<p>Hello All, I have been reading with great interest all the posts regarding S's and D's music talent, auditions, hopes and dreams. My D is a high school senior, violiist, playing since age 3. She does not want a lone standing conservatory but rather a college setting. She is too social for that - wants college clubs, football games etc. She missed out on auditions at Oberlin and Ohio Wesleyan due to weather - oh well! She audition at Peabody, SMU and CMU. Had regional auditions for Hartt and Vanderbilt. She has been accepted at CMU but waiting to hear from general admission. Fully admitted at SMU both at the Music School and the University. Admitted at University of Hartford but waiting to hear from Hartt. Peabody and Vanderbilt no word so far. Like everyone else, we are waiting and HOPING for some more good news and lots of scholarship $$$.</p>
<p>I think it's high time I introduced myself. I, L. Fortissimo, have been around the agony and the ecstasy of the Wide World of Music for far too many years. My favorite thing to do is talk about ideas and concepts and philosophies, not mothers-in-law. If other people want to talk about mothers-in-law, that is perfectly fine, don't get me wrong. I will divulge, however, that I am not a personal friend of Itzhak Perlman, although I have stayed at a Holiday Inn (don't ask.) Keep those posts coming! They're very interesting!</p>
<p>I've been lurking here for a few days and would like to introduce myself. I have a 11th grader who's been playing electric guitar seriously for about 5 years. He also plays percussion in the school band and started taking saxophone lessons last year. He loves music and composing on the computer. We're feeling at a loss as to where to begin with the whole college thing. He doesn't want to go far from home. We're in the Hudson Valley, so we're looking at Vassar, SUNY New Paltz, West Conn, St. Rose ... nothing is really just right though. The program in computer music at Peabody sounds great, but it's too far for us. I just checked out the music and technology program at Stevens Institute and that looks very interesting, but we're really not sure where to begin. His PSATs were fairly high, 1390, Average in school, 93 but his rank is only 59/200. Lots of high achievers at our school. Any advice would be appreciated. (He has a half million hits on his youtube guitar solo video, and I keep waiting for some school to recruit us somehow ... I guess that's a pipe dream. )</p>
<p>There is a thread for school suggestions. Have you looked at the music conservatory at Purchase?</p>
<p>Yes, SUNY Purchase is definitely on our list to visit. I know the program is good, but I'm not sure about the living situation there. It's a little over an hour away from us, and he'd probably have to live on campus. Thanks for the tip though. Mostly I'm concerned about the fact that he's not classically trained -- the past two years of private lessons for guitar were given by a Berklee grad, but focuses on technique rather than sight reading. He's testing at NYSSMA level 5 this year, so we'll see how he does at that. I wonder if anyone on this thread has ever gone for music at Vassar?</p>
<p>Just discovered this site mid way through auditions, but all the information has been extremely helpful. Wish I found this site about two or three years ago. I've posted with no formal introduction so here goes... My oldest D is a senior looking to major in violin performance. She's been accepted to a local conservatory within a university, but wants to go away. The audition process is definitely a "rite of passage" for musicians and has given me yet more appreciation for what it takes. So now we wait....</p>
<p>Joined last week...also (kind of) wish I'd seen this prior to the audition process. There's a fine line between learning about schools, auditions, teachers, applications and getting too wound up in the details. I'm trying hard to keep positive perspective during all of this!</p>
<p>D is a senior in a public high school who has finished auditions for vocal performance. Soprano, so tough competition! She auditioned at the local State U (safety school), a decent out-of-state State U (my choice if I were to make the decision!) and a well-regarded conservatory (her dream). Accepted at the safety school, so that's a relief. No word yet from the other two...pins and needles like so many others on this forum!</p>
<p>schleen, welcome to the world of parents with high school seniors waiting for "fat letters". it is stressful. Hang in there we are only a couple weeks away now.</p>
<p>Hi everyone. Signed in a while ago but just beginning to post I am a dad with a vocal performance major hopeful. My D is currently a senior and hab been accepted at BOCO, Westminster and Hartt so far. Still waiting to hear from Purchase and Hofstra. ANY advice would be well recieved. Decision time is just aroung the corner! Any feedback on the three acceptances for voice?</p>
<p>Hi. My S is a junior who wants to major in vocal performance (baritone), but he also wants the opportunity to work on organ and choral direction. We are beginning to research schools. In early March, we traveled to Eastman, Oberlin and McGill-Schulich. We are learning about how to approach faculty and have had some successful practice lessons and meetings and are very encouraged. I have learned a lot about how to go at this and about the audition process from this set of discussions and really appreciate that!</p>
<p>Juggling mom, One of our church's organ scholars got his BM from Eastman and is getting his MM from Yale ISM, and we've met another organist/choral director who is following the same path and in his "spare" time in grad school is director of music in a church, and has really improved that choir. This young man is all of about 24. He chose Eastman over Princeton. Both are really personable and talented. Both worked at churches in Rochester during and, for one, after Eastman. Another I can think of went to NEC/Yale. One of our organ scholars went to McGill/Juilliard, but she's getting a DMA and isn't interested in choral directing. She is a sensational organist.</p>
<p>Most of our organ scholars have been Brits. Has he considered studying in the UK? Or summer courses? Eton Choral Course has openings for singers and organists. My son did the singing part for two summers and really learned a lot.</p>
<p>Of course, you may have been there, done that! I am just throwing in my .02, as violadad says!</p>
<p>Really great that he plays organ and sings. Wish I could say the same! Son (vocal performance baritone and a cellist) and I visited St Olaf and Dr. Aspaas, a really nice guy, said that the number one determinant of who is successful in choral directing is being a skilled keyboardist. St Olaf has a renowned organ program, too, I believe, and a humdinger of an organ in their renovated chapel.</p>
<p>Neumes, thanks for the thoughts!</p>
<p>Oberlin's program seems to have a lot of flexibility and room to work on the organ while leading with voice performance. We were very encouraged and also impressed with a Senior Organ recital we saw (in the middle of a sleet storm!). The problem is that DS's keyboard skills are behind his vocal skills, so we figure the best thing is to get into conservatory on vocal performance but try to end up at a place where he can build the keyboard/organ skills and choral work.</p>
<p>We have thought about the English schools, but at the moment it is already daunting enough to try to focus and do our best with the U.S. schools. We failed to do the faculty contacting at Eastman before we went, and now need to work that and go back. The admissions person made it very clear that you seriously improve your odds if you have built some relationships. We do believe that DS could get the vocal and organ/keyboard experience he wants at Eastman as well. St. Olaf's is on the list, as is Westminster Choir College.
Mannes offers a BM in Conducting, but DS is not thrilled with being in NYC. He really liked Oberlin.</p>
<p>My sense is that Westminster and Hartt are very different options. Hartt is very opera focussed, while Westminster seems to provide a broader range of options. After our visit to Hartt, DS (vocal performance) decided it was not for him because of the opera emphasis and the inability to mix in work on keyboard/organ. We have not visited Westminster yet, but get the feeling that there is quite a bit more flexibility there.</p>
<p>Juggling Mom, welcome. From the little I know of organ programs, you've got most of them. You just might want to look at Holy Cross in Worcester. It is a small program, and I have no knowledge of the level of vocal instructors and ensemble qualities, but the organ instructor is supposedly one of the best.</p>
<p>On conducting BM's it's a rare bird. Mannes has the only conservatory level BM conducting emphasis program I'm aware of, but there may be a few others out there. Most conducting degrees are at the masters, artists, or grad professional diploma level.</p>
<p>Juggling Mom, Rice has a conducting BM, they have organ concentrations. and fabulous voice, too. It is a tough academic entry and not sure how well you could mix all of those but you could contact the music department and find out. They are very friendly.</p>
<p>Moderators, could you put this discussion in its own thread? It is worthy of its own segment on the forum. Many would miss it, thinking they will see introductions to posters and lurkers here. Thanks.</p>
<p>hi there.
i likez music.</p>
<p>I am a trumpet player living in Chicago, MM from Eastman. For ten years or so I was a free-lance professional, but in the last fifteen years or so I have been seduced into teaching at a terrific community music school (the Merit School of Music) that basically gives free stuff to kids. I'm sort of the jazz guy at the school and over the years I have helped a lot of students get into various conservatories and universities. One of my former trumpet students went to IU and is now on the faculty with me at the school, which is very cool. Every year I help prepare auditions, write recommendations, and point kids to where I think they should go. Most of my students are very highly motivated and are delirious about music. A word of encouragement to parents: my students who have graduated from college/conservatory/university are all gainfully employed and not living with their parents. Some are full time musicians, others are cobbling together a living out of playing, teaching and other things, yet others have gone into different fields. They are all self-sufficient tax paying members of society.</p>
<p>Thanks for the encouraging post trpt2345! I have a jazz musician son, and his teachers have told him similar things: go for it, and here's how you can piece together a decent living. I actually think that being a musician is the best possible scenario for the creative kid--someone is always looking for a little jazz combo for this or that, a string quartet to play a reception, lesson prices are high, so teaching can be a good staple. I'm not worried about that part---more concerned that at this time in his life he will be accepted to a school where the musicianship is high enough to keep him growing and energized. And even still, I have to believe that if the motivation is there, any musician in any college situation will get where he wants to be eventually.</p>
<p>I have posted a few times, but never introduced myself. My D is a senior who has auditioned for music ed/french horn. We come from a small rural town with a great school music program. My D had such great early music teachers that she really wants to teach General Music so she can spread her love for music to all those young ears! She has been accepted at Ithaca College, SUNY Potsdam (Crane), Mansfield University, and North Central College in Naperville ,IL. That's out near you trmpt2345! We are anxiously checking the mail for financial aid packages!</p>
<p>I have 3 other children - my oldest D is in her second year at Rochester Institute of Technology, studying to be a Physician's Assistant. I have an 8th grade trumpet playing S, who also wants to go into music, but we are exploring other options such as music technology. My youngest is a 6th grade S who plays the saxophone - very lucky for us as he can uses oldest D's expensive sax which she never picked up again after the last high school concert - much to my dismay, as she was a brilliant player!</p>