<p>Taft is quite artsy. Music is encouraged and, at least when I was there, there were lots of opportunities for orchestra, solo, and chamber work. I was even in a jazz group -- something unusual for someone with classical training). Through a Taft fellowship, I got several thousand dollars to attend music festivals in the summer, and you can get funding to put on solo and chamber concerts through the Independent Studies Program. Lots of people perform at the monthly coffee hours. The music director drives students to the all state orchestra, and the Collegium generally goes on elaborate trips (China, Hong Kong, Spain, etc.) each March. Also, each year one or two students participate in the Julliard precollege program. Others study with profs in Hartford or New Haven.</p>
<p>If you're serious about music, what about Walnut Hill? Or Interlochen?</p>
<p><a href="http://www.walnuthillarts.org%5B/url%5D">http://www.walnuthillarts.org</a>
<a href="http://www.interlochen.org/academy/%5B/url%5D">http://www.interlochen.org/academy/</a></p>
<p>Both schools are outside the ten usual suspects for boarding schools, but have excellent academic as well as conservatory matriculation. Walnut Hill has sent 27 students to Juilliard in the last 4-5 years, 21 to the Boston Conservatory... and so on.</p>
<p>I agree that those performing arts schools are great. also there is one in california called something like Idyllwild(sp)?</p>
<p>If you are looking for a conservatory style music program, then Interlochen is the place. The academics are very, very challenging- all honors and AP level.
It's very hard to be accepted into the school. Juilliard said that 25% of its entering class was from Interlochen.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.</p>
<p>What's the acceptance rate at Interlochen?</p>
<p>EDIT - According to Peterson's, it says 77% of students who applied were admitted. I don't think it would be that hard to get in.</p>
<p>Jonathan, acceptance rates are actually a poor way of judging how difficult it is to be accepted to a school or how strong its program is. For schools that are unique in any way there tends to be a strong selection bias. Only students who are both very serious about and very accomplished in their concentration area even bother applying to a performing arts school. BRbway was probably referring to the intensity of the application and audition process when s/he mentioned how difficult it is to be admitted.</p>
<p>I have a cousin who will probably turn down an offer from one of the royal ballet academies to attend Interlochen--and I think she and her parents are making a great choice.</p>
<p>It does depend on which major you apply to. I'm almost positive dance and theatre are the hardest to get into, because it is such a small acceptance rate(dance 1 in 19 girls, theatre 1 in 26). Musicians make up more than half of our school, I think there are 245. But they only accept a certain amount for each instrument (2 tubas, 5-6 percussionists, 4 bases, etc.,). So they can accept a lot more people, but they have a very wide selection of people to choose from.</p>
<p>What is your major at Interlochen? Are you male or female? And do you think it's a positive environment for girls? I knew a girl who transferred to Interlochen from Chatham, and she really loved it there--but that was 7 or 8 years ago now. She went on to Juilliard for acting. Are students competitive with one another? (I know this depends on the major... I'm particularly interested in dance.)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>I'm a girl, I will be a senior theatre major this year. I absolutely love it, I can't wait to go back. I went to camp for two summers, and adored it so much I had to go for school. It is very nurturing, for both boys and girls. The teachers are all really understanding, of late night rehearsals, performances,etc.,
Oh the dancers are awesome, and amazing. In dance, I think they only have one set of auditions at the beginning of the year, so everything is cast based on how they do in classes. It's competitive in a very good way, not in a cut throat way, but enough so that it is more of a real dance world feel- rather than a local dance school. There's a lot of time for bonding as well, in the spring there is a student run and directed dance festival which is really great.
If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>tchau</p>