Music School Visits

College Majors Music Major
81

<p>don, just wanted to interject based on son's experience as an instrumental performance/ed five year dual major candidate (though he opted out of the ed part in his eleventh semester to pursue performance, graduating with a BM in performance May '07).</p>

<p>The talent aid can be substantial, at least for instrumentalist performance majors. I honestly can't speak to the other disciplines. Son was offered half tuition initially, got a couple of nice bump-ups, and spent the last two years as a full scholarship recipient in the audition based instrumental Performance 20/20 ensemble. I can't say if there is an equivalent full tuition performance based opportunity for vocal, composition candidates. I am not aware of one, but you might want to dig deeper. The aid policy that Hartt students cannot recieve U/Hartford merit/academic aid in addition to Hartt performance based awards is the same as when son applied. </p>

<p>There have been significant physical plant improvements since he started as a freshman: interior gut and redo of most freshman housing (summer '06?), new mixed use dorm (opened Sept '07), new Handel Performing Arts Center Sept '08 opening, redo of music building's Berkman Auditorium Sept '08, and exterior redo/energy efficient upgrade in '06 or '07 to one of the two apartment style complexes (Park River), and I believe some very recent electricty generation technology that takes them off "the grid" during emergency/high demand situations; maybe some solar initiatives as well. The Fuller (music building) can use a facelift, but it's cosmetic/aesthetic as opposed to "needing" a redo. It will benefit as more practice/performance studio/office area will be available with the relocation of the Community Division programs moved to the new Handel PAC.</p>

<p>We were instate, and we did do a tour, but I don't recall the depth and scope of the info sessions. We did do an indepth, individualized visit later, but we are instate, and had no great distance to cover. </p>

<p>Son found the faculty always accessible, willing to be flexible and extremely professional. Our administrative dealings were normally handled in a personal and expeditious manner. Atmosphere within the Hartt student body was competitive, but not cutthroat; cooperation, based on mutual respect was the norm.</p>

82

<p>Last weekend my S is visited Oberlin and Lawrence- to look at both schools and evaluate their jazz programs. He had previously visited Indiana and Illinois (UIUC) and got a feel for what a large school music department was like, this weekend was getting a feel for what smaller schools/conservatories were like.</p>

<p>Oberlin
Got there mid day. S sat in a Theory I class. Attended the 3 pm orientation/ tour. Had to split the orientation into 2 groups as there was quite a large response. Admissions officer giving overview seemed on target with the type of applicants Oberlin attracts. We then were escorted by a freshman who gave a very thorough tour of the conservatory. Saw recital spaces, practice rooms, conservatory library. After the tour we walked over to the gym where one of the jazz ensembles was practicing. S listened for awhile and then we left. S had contacted both the classical and the jazz trombone teachers in advance and neither were available to meet or have a lesson. We had no department interaction outside of admissions.</p>

<p>Lawrence
My S and his dad drove up for the Columbus Day Visit Day. About 75 kids attended. S sat in theory class, took a tour of the conservatory,ate lunch in the cafeteria. Again lovely facilities. He had an afternoon lesson with the trombone teacher, and sat in on the jazz ensemble rehearsal. After the rehearsal the leader of the ensemble met with the prospective students and spoke to them about Lawrence. S was more comfortable with the relaxed atmosphere at Lawrence, and felt their jazz program was a better fit for him.</p>

83

<p>Dear don9992.</p>

<p>I am so sorry that all of your questions were not answered at our Preview Day. We did make ourselves available for more questions after the Q & A session and at the resource fair. As noted at the Preview Day, please feel encouraged to contact me at 860.768.4148 to schedule a day to attend an information session, sit in on classes/lessons, or to have tickets set aside for you for one of our performances. Below you will find some information about our Vocal Performance major:</p>

<p>The Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at The
Hartt School is a comprehensive program designed for the
student of superior talent and motivation whose goal is to be
a professional performer. What sets Hartt apart from other
conservatories and music schools is its yearly commitment to
providing performance opportunities for its vocal performance
majors in each of three areas considered essential for the
training of a well-rounded vocalist: recital singing in the
Undergraduate Recital Series, choral singing in both a cappella
choirs and major works with symphony orchestra, and opera
singing in black box and main stage opera productions chosen
specifically for the developing undergraduate vocalist. Hartt’s
vocal performance major is a well-developed course of study
that includes private voice lessons; coaching; vocal pedagogy;
language and diction study in English, Italian, French, and
German; stage movement; acting; and Hartt’s challenging and
stimulating core music curriculum.</p>

<p>The Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance-Pre-
Cantorial Studies Emphasis is offered in conjunction with the
University’s Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, and
prepares vocalists for entrance to the Jewish Theology Seminary
or the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion’s
cantorial program. Students who pursue this program study
cantorial music and take courses including three years of
Hebrew Conversation through the Greenberg Center in
addition to Hartt’s core vocal performance courses.</p>

<p>Vocal Performance opportunities:
Recital Singing
The Undergraduate Recital Series (URS) includes four concerts per year in which every freshman and sophomore vocal performance major appears in one recital and every junior and senior vocal performance major appears in two recitals. The URS is an outgrowth of the vocal seminar classes in which students concentrate on the performance of the art song repertoire. Seminars focus on interpretation, stage presence, and communication, as well as musicianship and language skills.</p>

<p>Choral Singing
The Vocal Division has five choral ensembles: The Hartt Choir (SATB with 45–60 singers), The Hartt Chorale (SATB with 35–45 singers), The Hartt Camerata (SSA with 25–30 voices), The Hartt Chamber Choir (SATB with 24 singers), and the Hartt Touring Choir (SATB with 40–45 voices). These choral
organizations emphasize musicianship and vocal skills in an ensemble setting as well as expanding the students’ knowledge of repertoire and style. Undergraduate vocal performance majors are often featured as soloists on Hartt choral concerts. Recent major works performed with orchestra include Mozart’s Requiem, A Sea Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Verdi’s Requiem, Brahms’s Nänie, and Te Deum by Berlioz. The Hartt Touring Choir has performed several international tours, traveling to Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany.</p>

<p>Opera Singing
Undergraduate vocal performance majors have the yearly opportunity to sing in complete opera productions chosen specifically for the developing undergraduate voice. The Hartt undergraduate opera productions are designed so that in performing a variety of operatic repertoire students have an educational experience in learning and preparing a role, learning stagecraft, and working with professional stage directors and production staff. Recent undergraduate opera performances have included Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, Barab’s A Hand of Bridge, Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial By Jury, and Lehár’s The Merry Widow.</p>

84

<p>I've been reading and learning lots from everyone on this board, and now that D3 is a junior violinist/violist and seriously thinking about applying as a music major, I thought it might be nice to start to give a little back. So here's our experience at our first two college visits in New York this week.</p>

<p>Mannes College</p>

<p>Mannes is a conservatory associated with The New School in New York. D was initially attracted to them in part because of their very strong faculty and because of the possibility of earning a BS by adding 30 credits at the New School to the Mannes BM degree. Mannes emphasizes theory very strongly and its small size (only 300 students in the college division) encourages a strong community feeling. Certainly, everyone we met was very pleasant. Grad students play in the orchestra along with undergrads and there is rotating seating. Students have access to free tickets for NY concerts and open rehearsals</p>

<p>We visited on a beautiful day and really enjoyed walking through the Upper West Side neighborhood before and after our tour – coffee shops, nice variety of restaurants and shops, and of course the obligatory stop at Central Park. The school itself occupies a single building that reverberates with a sense of history. We saw some nice performance spaces, intimate classrooms, a computer lab set up with standard programs as well as specialized composition software, a good music library, and middle-of-the-road practice rooms. (There are additional practice rooms available in another building near Lincoln Center. Our tour guide, a MM student, said he had never had any problem finding practice space.) Every square inch of space in the building is well utilized. We didn’t sit in on any classes on this trip, but were alone on our tour and got to chat informally with some admissions reps.</p>

<p>However, there were few informal gathering spots for students to socialize. There are three or four small tables in one lobby but no lounge or cafeteria. The real deal-breaker for her was the lack of nearby housing. In order to live in the dorms, she would have to go to New School housing across town. Mannes students typically do not participate in the meal plan because the conservatory is too far away from the dining hall. D felt that the atmosphere might be more suitable for someone in grad school who already has a circle of friends and is just using the school for a very focused professional experience.</p>

<p>(Of course, now that she’s gotten a personal letter from the tour guide and an email from the admissions office since returning home, she’s feeling too guilty to cross them off the list!)</p>

<p>Manhattan School of Music</p>

<p>After our tour of Mannes, we took the subway uptown to MSM. While the neighborhood isn’t as aesthetically appealing as Mannes’s, it was perfectly fine. Another single-building conservatory, MSM is located near Columbia, Barnard and a couple of seminaries, with shops and restaurants nearby. I’m still not crazy about D living in the big city but could come to terms with MSM if I had to. There were attentive security booths at each entrance to the complex, good on-campus patrols, surveillance cameras in the basement laundry room etc.</p>

<p>With 800 students, MSM seems to be riding that fine line between large enough for some variety and small enough to be a community. Our tour took us through an array of old and new performance spaces, some of which were truly beautiful, classrooms, a state of the art computer composition lab, recording studio, practice rooms, and a really nice music library. MSM also has a nice lounge space and a student dining area that was bustling with students and faculty during our mid-afternoon visit. </p>

<p>We also got to see the residence hall, with perfectly nice if plain vanilla rooms, a friendly student lounge with TV and kitchen, and practice rooms located on each floor. The entire second floor is devoted to practice rooms available 24/7, and we were assured that there is no problem getting a practice room. You could literally walk into the building at the beginning of the semester and not have to step foot outside until after finals…although our tour guide reassured us that with all of the concerts and other NY attractions, no one ever does.</p>

<p>Our tour was divided into two parts, academic and residential, with two tour guides. Both guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and perhaps more important, were greeted along the way by both students and faculty. The sense we got was one of friendly community. As we left, D was enthusiastically making plans to come back for some trial lessons</p>

85

<p>Dad,
You mentioned the famous violinist, Midori. She lives in Los Angeles and holds the Jasha Heifetz Chair at the SC Thornton School of Music. In addition, she chairs the Strings Department there. Lucky are those who are selected to take her master classes.
This board is so eastern oriented, it would make it more interesting if there was more input about the exciting programs the western colleges/universities have to offer.</p>

86

<p>(Edit: Georgia Girl, to which "dad" are you referring? There's a few of us here.)</p>

<p>There is definately an eastern/heartland slant, and not a lot of specific knowledge in general about some excellent west, mid-west and Rocky Mtn states programs. </p>

<p>It's not an intentional bias, just general lack of collective knowledge.</p>

87

<p>stradmom, If you return to New York, I think you'll find the neighborhood around Manhattan School is every bit as lively as the Upper West Side around Mannes, especially with the substantial group of Columbia University students that will soon surround MSM (as Columbia expands up to 135th Street. Students at MSM also can make arrangements to take classes at Columbia/Barnard, usually after their second year, but sometimes earlier, and I believe Manhattan is also working with Columbia Teachers College to help musicians find interesting internships.</p>

88

<p>Georgia Girl,</p>

<p>I can't speak for most disciplines - simply lack the direct knowledge, but I did want to
2nd your vote for exploring USC Thornton for violinists and violists. Additionally, don't forget Colburn! Some very impressive young players are out there, as well as incredible faculty.</p>

89

<p>To add to the suggestions by fiddlestix, I mentioned previously in other posts U/Denver(Lamont), UArizona, UColorado/Boulder, San Francisco Conservatory, University of the Redlands, Uof the Pacific, College of Santa Fe, Colorado College. There are more. Each has very solid programs in general, some great applied faculty in certain disciplines, some fantastic performing spaces. These are all well worth a look if someone is staying or looking westward.</p>

90

<p>I want to add a bit to post #84 regarding Mannes. Son is a second year MM student there and he says it is very difficult to get a practice room there, much more so than it ever was at Eastman. He rarely practices there because he can never be sure of getting a room so he practices in his apartment. He also tells me that they are building (planning to build?)undergrad housing near the school that should be available in the next couple of years.</p>

<p>Also, his first year in grad school he lived right across the street from MSM. The neighborhood is fine and he liked it quite a lot. He never had any problems while living there.</p>

91

<p>Thanks for the additional info about NY. I guess I sounded more concerned about the neighborhood than I meant to - my issue is more about my kid's lack of street smarts than anything else.</p>

<p>And I'm always suspicious when someone tries to tell me there's "never a problem" with anything, but especially a valuable commodity like practice rooms.</p>

92

<p>I've also heard from multiple students that practice rooms at Mannes are a real problem and much time is wasted waiting for one. Additionally, I've heard more than one complaint about couse work at the New School (across disciplines and from kids with vaying degrees of academic interest and ability). Also, I've heard the same complaint that your D had about the distance from student housing to Mannes building. </p>

<p>Sorry, this sounds like hearsay, but seems to confirm some of your initial concerns. Take it all under consideration for what it is worth! </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

93

<p>My D and I just returned from Boston and NY looking for a classically based vocal program. In Boston, we visited NEC, toured and had a voice lesson. I was struck by how friendly all the students were. All day we were approached by kids who welcomed us and offered various types of information. We watched a chorale ensemble that morning in Jordan Hall. Real classes don't start each day till noon. All the ensembles and practices are in the mornings. We had a great lesson. I would advise making sure you know how much these "prospective student" lessons are going to cost. Some teachers charge nothing and in NY we were charged a ridiculous fee. We also visited Boston Conservatory and the CFA at Boston University. BU was overwhelmingly large for my D so we wrote that off. We did go to a class there and watch Sharon Daniels teach Acting for the PErforming Singer. I was fairly impressed. At Boston Conservatory, my D also attended a class - 5 students in a history class. She liked the teacher she took a voice lesson with and we toured the brownstones they use for dorms which are right next door. We met with another vocal student who chatted about her first year there. It was a good visit. Their musical theatre program was very active. In NY we toured Mannes and had a lesson. Lesson was very good and teacher was very accommodating - beware the cost. One thing we noted about the students in Mannes was that it was VERY international - not that that is bad but just an observation. Of these, my D leaned towards NEC, but mostly because of the teacher. She likes Boston, too. However, she isn't overwhelmed with anything yet. We are off to Eastman next week.</p>

94

<p>POTO mom,</p>

<p>I am also a prospective vocal major and took a lesson at NEC and loved it! Just curious, who was the teacher your daughter had a lesson with? It seems like there are so many great teachers there! :)</p>

<p>-theperformer</p>

<p>PS- I too did not like the BU CFA program. The facilities were sort of yucky.</p>

95

<p>A word about being charged for lessons. The only place that happened for us was NYC schools - to the tune of $150/ lesson. We didn't run into that anywhere else when he applied as an undergrad a number of years ago, nor did he encounter it anywhere else in 2007 when he was applying for grad school.</p>

96

<p>The only place we did NOT pay for lessons was Paris, France, where the teachers told us that as members of the National Conservatory faculty they were not allowed by law to accept payment for lessons! Otherwise we generally paid (including Oberlin, Northwestern, Eastman, and all those NYC schools) I think it may have more to do with the individual teachers than with the schools, although I understand some schools have specific policies. Costs ranged from $75 to $150. We were NOT charged when there wasn't really a lesson, just a meeting with a little playing (ie. 20 minutes or so, as opposed to a 45-60 minute lesson)</p>

97

<p>I have a question about scheduling lessons. Is it acceptable to schedule a lesson with an instructor around the audition date? We are traveling from the northeast to Austin with plans to stay a few days before my d's audition. D has attended a master class given by the instructor and fell in love with her, putting U of T at the top of her list!!!! She would love to have a lesson with her. We also fall into that problem with Indiana. She has not had contact with either of the flute instructors there so a lesson would definatley be needed. I am finding myself wondering if it would be the right thing to do. Silly?? I thought I would ask here first then I will call the schools. It may not even be possible to schedule a lesson at that time for all I know!! </p>

<p>Also, about Mannes....does anyone have anything really great to say...please? Once again my d was a participant in a masterclass given by one of the flute instructors there and loved him! We are planning on attending the open house on Monday Nov. 3. I guess we will find everything out then. I certainly do not like the fact that the housing is so far away and the practice rooms are not available!!! But the teacher is so good!! Thanks!!</p>

98

<p>notfromme, the seminal thread on sample lessons is probably this one
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=sample+lessons%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=sample+lessons&lt;/a> I know this topic has been discussed before and there were different experiences. Basically, it is up to the instructor (or may even be departmental policy) as to the audition timing and lesson cut-offs. It really has to be addressed to the specific teacher. In a nutshell, some will, some won't.</p>

<p>Mannes has the repuation of being the most cooperative, nurturing of the big three NYC conservatory programs. Some of this is through relayed experience and some is hearsay, so take the comment with a grain of salt.</p>

<p>As for Mannes, it can be a love it or hate it reaction for many, but that is true of any number of schools and any one individual's perceptions. In general, Mannes has earned a solid, well deserved reputation.</p>

<p>RunningtheBasses has a first year son at Mannes (MM trombone performance), and the grad experience can be far different than undergrad. You might try a pm or email through CC and ask for impressions. I believe also, there's a post or two that describes their reaction and impressions to Mannes. The easiest way to locate that post(s) would be by searching for posts under that specific username.</p>

<p>If you can get it, current first hand impressions are best. Again, the common wisdom is no one program is right for everybody.</p>

<p>edit: gdtmsailor is a vocal performance undergrad at Mannes, another potential source of first hand info. Can't recall if a freshman, or a transfer.</p>

<p>This is where the Master List(s) of Acceptances or Final Decisions come in handy. You can usually find someone somewhere, and I've found the cooperative nature of this board eases the process of contact.</p>

99

<p>Thank you! My initial instinct was to simply call Texas and Indiana and see what their policy was.<br>
I look forward to seeing Mannes on Monday! I will also look through this thread for posts.<br>
Thanks again for the help. Even though I have been through this before, it can be a little overwhelming! :o</p>

100

<p>Just a couple follow-ups that occurred to me as I read above:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>There have been several mild complaints about the cost of trial lessons with certain teachers in certain locations. Posters should recognize that there are many - and I do mean many - pre-college students who pay $150 - $200 each week for lessons with the teachers that posters are having trial lessons with. And - many of the families that pay for this instruction week after week are not more than middle class. Music instruction with the teachers at major schools in NYC, Chicago, LA, etc. costs money! But, these teachers are the top in their field and the results can certainly show.</p></li>
<li><p>Mannes - unless they have changed in recent years, has a 2 day audition process. One day is the playing audition and a 2nd day is required for an in person theory test and interview. At least in the past, they wouldn't do both parts on the same day because they wanted to give the auditioner the best chance at doing well - not stressing over one while working at the other. If the auditioner is not from the NYC area or is also auditioning at Juilliard and/or MSM, this extra time can become a logistical and financial burden to spend the extra days. If looking at the school, you might want to ask about the current audition policies and protocols.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Mannes again - for undergrad has a very thorough theory program that they have developed over years. It is excellent - but some students find it too thorough and rigorous for their interests and theory abilities! Some complain that it takes time away from practice. Again, you might ask for information on the program and filter that into your own desires in a program.</p>

<p>I don't mean to disparage Mannes. I do know a number of Mannes string graduates who enjoyed their time there - and yes, the faculty is excellent!</p>