My experience in Canada

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>I like to share with you all my recent experience in Canada with my family. We plan and execute an Audition Trip all around the east coast of this beautiful country. I hope these lines serve as help to anyone in this excellent forum.
First of all, How is it that we end traveling through Canada?, Well the current economic crisis hit us really bad, the cost of education in the USA, once affordable for us just raced 60% in a matter of weeks. Since Canada was a very strong option in D’s mind, it soon took over the schools in USA. We apply to ten Universities sending some pre-screening CD’s to three of them. After obtaining the answers from the Universities, we realized that three of the Universities in our list did not have audition dates posted until the end of April, so we ask them for a special audition date for D. We started to discover Canada and their people right after we received their acceptance letters willing to hear D on an unscheduled date. The mails sent by them, all of them, were nice and warm, inviting us to set the date and time what and what makes these letters even nicer is that we noticed at the audition time that all of them had a very very busy schedule and even though they made time for us. So here is the story,
Our Canada Universities were (I list them in the order visited):
1.- Western Ontario
2.- University of Ottawa
3.- University of Montreal
4.- University of Windsor
5.- McMaster University
6.- Queen’s University
7.- Toronto University.</p>

<p>I have to tell you that – for us at least – was very cold, the temperature was either -0 C or -32 C. For us coming from the tropic, it was more than freezing. Anyway we made it.
Western Ontario
Fabulous installation! We arrive just in time, they were already waiting for us all set to have a brief practice session. 30 minutes later D went with her accompanist to a small auditorium to perform in front of the adjudicators.
For her audition’s, all of them, she dressed in black and white, nothing fancy, a skirt, black boots, white blouse and a black vest, very light make up.
She carried with her copies of the music to give a copy to each one at the audition.
While the audition, we waited at the hall where we had the opportunity to chat with some of the faculty members and also with some students. For us, it was the real time to have a closer feeling about the university quality.
How are the teachers? Why did you choose to come to Western? Are you happy or satisfy with your decision? And so and so
The warm of their answers and their willing to hear and answer all our requirements was more than satisfactory, it was excellent.
Then D came out, with such a smile painted on her face, she was happy, not only because she was satisfied with her performance, but thanks to the nice treatment she received from the music faculty. “It was a very welcoming environment, not intimidated at all”- she said.
This audition, the first one, marked the pace for the next ones. She gain such confidence in herself that we just felt the trip was worth even if she doesn’t get accepted.
Western Ontario is considered one of the top 100 universities in the world in several ranking lists. The installations are nice, campus beautiful, but their people are the best asset.
We packed all, put again tons of clothes and headed towards Ottawa. A seven hour trip to the northeast and snowing.</p>

2

<p>WorryDad, this should prove helpful to those interested in Canadian alternatives. I did insert a link to your thread in the thread here as well <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/558178-music-school-visits.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/558178-music-school-visits.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Was there a reason that you did not include McGill (Shulich School of Music), an exceptional program and possibly the best known of the Canadian music schools? Just curious.</p>

3

<p>Ummmm…was it a surprise that it’s cold in Canada in the Winter?</p>

4

<p>C’mon - they’re from Mexico!
Good for you for checking out Western. I wanted my daughter to, but she wasn’t interested. Some of Canada’s top singers have done their undergrad there, including Nancy Argenta, Adrianne Pieczonka and Michael Schade. The New Forum for Classical Singers has some recent posts on the Canadian Forum with positive comments about UWO’s undergrad vocal program. My daughter auditioned at U of T on March 22 - when were you there?</p>

5

<p>ViolaDad: Yes McGill is a great campus, their program seems excellent, but the treatment we received from them was colder than Canada’s winter. I cannot tell you the exact reason about their attitude not only with us but with several of the girls that were applying on that time. We heard from advance students in other campuses, that McGill is a great experience for Master or Ph Studies, this I really do not now, what I can tell you is that it is not the place you want your kids to start their university experience.</p>

<p>Don9992: Yes could was a great new experience for all, our winter here is 16 ºC, and we ware sweaters. How do I know it was really cold because the students were also cold and they are native Canadians</p>

<p>OldViola: D auditioned at UofT on March 1st, we were very well informed by the students ambassador and we also liked the installations there.</p>

6

<p>That day, Thursday, we arrived directly to the University, D’s accompanist wanted to have a half hour rehearsal session. So while her practice we had a time to see the whole music building. They do also have great infrastructure, plenty of practice rooms, pianos and an excellent music library. We went to bed around 10:00 pm
Since the audition was scheduled until 3:00 p.m., we had – especially D – plenty time to sleep and rest. Went to have breakfast first and then go back to the hotel to get ready for the audition. </p>

<p>Since we arrived early to the audition, we had the opportunity to see the students and talk to some of them about their feelings and our usual research. Here the students, at this moment, were kind and helpful but not as friendlier as the students in Western. The difference here is that we had a chance to meet with a group of beautiful young ladies that were waiting for her turn to audition. This was the best of all, in a matter of second, these group of princesses including D, started their own support system. They where jus cheering for each other, they give each other smiles, hugs to comfort themselves at that moment. It seemed like if they knew from long time ago. They complete forgot about their parents – Good for them</p>

<p>Finally, it was D’s turn. 20 minutes audition and interview. I have to confess that I know and I understand the importance of the future students being alone at the audition time. But the girls started such fuzz that I got carried away with them. One of them, discovered a backdoor where one could stand and lean towards it to barely hear, so there I was, among the students trying to hear some of D’s performance. This was such a special moment for me.</p>

<p>Finally she came through the door. This time she seemed much happier than before, the reason: the faculty congratulated her and propose her a scholarship. WOW we could not believe that. </p>

<p>I have to tell you that we learned that from D long after we left Ottawa, since the group of newly made friends was at the door waiting for the next of hers to come out from the audition. She did not want to seem snobbish or hurt someone feelings. So, this for me was also a very important lesson from D towards us</p>

<p>After leaving the music building, we decided to take a campus tour under the snow. It is a very nice campus, the only thing I think is missing is something like a nice big field, something like a park.
Ottawa is such a beautiful city with all kind of things to do. We spend one day there to purchase some more winter clothes, new boots. Mom and Dad had to throw their new-old shoes right away.</p>

<p>Next stop - Montreal</p>

7

<p>We attended a summer institute at Queen’s University, and DD loved it there! I hope you let us know how the audition there went! Kingston is beautiful.</p>

8

<p>That Friday afternoon, after our rush winter clothing shopping, we drove towards Montreal. Again, we had to drive under very heavy snow storms; luckily, this was only a three hour drive.</p>

<p>Next day, Saturday, we still had snow but this time together with beautiful sunrays. Since the audition was going to be until Monday, we had time to go and see the university campus and surroundings, also, D had the opportunity to have an excellent practice time with her accompanist that same morning.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, her mother and I, too the time to walk the music building and theatre, also, we chatted with several music and drama students, even though French is the official language, everybody was very polite to switch to English as soon as we ask them to.
Montreal is such a great city, multicultural, gorgeous buildings, specialty food at very good prices and great cultural life. To us it was like leaving Canada and entered into another country. Since the university is situated on the top of Mont-Royal, with a very well taken care park, we could not believe the beauty of the campus. We were even motivated to walk through the park and “enjoy” the cold.</p>

<p>The music faculty, the people we had a chance to talk too, were very helpful, they, at all time offered their help and answered all our questions, they even ask some of the students to sit for a while and talk to us about their own particular experience at UdeM. So we spend our weekend time between visits to the University, seeing the coffee shops and restaurants around the university and doing some cultural visit around the city.</p>

<p>On Monday, we arrived sharp to D’s audition, everyone of the adjudicators was waiting for us to have a before the audition talk; the whole audition process was explained to us, in French, with luxury of details – I do not speak French but D and my wife do, so they translated everything to me – The accompanist let us watch a little practice and a little while later, the music director and the opera director, with very gentled touch almost as if they were embarrassed to do so, asked us to wait outside the auditorium – of course we knew that, in fact, the released the question almost at the same time we were going towards the exit.</p>

<p>Well, we waited as we did on the last two auditions, this time there were only us, the people at Montreal had the courtesy of giving us a special audition day, which we appreciate very much. </p>

<p>Suddenly, the door opened; at the door was the Voice Director, who asked to talk to them immediately – at that moment we had no idea of what to think, due to her energetic call – she asked the three of us to sit in front of a large table where the three adjudicators were sitting just in front of us. Oh boy!, if you could have seen of faces. </p>

<p>She started with an excellent and very effusive statement about D’s voice teacher, she let us know about what a great job he did and how much care her voice received from him, she even asked us to promise to tell him every word she said;
After that, she waited a couple of seconds and then said: “Your daughter certainly has a space here, as for this moment, she is already accepted to the program”, then the other members of the faculty started to express such beautiful comments about D’s performance that I just dropped a few tears.</p>

<p>After an hour after we finished our talk, we were invited to go to the main rehearsal of Don Giovanni, it was going to be that night at the main theater. This was such an honor for all of us; At the theater, we also had a chance not only to talk with some of the students but to see the result of their hard work – students and teachers – it was simply excellent!.
That night we all went to bed with a very satisfying feeling in our hearts. D was just happy. Up to the moment the trip has been more than OK.</p>

<p>Next day, we returned to the University, so D could take the ear and music theory exams. After that, we drove back south to the University of Windsor.</p>

9

<p>What a trip!, From -26ºC in Montreal now we are enjoying a -6ºC to my surprise the people here seem to be feeling colder than us. It is wonderful how our bodies are able to adapt to this kind of weather. Anyway let’s keep talking about the music.</p>

<p>The University of Windsor has a very nice campus, small but a very lively student community. You can see great buildings for engineering and medicine, unfortunately not for music. The music installation is very small; the underfunded installation really shows the lack of attention by the University. On the contrary, the people here, directors, teachers and students were of great help.</p>

<p>At our arrival they were already waiting for us. They conducted D to a rehearsal room and they took us to a meeting room where five students from five different fields of study in music where waiting for us to talk about their experience at Windsor, all of them really showed happiness and satisfaction of being a Windsor Student. D finished almost at the same time we did, then the School of Music Director came to give us the news about D: they accepted her to the program. This was also very nice but not as emotive as the meeting with the teachers at Montreal.</p>

<p>The school director together with some of the music teachers were very kind to dedicate a special time to also talk to us about every aspect of the University.</p>

<p>The University is nice, the students seem happy but the surroundings are not as nice as we would like for our daughter. </p>

<p>Now we are going to sleep, tomorrow we have to go to McMaster.</p>

10

<p>WorryDad, keep them coming. There’s not too much background here about Canadian programs so every bit helps.</p>

<p>I am a bit curious, you mentioned a couple of school’s where you said your d was offered a spot. Are these in fact actual confirmed admissions offers at these schools? If they are, please let us know and we’ll add them to the <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/618208-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2009-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/618208-master-list-music-school-acceptances-fall-2009-a.html&lt;/a&gt; here.</p>

11

<p>Dear ViolaDad:</p>

<p>Yes!, As for the music faculties, they made it very clear, the universities of Montreal and Windsor directly talking to D said: “You have been accepted to our music program. We know you still have to think about your options, but we will be very happy to have you with us in September”.</p>

<p>We do not have the letter yet from the administrative part of each university.</p>

12

<p>Well, in that case “unofficial” congratulations. When you get the formal acceptance, just let us know and we’ll add her to the Master List.</p>

13

<p>The trip from Windsor to McMaster was very short and nice. We arrived to the music building right on time. </p>

<p>McMaster is a very big university, with a student population of more than 25 thousand students; the campus is a great place for students, great sport campus, very nice residence, excellent library and a deluxe gymnasium, they certainly have whatever they could need to be successful at their students. Unfortunately their music facilities are not as nice as the whole campus; even the faculty doesn’t show the required interest to form professional performers.</p>

<p>Some of the students we had a chance to talk to were very happy with almost everything: student life, facilities, buses, well all but the music program. At the time D finished her audition performance, we were already talking with the adjudicator, I might be wrong, but he seemed very disconnected, although he mentioned he liked D’s performance, when I asked him about specific strong or weak points about D’s preparation, performance and future potential for her, he just could not elaborate a clear answer. The interviews lasted less than five minutes and here I am talking about the interview with D and the one with us as parents. D felt almost the same. I do not know for clear, but maybe they were having some other important event teachers and administrative were all in a hurry.</p>

<p>Any way, we took some time to walk around McMaster and later we were on the road again towards Queen’s University.</p>