<p>Hi everyone! I am the mother of a singer. She has been singing since sounds would come out of her mouth. She didn't get her talent from me. (In church, I move my lips during the hymns) Anyways, she is a junior and attends our state's Governor's School for Arts and Humanities. I am dreading the whole audition process because I am afraid she might get into a school we can't afford. Do you reccommend letting a child audition even if you know you can't afford the school or telling them the reality of the situation and let them just audition at state schools?</p>
<p>Before auditioning, inquire as to whether they give substantial merit aid to undergrads and be very clear with your daughter that she must get enough of an offer in order to attend. My D got some great merit aid offers from some very costly LAC's (as an undergrad). At that time it seemed that most of the merit offers were coming from LACs with conservatories and she had only applied to those that were very up front about the money available.</p>
<p>bearbear, welcome. My limited "expertise" lies in strings and chamber music, and there are far more qualified posters than I to counsel you on a vocal path. I would caution you to have realistic financial discussions now, and make sure she is aware of the level of support she can expect.</p>
<p>If you haven't already done so, take the time to read BassDad's excellent post here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html</a> as it brings to light many music specific points to contemplate in looking for, planning, and choosing schools.</p>
<p>Another must read is here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=460187%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=460187</a> </p>
<p>That being said, don't assume a private will exceed the cost of a public. Amounts and "generosity" vary widely by institution, and a combination of academic merit scholarships, talent based awards, and institutional grants from many privates may well bring the costs equivalent to or below what may be the cost of an instate public, particularly in an economy where publics are suffering.</p>
<p>The trick is knowing where to look, what awards may be available, which schools are notoriously or historically stingey, and how to balance talent and program with financial largesse. The standard wisdom is to select a broad spectrum of institutions across both public and private. Sometimes you can be pleasantly surprised with what a private will offer.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Hi musicamusica, thanks for the response. Those are very good suggestions.</p>
<p>Hi violadad, I did read bassdad's post this morning. Wow!! I'll look at the other link you posted, but I'm pretty sure it will make me more discouraged. I don't want to come across as a tightwad, but we already have one child in college and my singing daughter has a twin who will also be aplying to schools too. Three in college at the same time is terrifying. I'm sure our fafsa will go down with all the stock market losses, but our sar was over 30,000 last year. We aren't rich, we have just saved.</p>
<p>bearbear, here's a link to a prior thread about what can be offered. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/593901-music-scholarships-liberal-arts-colleges.html?highlight=scholarships%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/593901-music-scholarships-liberal-arts-colleges.html?highlight=scholarships</a></p>
<p>There are also similar links within the thread. There's a broad spectrum of awards, based on a number of institution specific criteria. The same thinking can also apply for the next of your kids in the line. </p>
<p>It can pay to look, and the investigation can be tedious, but spending time on a school's scholarship, financial aid, and music specific webpages can be beneficial.</p>
<p>violadad, Thanks for all the info. I spent most of my day researching. You are the "king" of providing useful links. I think I had 6 or more sites opened at one time. It was awesome. Thanks to everyone who has gone through this process and shared their experiences. I am so glad I came to this site. It is spreadsheet time, have a great day everyone.</p>
<p>Hi! I've been reading the boards for a while because they really have some great info from people in the same boat! So I thought I'd finally post a 'hello.' I'm a senior in high school going for vocal performance! Nice to finally post=)</p>
<p>I'm another new member, though I've been reading for a while. Just dipping a toe in for a son who is already 100% certain he wants a music school, not even a music major, in the 9th grade. Trying to get him to keep an open mind. (Oh, he's jazz & classical trumpet, classical piano, and maybe composition - more choices to come...) My husband is a conservatory alum (guitar) and teaches classroom music (our old bumper sticker: "real musicians have day jobs"), but he's looking at a pink slip pretty soon here. What can you do? Music is their first language, I've always thought. Our daughter (4th grade) plays piano & is getting into percussion & trumpet, and she loves her choir. I'm the bottle neck - join in singing for fun & love to listen to practice (okay, I'm weird.) Thanks for everything you've all written already, what a wonderful group. I look forward to sharing experiences.</p>
<p>N.Calif.Mom, welcome!</p>
<p>"music is their first language", I love it!!! Our family sounds a mirror of yours: professional musician (conservatory) Dad, now music ed graduate son heading to music performance masters program in fall. I'm the science major Mom who just listens attentively and with pride to them both. I have NO musical ability and am amazed by the single-mindedness our son has shown. He studies music because he HAS to, like breathing. So far, it's working out. The future? We'll see.</p>
<p>One note: I know there are many different takes on the performance vs education route in music. Our son talked of nothing but performance since a very young age. Second year in college, he mentioned he was going the music ed route. Luckily he was in a university setting that offered both, rather than a conservatory. We were a bit surprised. Turns out, he loved his ed classes and had a wonderful placement for his student teaching semester. NOw, he is getting calls to teach private lessons to HS kids from several different districts from various contacts from his undergrad. Quite a few leads on teaching positions. For him, it has just given him more exposure and connections and is not hindering his pursuit of a performance masters. Just my 2 cents!</p>
<p>I've posted once or twice but mostly a lurker/reader of the music section of CC. Son is a jazz pianist, class of 2013 (OMG) now waiting to hear from Oberlin and Lawrence U, where he has applied for B.M. and Dual Degree. </p>
<p>He's been lucky to play in one of the country's top HS jazz bands, at several jazz camps, the Essentially Ellington Festival, and a performing tour of Germany and Switzerland last Spring. Loves music, quite talented and well-received musically. Late bloomer academically now doing well but refused to be serious about anything but music until last year (grade 11). Suddenly, he is reading lots of interesting stuff about the world, is becoming a good writer and is beginning to understand how it all fits together-or doesn't. </p>
<p>Together, we decided that small LAC's with conservatories and strong jazz programs were the best fit and he's never been interested in a "pure" conservatory although we were advised/encouraged to consider them. Uncommitted to a career solely in music and equally in love with photography and photojournalism, he's decided to keep his options open and see what happens next. We visited Oberlin and Lawrence in October and I am pretty sure we attended a class with Bassdad's D, since we only saw one female double bass player and she was terrific. </p>
<p>He's also applied to two other LAC's with small but good jazz programs and potential scholarships; one admitted him super early - before Thanksgiving, with no obligation and a decent scholarship considering they don't offer a B.M. Coming from the east coast, we love what we perceive as the open and unpretentious Midwest. We just wish it wasn't so far to the flat earth. </p>
<p>Younger son is a fine classical, jazz, and rock upright and electric bass player who dabbles with guitar and already gigs "professionally" (i.e. paid) with older son....it's great having a small combo in the family and although my jazz chops are pretty weak, I play guitar and can hang with them if they play the blues and call out the changes. My mother is a piano player and former amateur opera singer. Grandmother taught piano for some time. Wife can barely hum and aside from an aversion to BeBop, she's pretty nice.</p>
<p>Just wanted to say hello and thank everyone for the tremendous learning experience. When I think about how little we knew when we started looking into college compared to what we've learned....it's been an education in itself!</p>
<p>Hi everyone,
I've been reading here on CC off and on and have never posted. I've gathered some great info here from the folks here at CC. My son is a HS senior, wants a Music Ed. major, has been accepted academically to all the schools he has applied to, (SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Fredonia, CUNY Queens College, and Hofstra.). He's a very strong student, and has been contacted about the Honors program at both Potsdam and Fredonia. We are now starting to hear of the results of the music Auditions. This week we received word from Fredonia (audition was Jan. 16 here on Long Island) that as a music major they " are unable to offer you admission to the program". He is disappointed, but is very interested in Crane/Potsdam, and to be honest it will all depend on the packages etc. The letter doesn't state denied "music ed major", but "music major." The off campus audition did not include the Music Theory test, which they had said is not offered at off campus auditions. (He is very strong in music theory). He plays trumpet, is in Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, played in the pit band for the HS musical last year and will again this year. The Fredonia audition was the 2nd out of the 4. He felt he had done OK. So for whatever reason the audition was not up to standards, or from the applicant pool, there were those who were even stronger players. The Crane audition was Feb. 19, he felt positive,felt he did the best out of the 4, My question is, I have heard that Crane's auditions are tougher, that it is harder to get into Crane. Just wondering if others have experience with the 2 schools.
Also, does anybody have any experience with CUNY Queens College for music ed.? Queens college itself has a great reputation. There is something to be said for not having him attend so far away, they have housing starting this fall, the cost is very reasonable. A friend went there, maybe 10 yrs ago, has said the school of music was excellent (she changed her career choice, did not go into music or music ed); my son's theory teacher said it would be a good choice, that many of the textbooks he used in college in Maryland were written by Queens faculty.
Thanks for any info.</p>
<p>downstateny, welcome. It's hard to "peg" a school like Crane against Fredonia. A lot will depend on the specific instrument pool, and the relative strength of applicants. Given the economic realities, it's conceivable many students that may have shot for privates or oos have included a few more instate choices to soften the economic realities.</p>
<p>Queens/Aaron Copland is a solid, extremely financially reasonable choice. There is excellent faculty both in the applied and music ed areas. </p>
<p>Good luck to you both.</p>
<p>Thanks, Violadad, for the reply. I agree that given the economic downturn many more are applying to instate publics, (as we did!), which could change the applicant pool even as far as auditions.
Looking at the economy and the chance of less debt at graduation was one reason for our college choices. Hofstra was choice #4, as tuition was much higher; hoping to see what happens as far as scholarship/aid. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your comments about Queens College. Glad to hear it's a solid choice.</p>
<p>OK, I'll go out on a limb here, as you seem to have a ton of experience with all this, any experience hearing about Hofstra for music ed? A mom of a kid from our HS who's a freshman at Hofstra, music ed , says her son loves it, profs are great, (no need to go upstate she says), and my son's lesson teacher has some good words for Hofstra, although he says Crane is the gold standard, his words. I'm hoping like we all are I imagine, for my S to go to a school that will help him have the best chance of employment when the time comes.
Sorry to go on--I know I sound like a novice here, most are or have gone through what we all are going through here. My son #2 is not going to be a music major so the decisions MAY be easier LOL.
Best wishes to you too.</p>
<p>downstateny, as an aside, specific questions may get "lost" in this thread, as it's largely an intro thread. Starting a new thread (or tagging on to a similar topic) will aften yield the most replies. </p>
<p>There is growing consensus that SUNY Fredonia's music and music ed programs are up and coming, and there are active posters and first year students/parents on the board that have visited and were admitted to each. Some chose Crane, some Fredonia. Crane has long had a fine reputation, and is still a fine program. Part of the process is finding the school that best fits the particular student.</p>
<p>I'm not that familiar with Hofstra's program, but you've taken a sound approach by speaking to "locals". Music professionals and music educators (as well as current students) in your geographic area are often the best source of info for many small or regional programs that don't have the "name recognition" of having a well known national reputation. </p>
<p>Job opportunities for music educators depend on a number of issues. Areas with long standing, well funded programs seem to hire regardless of economy, while many districts and systems tend to put the arts on a low priority, and these programs can often be the first to be cut.</p>
<p>While many programs have specific job boards or listings within the music ed department and career services center , it is wise to also begin to have a student periodically visit the state's music educators association website. There are often links to other resources, or other states's job listings. I also recommend joining the professional music association for the discipline. MENC and MTNA are two national associations, but tend to service different geographic areas. There are also instrument specific associations like ASTA. Many campuses have active student chapters of all or any of these and others, and student membership fees are available. In some programs, joining a professional association is often a requirement.</p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p>I've been following this forum through a few late night google searches, in anguish for information. I just finished up my last audition this past weekend, and am soon to be faced with the choice that we all have to make at some point in our lives--where to spend the next four years! </p>
<p>Some general information, though: I am from the Midwest, studied with the late Mark Weiger at U of Iowa (and am sorely missing his fabulous teaching and advice), am very passionate about both music and english / mass communications. I have grown up singing, playing violin, piano, and tenor saxophone, but have come to put my main focus on the oboe and English horn. In college, I plan to pursue a BM in Oboe Performance, but hopefully with some of the schools I've applied to will obtain another, more academic degree to supplement and round out my education.</p>
<p>I have auditioned for:
Eastman / U of Rochester (Dual Degree program, AMU in Oboe & a BA in English)
Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music / U of Cincinnati (BM in Oboe, still investigating possibility of double majoring there, since there is no specific dual degree program)
Hartt School of Music / U of Hartford (Dual Degree of BM in Oboe & Music Management)
University of Colorado at Boulder (BM Oboe, have been accepted to double major with voice, but may choose to do English or Journalism / Mass Comm instead)</p>
<p>I am officially in at CU, unofficially in at CCM and Hartt, and just did my Eastman audition, so am waiting to hear about those unofficial results and for scholarship offers. My chief consideration is the teacher, before anything else. All have fantastic teachers that I would be comfortable working with, and I have had previous exposure (private lessons, camps, email correspondence) with all except the professor at Eastman. I loved Eastman and U of R, and combined with such a wonderful professor (even in the half hour, 40 minute exposure I got with him, I immensely enjoyed working with him), there's no question it's my number one. But, Eastman's high competition for admission could squash those dreams, even though I felt very, very good about my audition and my connection with the professor. But, I guess I will need to wile away these long days before I get those letters which will determine everything!</p>
<p>Sorry for the novel. Thanks for reading! (or skimming, haha) :)</p>
<p>Thanks musicmom for being so welcoming! And your point is so good - you never know, do you? Great to hear your son's experience was so positive, it gives one heart.</p>
<p>Thanks again, Violadad. You are right, this isn't the right place for specific questions. I've got to do a better job of finding some links! I think I am suffering from generalized anxiety specific to parents of HS seniors this time of year. :)<br>
Good luck to all.</p>
<p>downstateny, here's a few:</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/651688-suny-fredonia-syracuse.html?highlight=crane%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/651688-suny-fredonia-syracuse.html?highlight=crane</a> (plus a link within the thread)
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/594989-how-crane-out-state-students.html?highlight=crane%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/594989-how-crane-out-state-students.html?highlight=crane</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/303136-crane-school-music.html?highlight=crane%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/303136-crane-school-music.html?highlight=crane</a></p>
<p>Violadad, thanks for the links, they are much appreciated, and for your comments in your prior post. Sounds like you've been down this road before.
Linde, thanks again for your pm.
Son received letter yesterday about acceptance to the music program at Hofstra.
1 more to go.
Best wishes to all.</p>