<p>Okay, so with all the talk about getting your visits done junior year in order to concentrate on pre-screen polishing/recording/agonizing in the fall of senior year, and also the talk about lessons being so important prior to applying to a given school (for all the reasons —we understand...):</p>
<p>Is it advisable to try to arrange for a lesson during junior year? It would seem to me that there's going to be a fairly big difference in the development of a music school- or conservatory-bound student between the fall of junior year, when the visiting ostensibly begins, and fall of senior year, when it's time to record those audition pieces. The idea of visiting far flung schools <em>twice</em> is somewhat mind-boggling, but I don't see how you'd avoid having someone see your student "too early," as it were.</p>
<p>I look to the collective wisdom of this rather remarkable group of parents for cogent answers to this possible overwrought question. One tries to consider all angles...</p>
<p>I would argue that the main reason to have a lesson with a potential teacher is not to ‘impress’. All teachers know that t a student can change over the year. They see this all the time. It might actually work to your benefit if your student has improved a lot by senior year when they record their prescreens and attend live auditions. Perhaps the teacher may remember the lesson and be impressed with the improvement.</p>
<p>For my S, the lesson was important because it told him whether or not he wanted to study with the teacher. Just because a teacher is well known or others have told you they are a great teacher does not mean they will be great for your child. Remember, your child is going to spend 4 years studying with this person. This is a great way to check out the compatibility issue. And, if the ‘fit’ is not there there will be no need for a second visit in senior year because you can cross that school off your list.</p>
<p>I personally know many successful conservatory applicants who either had no trial lesson or who took a lesson right before or after the auditions (i.e., on the same trip, rather than traveling to the conservatory twice.) If you don’t need to travel far, or if you’re planning to be nearby anyway, it would probably make sense to at least seek out a lesson. But making multiple trips is expensive and time-consuming and may not be worth it. If you find yourself in a situation where your student is accepted to a studio and has no idea about the teacher, a trip <em>after</em> acceptance but before commitment could be more expedient. </p>
<p>In our experience it worked for us in a way having multiple lessons at the schools where my son auditioned. He knew from the time he was 12 where he wanted to be and the lessons and summer camp with the professor cemented his thinking. He only auditioned at 3 schools and really only wanted to audition at 2. He was actually asked by a 4th conservatory to come audition for them and he actually refused. In the end it worked out well and he is very, very happy in his studio and his school. The lessons just gave both my son and the teacher the chance to realize they fit together. We couldn’t be more pleased. Good luck. </p>
<p>Multiple trips ARE expensive and time-consuming, no doubt about it. But making a trip and/or meeting with the teacher after acceptance is not always possible. We ran into that situation with one east-coast conservatory because 1)their (very generous) acceptance came on the last possible day, 2)a plane flight across the country was necessary, 3) a number of tests and group projects at high school were due then, 4) the conservatory was holding juries and said the professors had no time to meet, and 5) faculty was immediately leaving the area after juries were over. Also, a professor said during auditions that they would not give a sample lesson at that time, although before auditions they had indicated that would be possible. The stars were just not aligning for this school!</p>
<p>If it’s one of your top schools, I would advise to visit early.</p>
<p>Thanks, all, this is very helpful. And @lastbird, thanks for the heads-up on what can happen at last minute… fwiw, we <em>are</em> visiting early. Thus the query about junior lessons. </p>
<p>I really appreciate this, as it not only makes sense from a practical standpoint, but helps clarify my thinking about it. I get that the lesson is not to impress, but I had wondered, I guess, if somehow the fact that most (or at least my) students are not “audition ready” early to mid junior year would be a detriment. I don’t know if we could afford travel <em>and</em> more than one lesson per school, both for time and budget, so… we will do our best to make such arrangements.</p>
<p>Now, slightly tangential but still on the topic of lessons. Some schools have large departments in a particular instrument. At some schools, we will know at least one or two of the teachers from other experiences and musical connections. At others, assuming no prior knowledge of the profs except through their bios and possibly boards like this one, how do you know whom to ask for, or does the school randomly assign if you don’t have a specific request? Can’t have a lesson with every teacher, right? I mean, logistically that would make no sense. </p>
<p>So, wise experienced ones, how does it work at schools where you don’t have a preference but where you acknowledge it would be a good idea to meet with <em>someone</em> for a sample lesson?</p>
<p>We focused sample lessons on the 2-3 schools where we had the most interest. Trying to get a sample lessons during auditions can be difficult at some schools because the profs are so busy. Can you hit a few schools during Jr Spring break? I don’t think that is too early for a visit. Summer can be hit or miss. A lot of music faculty fly off to perform or direct summer institutes. Many schools have summer music camps. Look at your list and see if they offer one. Summer of Jr/Sr year is a great time to attend one. D went to Oberlin camp and loved the campus/faculty and now she is a freshman.</p>
Remember that teachers have egos. You can get into some trouble if seen as “teacher shopping.” Some teachers won’t care; others might cross you off the list if they believe they are not your only or first choice.</p>
<p>@Scubachick , thanks… so would it be seen as “too early” if we are visiting schools in the fall? As for summer music camps, our d is involved in a summer music program. We could do visits before and after, but for now our plan is the long spring break to do as many visits as possible.</p>
<p>@glassharmonica – exactly. But what if you really have no basis upon which to make a request? To you just go to the head of a department and ask for a lesson, letting the chips fall where they may? Or read all the bios, or…??? Any insight on this part of the process is appreciated.</p>
<p>Really the only thing I regret about the whole process we went through with my S in applying to and auditioning for music schools is that we didn’t try to have him take more lessons at the places we visited. In the end he was accepted to a great school with an awesome teacher, but it came down to the wire and he didn’t really have a lot of choices.
I instinctively worried that we might offend a teacher by being seen as teacher shopping, but of all the teachers he did have lessons with I didn’t get the impression that they would have been offended if he had taken lessons from other teachers at the same institution. Honestly they were all so gracious and really so busy I didn’t get the impression that they were monitoring their colleagues that closely. I know there are probably teachers out there who might be offended, I just didn’t get that impression from the teachers we met. At the end of the day you want your child to have the best chance of getting into a great school with a great teacher. I really do think it helps to have met the teachers ahead of time, if possible, because the auditions are so short and they are seeing so many students in a short period of time. I think it helps if they already have some familiarity whether from a lesson or a summer festival. Most teachers only take a few students each year so I think it makes sense to maximize your options. For example at the school my S is now attending 100 cellists auditioned for 5 spots. YMMV, but for me I would have tried to have my S take more lessons and skipped the tours, those could be done once you know where your child has been accepted. Having said that I would certainly avoid back to back lessons- I.e. walking from one teachers studio across the hall to another’s!
Also agree with trying to meet some teachers Jr. year either winter or spring break because you only have so much time Sr. year. We were never successful getting lessons with teachers during audition time because they were always too busy.
listenmissy, At most of the schools we visited we had a recommendation from my S’s teacher, but there was one school he was very interested in that she wasn’t familiar with any of the Profs so I just read the bios of the cello Profs, picked 2 to e-mail, waited about a week and one responded so I set up a lesson with her, the other did not so I e-mailed another and she also responded. Interestingly the Prof who didn’t initially respond e-mailed me 4 months later and offered a lesson if we were ever back in the area! Not very scientific, but reading bios does give some general impression and in 2 cases I also found youtube videos of master classes that we could watch.</p>
<p>@cellomom2-- thank you, this is very helpful! I appreciate everyone’s input. I think we will try to set up lessons if we can fit them in with visits, and for the schools that are not horrendously far away, try more lessons during longer breaks. </p>
<p>I don’t think fall is too early. Teachers can see/hear “potential”.
Remember, the schools are not looking for a fully developed student. They want potential they can shape. </p>
<p>I’d be careful of the old apples to oranges problem when following general advice. It is true that on some levels, at some schools, in some departments teachers look for potential. But not all departments/instruments/teachers are alike. Voice teachers are looking for potential because voices mature much later than violinists. Your best strategy is to know the specifics of your situation by talking to your teacher, other students/parents, and gaining some understanding of where you/your student sits based on summer programs. </p>
<p>Yes, I get that. I appreciate folks’ input and will make my own decisions about how we approach specific schools. I know nothing about the process for voice students (and frankly, that’s beyond apples and oranges for me… it’s one too many fruits in the salad of our conservatory and college search). Thanks, all.</p>
<p>One aspect I’ve seen overlooked in the various discussions about practice lessons is that whether you go to the school or not, it’s a great way to meet teachers you might be interested in studying with later. Most of the teachers at a certain level teach at summer camps and though you probably don’t want to think this far, might be grad school possibilities. We came across several teachers that my kid has stayed in touch with and she’s already studied with one at a summer camp. Whatever the instrument , the community is not that big and you’ll be seeing the same faces around. </p>
<p>@cellomom6 I was thinking the same thing; it does seem like it would be nice to show up and at least feel confident about being able to find one’s way around!</p>
<p>I think familiarity cuts down on anxiety and stress and takes the us versus them mentality away. Even attending the camps at the schools you want to attend just takes the worry away. One admission rep was a little uptight but the music faculty at the school school for the camp was very laid back, helpful and nice. It completely changed my son’s opinion about the place. I also notice that even if my son likes everyone, theres been a few he loved </p>