Music Supplement for College Applications?

Applying to College
1

<p>Okay, so I'm planning on applying to a few ivy-league universities in the fall and would really like to know exactly HOW to make a supplemental music CD.</p>

<p>I have played violin and piano for numerous years; for piano, all I do is really annual recitals, but for violin I'm super active in orchestras and community performances in addition to some recitals. However I'm still just as good, if not better, in piano.</p>

<p>So I'm wondering, how would I go about making an application music supplement? Most colleges say that they'd like a 10-minute audio recording, but I'm really not sure what to put on it. Should I put small excerpts of pieces [my piano pieces are way longer than 10 mins] or large chunks of a fewer number? And, for violin...should I also include performances with orchestras where I had solos, etc., or just stick to recital performances?</p>

<p>And finally...should I submit two supplements, one for each instrument, just combine the two on one supplement, or just pick one instrument?</p>

<p>As you can see I'm pretty in the dark about this so I'd love to hear any suggestions from people who've already been down this road xD</p>

2

<p>I have the same exact problem. I’ve played the piano since I was 5 and violin since I was 8. Sophomore year I held a solo piano recital and just last year I performed the Grieg concerto with an orchestra. For the violin, I’m the concertmistress in my school orchestra and attended the New York All-State Orchestra last year. </p>

<p>I know I’m stronger on the piano… but does it look better to present pieces from two different instruments if both are quite strong musically and technically?</p>

<p>thanks for the help</p>

3

<p>OK, I’m not picking on you two specifically, but does anyone ever use the search function?</p>

<p>Scroll through a few pages? There are three or four posts within the last 2 days on this subject:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/751953-common-app-art-supplement-non-classical-musician.html?highlight=supplements[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/751953-common-app-art-supplement-non-classical-musician.html?highlight=supplements&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/751778-shortage-instruments.html?highlight=supplements[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/751778-shortage-instruments.html?highlight=supplements&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/750340-impact-arts-supplement.html?highlight=supplements[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/750340-impact-arts-supplement.html?highlight=supplements&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/748773-sending-music-recording-supplement-but-not-majoring-music.html?highlight=supplements[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/748773-sending-music-recording-supplement-but-not-majoring-music.html?highlight=supplements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Using search this forum/advanced/supplements/titles gets you 112 titled posts.</p>

<p>Changing your parameters to "“music”, or “Ivy” will yield more.</p>

<p>From the Parents forum, a recent discussion <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/738525-how-strong-music-ec.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/738525-how-strong-music-ec.html&lt;/a&gt; This is a good background thread.</p>

<p>I’ve crossed-linked much of this information before. </p>

<p>Again, not “picking” on the op and subsequent poster here. Just a bit of ranting, addressed to the ether. :)</p>

<p>To specifically answer the questions addressed, rep should be picked in conjunction with your private instructor, or follow recommendations suggested on the institution’s supplement pages. Typically, a standard is two from contrasting periods, a fast and a slow movement within the same work, and best picked from the known literature. If the school has a music major, look at the audition guidelines by instrument. You may get ideas there.</p>

<p>Follow the submission instructions… length, addressing, deadlines. If it says CD, don’t send a DVD. Recordings should be unedited. Plenty of detailed how to in the music major forum on this. If the school doesn’t want it, DON’T send it.</p>

<p>If you are proficient on two instruments, pick your best, and address other talents and experiences in an essay if music is important to you. If you insist on two, submit one recording supplement, with a piece from each.</p>

<p>Realistically assess your skill set. There is incredible talent out there. Allstate, principal chair may or may not mean much. Do not confuse proficiency with mastery or artistry. They are not the same. </p>

<p>It will mean different things at different institutions. It may help, it may not. It may be a data point. It may be three or four, even a scholarship (even for a non-major). </p>

<p>Be realistic.</p>

<p>Read the threads. Use the search function. Many variations and specifics have been addressed in past threads. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

4

<p>Also…keep in mind that a good percentage of students applying to Ivy League schools have MUSIC as an EC. There have been a number of threads on the parents forum about music as an EC and whether or not it’s helpful to submit a supplemental CD or whatever. The consensus was two fold…first…unless you plan to continue playing your instrument in college it probably isn’t going to help you. And secondly…you should not submit a CD unless you are a way above average performer on your instrument. </p>

<p>Agreed with Violadad…there will be MANY first chair All State musicians applying to the Ivies. This is not an indicator of the student’s overall talent. In fact one year in our state, on one instrument…the first chair student could NOT play the orchestral pieces assigned. This student did a terrific job preparing the audition piece and outscored the other players on the instrument. BUT when ensemble time came this student could NOT play the music. It was awful. This student was an All state first chair…but not a star musician…two very different things.</p>

5

<p>My kid was an OP (Outstanding Performer) on piano. We had never heard of music supplements. When he applied to UPenn he simply listed this fact on his application, under ECs. We learned later that this had been circled and commented upon by admission staff. It sure was a lot easier than making a recording!</p>

<p>Read a bit about what happens to the recording on various school websites. Sometimes schools sent it off to the music dept. - admissions has no knowledge base to judge music (or art or whatever). And the music dept may not care if you haven’t indicated a desire to continue in music at the university. If you are interested in joining their orchestra, though, and they need violins, then the music dept can send off a quick email saying, “We’d like this guy!”</p>

6

<p>I don’t want to shortchange either of the two posters with questions here, and I can’t recall whether I’ve addressed some of these specifics before, but I will now:</p>

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<p>No one is going to listen to the full 10 minutes, unless you blow them away. And it will take a lot of talent, training and musicality to blow them away. They will pick specific segments and passages to listen to based on the piece. That’s the reason there is a commonality of requirements, among composers, periods, literature. Each work represents specific aspects that demonstrate talent, intonation, technique, musicality. Your instructor is the best person to advise you on where your strengths and weaknesses lie.
Think of them as an assessment tool, like the SATs, ACTS. It’s a benchmark of comparison. Using non standard literature may not help you. You change the parameters, and leave the assessment more subjective.</p>

<p>Take a peek through the audition requirements at colleges with music departments, audition based or otherwise. There are “standards” within the rep, by instrument and type of piece solo versus concerto, versus orchestral. Same holds true with pro orchestral auditions. These are the warhorses. They separate the wheat from the chaff. </p>

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<p>Pick the pieces that represents best your level of accomplishment. Plain and simple. If the school has a chamber program, or a small ensemble bent, you may be best using literature from those genres, if it lies within your strengths or experiences.</p>

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<p>Technical ability does not always equal musical talent.<br>
Proficiency on multiple instruments is not uncommon. Mastery of multiples is. Artistry on two or more is rare, and they are often within subclasses of the instrument group.</p>

<p>If you’ve won awards on two, I salute you. But you’re not alone. If you are conservatory level on two, then you are ahead of the curve. But you’re still not alone. Use your judgement, and that of your instructors. Don’t let Uncle Joe tell you otherwise, unless Joe sat in the NY Phil or teaches at Colburn. </p>

<p>If you consider yourself a conservatory level applicant, you’re a bit ahead of most that will submit. But by no means all. It can be a plus, but it’s instrument and institution specific.</p>

<p>It is part of you as a “package”. It is not necessarily an uncommon skill set, particularly among those that use this forum.</p>

7

<p>I think some universities prefer you send in 2 CDs. I e-mailed and talked to the music director at Brown University and he recommended me send in 2 CDs (one of my viola playing and another of my violin) Maybe this is just applicable to Brown, but I just wanted to throw it out there. Good luck!</p>

8

<p>Again, to reinforce the post above, the policies and procedures are institution specific. If the policy is unclear, call and ask a knowledgeable departmental admissions person (not the clerk answering the phone) for clarification.</p>