<p>I play flute and piccolo and if I decide to apply to Yale when I am a senior I would definately send in a tape of a few songs. Who evaluates the tape? Do they listen to all of the tapes that are sent in? How much effect does a tape have on the admissions decision? and Do they try to recruit musicians, like how they do for athletes? Any information will help. Thanks.
-Cam</p>
<p>iono dudeor dudette</p>
<p>I don't think they recruit musicians. That would be sweet, though.</p>
<p>I don't know who exactly listens to the tape, but one of the music faculty definitely does. It would be cool if Ransom Wilson did :D They do listen to all the tapes sent in, but they don't have as big a part in the admissions process as you and I would like. The reviewer simply fills out something saying the player is top notch, just good, or poor, and that goes into the wimpy little file that never does full justice to the applicant. I'd send it in anyway, if nothing else because you feel like you're doing something in that horrible interval between December and late March.</p>
<p>I'm a flutist too, and I submitted a recording of Image by Bozza and Reflections by Maggie Payne. The latter was the commissioned piece for the NFA competition 2004, and since it's really "out there" I included a copy of the score.</p>
<p>Now, I would totally suggest NOT doing what I did. Two unaccompanied pieces...you feel so exposed. But I live in a rinky dink town where the only decent accompanist is showered with bribes and treated like a rock star by every solo musician within 40 miles. Fortunately, I'm weird, and like the modern stuff. What style are you into? I don't know if there's a strategic advantage to Baroque or Classical or Romantic or Twentieth-Century-they-must-have-been-on-medication-when-they-wrote-this. What did you plan to submit? Something French or Russian, maybe...ooh, I wish we could compare literature and stuff.</p>
<p>I don't know too much about this, but I do know that Yale has an incredibly strong music department, so if you are going to submit something, it had better be good. My S who is first seat in his instrument and pretty good was told by his GC not to bother to submit something unless he was almost conservatory level. Yale definitely does care about top level musicians and if you are very good it most certainly makes a difference.</p>
<p>I am working on Mozart's Concerto in G Major. I will probably send in the whole concerto once I finish it. My teacher says that it's always good to know the concerto because it's extremely common for college auditions and what not. I am also about to start Doppler's Hungarian Fantasy. If all goes well, I might send that one in too (I am trying to stay away from the Chaminade as much as possible lol). What teacher do you study with?</p>
<p>Yale has an excellent music program for graduates. I forgot that part :rolleyes: Undergraduates aren't allowed into the School of Music; we can only get a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. Still, there are great orchestras and ensembles everywhere. You can join them once you're there....</p>
<p>davann was right on regarding the level of proficiency expected for an audition tape. It only really counts if you're rated top notch--even a 'good' won't factor into the decision much. So, yeah, like, practice and stuff.</p>
<p>EDIT:</p>
<p>Whoops, you beat me to it. Okay, so the Doppler and Mozart would work well, I think, but you'd have to cut the Doppler short and only choose an excerpt from Mozart, because a taped audition generally shouldn't exceed 10-15 minutes. And the first movement of Mozart G alone would take up that time. Chaminade is also too long for an audition tape. If you send the Mozart, you can cut the piano interludes, of course, but the other two are harder to edit because they're more involved (as Romantic pieces tend to be). What do you plan to work on in the near future? Mozart D is generally more popular for auditions. There are also the Mercadante, Reinecke, Nielson and Ibert concertos (I'm working on Ibert right now for my senior recital). Sonatas work well too: Muczynski, Prokoviev, Reinecke Undine. For either a concerto or sonata you'll have to pick a single movement, as you know...then there's the Griffes Poem, Sancan Sonatine, Duitelleux, or any of the other Flute Pieces by French Composers.</p>
<p>I don't study with a teacher anymore. I used to study with Cindy Broz, then Rebecca Mason from the San Francisco Conservatory, then Michelle Totten from Northwestern, but then my mother switched jobs and I can't transport myself. So I dally :)</p>
<p>So does it make a big difference? The posts are kind of contrasting in opinions.</p>
<p>Suppose you are pretty good for a normal HS kid, but certainly not conservatory material. Say, a dozen years classical piano with competitions, but no 1's at the state level? Or something similar with an orchestral instrument or voice? Should you bother sending in a CD?</p>
<p>"I'm a flutist too, and I submitted a recording of Image by Bozza and Reflections by Maggie Payne. The latter was the commissioned piece for the NFA competition 2004, and since it's really "out there" I included a copy of the score" </p>
<p>tkm256, that sounds SO cool! :). I wish I sent in my recording of John Cage's Freeman Etudes for solo violin ;).</p>
<p>Yeah, it is a really cool piece. I love extended techniques.</p>
<p>Daderoo, awards aren't the only indicators of good musicianship. If you're confident in the instrument and want to pursue it in college, go ahead and send it. It can't hurt.</p>
<p>Ah, yes. Thanks. Two questions. First, get admitted. Second, what opportunities are available for freshman, undergraduate, non-superstars. I have the impression that Yale has a wide range of possibilities for a cappella candidates, but what about string or wind instrumentalists in the less than superstar category?</p>
<p>Here is point. Don't turn in anything if it is crap. Make sure you're good. You don't need awards to verify whether you are good or not. Send in a tape if that aspect of your life (music) is important to you. That's what the point of supplementary materials are: to convey to admissions what they don't necessarily get to see in the application.</p>
<p>Thanks. But without independent validation, what your piano teacher and your mother think about your rendition of Bach, Chopin, Schubert and Khachaturian doesn't tel you whether Yale would like it. Is it good or is it the same old crap that lots of applicants could produce?</p>
<p>Unless you are a complete idiot, you will be able to discern whether you are good at what you do or not. It's common sense.</p>
<p>If music is really one of your strong interests and talents, then send it.</p>
<p>I don't want to discuss the idiot part. I thought I asked a sensible question about what "good" means in this context. Without that frame of reference, it's is hard to answer the question.</p>
<p>For most people, yes, parents would not tell much about your playing. But your piano teacher definitely can (and should) ... And if you have been in competitions, sometimes you might get heartfelt comments from the judges (not the "you are a good pianist" sorts, but sometimes really enthusiastic ones), and then you can know you are good.</p>
<p>I've been an alumni interviewer for a long time and have had quite a bit of contact with the admissions office. I know nothing about music, but I do have a sense of how supplemental materials are viewed. I disagree with the line of thought that if music is your passion, you should send in a tape. I agree with the poster who said not to send anything in unless you are near or at conservatory quality. </p>
<p>Countless talented musicians apply to Yale each year. For your average-in-the-Yale-pool musician, your interest in music as demonstrated on your list of activities, your list of awards and perhaps your essay will be a nice activity and Yale will appreciate this aspect of your personality. It's as good as any other extracurricular. However, if you send in a tape because you're musically hot stuff locally and it doesn't measure up to what other musical applicants are doing, you look foolish, as though you've overestimated your talents. Consider the fact that there are conservatory quality musicians who apply because they don't want the conservatory experience. Those are the people who will truly make the professors who listen to the tapes take note and it will be a big plus on their applications. And yes, Yale will recruit top musicians, although the recruiting won't look like sports recruits. For instance, a highly desireable musician might receive a likely letter, which I view as a form of recruiting.</p>
<p>For all supplemental artistic materials, I would proceed with caution. There are people applying with top national level talent, not just top at the local level talent.</p>
<p>Well, usually if music is your passion, you have to be pretty good at it. Of course there are exceptions..but please, like Accionar</p>
<p>Suppose you are not a true music type, but really wannabe a Wiff after singing with another accapella group (with voice credentials but no tapes). Maybe play an instrument in the marching band or an off-brand jazz band or chamber music ensemble or something (not the big-time symphony orchestra, necessarily). Would a perfectly fine piano CD, but not national or conservatory level, say Chopin Fantasie Impromptu, Schubert, Bach partitas, Khatchatorian Tocatta, etc., hurt or help? Is this level of play almost an embarassment?</p>