wonderful on campus. My son went downtown to hear the Nashville Symphony often–their concert hall is a great jewel in Nashville. They give college students some tickets for free but I can’t recall how he got them. You will likely be taken there during orientation.
happy wishes for you
Both my daughters were neuroscience majors and both accomplished vocalists (one having full ride scholarships to other schools for vocal performance, both were All-state singers). They sang in the symphonic choir (audition only), and one daughter was very involved in a capella groups. They both found it very rewarding to continue music at Vanderbilt. It was absolutely incredible to hear them singing together with the symphony several times! I will say both had to stop singing in the choirs at various times due to the very difficult nature of the neuroscience major, they just didn’t have the time to rehearse some semesters. Both were pre-med, and the rigorous course loads didn’t allow for much other than studying! You may find it different, and able to double major! I know there were others that did it!