<p>Hi - my son is a HS junior who is interested in majoring in music composition in college. Although he has played around with composition since he was very young (e.g., sits and improvises at the piano; creates electronic tracks using programs like FL Studio) and has some background in theory (e.g. completed all the levels of Certificate of Merit), he only this year started working with a private teacher and does not have much track record of producing scores for traditional instruments yet. We encouraged him to participate in a summer program this summer; he didn't apply to the lengthier ones like Interlochen or BUTI due to scheduling and he also didn't feel he had a strong application, but he did apply to some shorter ones. Since he is interested in electronic music and electronics, he applied to the NYU Steinhardt Summer Electronic Music Institute and I was wondering whether anyone has any feedback regarding that program. It sounds like composition is a minor part of the program but the description of the program appeals to him. He also was accepted to the Eastman Music Horizons program which sounds like a more traditional composition experience. (Still waiting to hear from a couple others.)</p>
<p>Terms like electronic music and music technology are used by different people (and programs) to mean different things. I looked this program up and it looks great. It depends on your son’s interests, which would seem to align pretty well with the summer program at NYU for electronic music :)</p>
<p>My daughter started out writing classical scores (by hand, on manuscript paper) and was surprised that she liked a class in electroacoustic composition. She is interested in using electronics to enhance acoustic compositions.</p>
<p>Everyone is different.</p>
<p>Another term that is confusing is “music production.” There are parents on here who know a lot about music technology and production (kmcmom). I think that Michigan, NYU and Hartt get mentioned a lot for college programs, and Oberlin’s TIMARA as well.</p>
<p>Sounds like a great choice to me, based on what you described as his interests…</p>
<p>I contacted the program and it sounds interesting but not like a program that will advance his composition skills. I haven’t seen much discussion of the Eastman program on here but it sounds like a good experience and likely to help his college applications more (alas, always a consideration). Not in NYC, though! 
He is still waiting to hear from a couple other summer programs. </p>
<p>I have a very basic question - I’ve seen people recommend the summer composition program at CIM - are they referring to Cleveland Institute of Music? </p>
<p>Yes, they are. </p>
<p>What are some of the programs you’re still waiting to hear from? Seems pretty late by now to hear. My recommendation, if he intends to apply to a traditional composition program, rather than one focused on electronic music production, is that the most important thing will be to keep working with his private teacher, and to try to get some of his pieces performed live this summer or early fall - by competent musician friends is fine, or you can pay an ensemble if need be. He’ll want some live recordings for his application. That may be the most useful thing he can get out of a summer program. Asides from learning whether or not he’s interested in following a more traditional, or a more music production track.</p>
<p>CIM (indeed the Cleveland Institute of Music) has a one week summer program in composition as does Oberlin. Oberlin also has a one week program in electronic music. All application deadlines for these programs have past.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback! I believe he will do the Eastman program since he likes the composer who will be teaching the composition students. </p>
<p>Actually, the program he had been waiting to hear from just sent an acceptance; it is the Boston Conservatory two-week composition intensive. If anyone has any experience with it, would be interested in hearing about it. It is shorter than the Eastman program but is more completely focused on composition.</p>
<p>My son attended the Boston Conservatory comp. program a couple of years ago which was the summer before he went to college. It was a good program for him although not life changing like some of the other summer programs he had attended in the past. Most of the students were entering 12th grade and I think that is a good year to attend. I think my son was the oldest one there. He son enjoyed spending time in Boston as he had not spent that much time in cities before, and still keeps in touch with some of the students composers he met there. It is a good option if your son is interested in applying to Boston Conservatory. My son picked this program because he wanted to attend a couple of shorter programs the summer before he went to college and not one long one. </p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback! My son is entering 12th grade and one appeal of the program is that he would have the opportunity to have the pieces he writes at the program performed and recorded (the Eastman program would have the students perform a piece he has already written). </p>
<p>BTW, we do not know much about the Boston Conservatory (are familiar with Eastman, of course) but right now my son is thinking of the university rather than the conservatory route.</p>
<p>Regarding Boston Con. summer comp. program-because they had several projects to complete over the course of 2 weeks my son was never totally happy with what he wrote there and while he ended up with a recording of a string 4tet he wrote it was not something he ended up every submitting for anything. He did learn some things there but if your son is considering applying to Eastman/U or R I might consider doing Eastman program instead.</p>
<p>I think the Boston Conservatory program has short projects, and is therefore less focused on recording a well-polished longer piece. So it depends on what your son wants. Also, you might call both programs and discuss the programs to make sure of the details (I could be wrong!). Has your son had pieces played and recorded already, that he can use in a portfolio, or is that an important priority?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for this helpful feedback. I was a little uncertain how the students were supposed to complete four string quartets in two weeks, particularly if they are not fast workers. At the Eastman program, student works will be played by the student ensembles and they would like to have the works at the beginning so they will have plenty of time to practice; that means that pieces the students compose while there won’t be performed at the program. My son did send a piece that they will perform; although it has been performed before, the recording was not done particularly well (i.e., my husband with a camcorder) so having it recorded there would be nice. We are prepared to have some pieces professionally played and recorded for his portfolio before college apps if needed; the composing is a bigger priority at this point. Much of what my son has done is electronic and he needs to work more on his portfolio of pieces to be played by humans :-)</p>
<p>BTW, CIM had sounded like they might take late applications; it had less appeal since the primary focus sounds like it is on new music, which is something my son gets plenty of exposure to here in San Diego, but for others who might apply to summer programs it’s just a reminder that sometimes programs are flexible and it can be worth checking.</p>
<p>I don’t see how much can be done for a portfolio in a two week program, to be honest. For others, I also would mention Walden School in NH, a longer program that results in a 10-15 minute piece performed at the end, for each of 50 students, with well-known musicians. There are other programs too. </p>
<p>MSis, I was a little confused by the reference to new music as being specifically at CIM. UCSD is known for a certain aesthetic school of “new music,” but that term really covers a lot of territory. Are you thinking that Eastman or Boston Conservatory will be more traditional classical/tonal etc? You may be right, but just wondering what you meant.</p>
<p>My son attended the CIM summer composition program. It was structured very much like BCM. The piece played at the recital was composed prior to arrival. One of the projects in class dealt with counterpoint.</p>
<p>Many shorter programs are focused on pieces written in advance. Some assign instrumentation a few months beforehand.</p>
<p>I have heard that Boston Conservatory’s program involves shorter exercises. Again, check that out. I could be wrong.</p>
<p>For portfolio purposes, especially if you are willing to pay for musicians, staying home and working with a teacher every once in awhile would be another approach.</p>
<p>I think that composition should be something you cannot help doing. It sounds like electronic work is like that for your son, but not so much acoustic composing. What does he want? The NYU program sounded like it is right up his alley. </p>
<p>Or maybe something like the Boston Conservatory program will open up more of a natural interest in acoustic work.</p>
<p>There are many college and conservatory programs at bachelor’s and master’s levels that involve a lot of electronics and even focus on that kind of work.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful comments - this is a great resource. My son is one of those people for whom creating music is something that happens naturally - right now he is at the piano improvising something that is achingly beautiful - but taking his ideas and developing them into a longer or more polished piece, I guess the “craft” part of composition, is where he has a lot of learning to do. He has a private teacher he meets with once a week who is working with him on counterpoint and other basics, but with the demands of school and the multiple orchestras he can’t seem to resist joining, he doesn’t have as much time for it as would be ideal. He does write for acoustic instruments but also likes to create electronic music, or manipulate acoustic tracks he has recorded, using programs like FL Studios. We’re trying to encourage him in technology interests partly because he, at least at this point, is not interested in teaching, which is how the composers we know support themselves for the most part, so we would like him to think about other music-related pursuits as well. At any rate, one reason I encouraged him to apply to summer programs was to have a period to work intensively on a piece for college applications as well as for it to help demonstrate his interest to colleges. I don’t know if the Eastman program would fill that purpose as well as some of the longer, highly selective programs; he did not apply to those partly because of the length but also partly because at the time the applications were due, one orchestra he plays with was planning an overseas tour this summer (which got postponed, after the application deadlines). However, the program does have theory, composition, music history and improvisation classes, private instruction with the composition teacher, and would make some use of his cello and piano skills, which he enjoys. It’s too bad it conflicts with the NYU program because it also sounds interesting. Can’t complain about too many options, though! The CIM program also sounds good and they are willing to take applications, but he would need to write a piece quickly at the same time as AP tests, etc.</p>
<p>I would not think too much at this stage about how he is going to support himself. If he goes on to grad school, there are funding opportunities at the PhD level and ways around the cost of master’s too. Composers do all sorts of things, including living on stipends (!) and commissions, running festivals, working for record labels, writing criticism, and having day jobs.</p>
<p>Does he want an acoustic composition program or electronic, himself? When he improvises, does he record it or write it down? </p>
<p>If he doesn’t yet have a piece he is anxious to record at a program, that would probably affect his choice. Some longer programs may still have openings: NY Summer Music Festival, or even Walden School in NH. I don’t know much about the Eastman or CIM programs but they may be wonderful.</p>
<p>I’ts tough with school and even tougher with his commitments but his multi-faceted involvement in music is wonderful
Good luck!</p>