<p>Hello Everyone,</p>
<p>I'm a newbie and my son is an only child, so we are navigating this for the first time. We are in the process of whittling down his wish list to 8 or 9 schools and the task has been daunting to say the least. He's been described as a very advanced player and will be applying to Eastman, Oberlin, University of Cincinnati and maybe Curtis. He currently attends a pre-college in New York and has developed an absolute loathing of the city (very unfortunate, I know), so the New York conservatories are out. He will also be applying to several midlevel schools and that's where we need some help.</p>
<p>I know piano is one of the tougher admits, but he is completely devoted to it as his life's work (he is also interested in composing and conducting). Money is tight, so he will have to apply to several state schools as well. We are in New Jersey, so Mason Gross is an obvious choice but it looks like Rowan University may actually be stronger for piano. There's also Stony Brook and the possible opportunity to study with Gilbert Kalish. I'm also curious about West Chester in PA. Does anyone have any experience with these schools? We are willing to look as far as Colorado and as south as North Carolina. I'm also in the process of identifying and contacting teachers on his wish list.</p>
<p>So I guess my question is: what are the midlevel, outside-the-box schools for piano? My son is strong academically, but he wants to focus primarily on music, so I've ruled out places like Skidmore, Bard, and Bucknell. I've also ruled out the schools with very large graduate programs. BTW, my son also have a very strong interest in chamber music.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any insight or advice!</p>
<p>Bachmom</p>
<p>I don’ t know much about piano, but what about Jacobs School of Music at IU? Also, CIM?</p>
<p>I know you said no farther than Colorado, but if he is as advanced as you say, maybe you should consider Colburn, since it is tuition-free.</p>
<p>Oh, and perhaps the Esther Boyer School at Temple.</p>
<p>Flights to LA are not that much more expensive than flights to Denver. I second glassharmonica and second Colburn.</p>
<p>Is he not interested in Bard Conservatory? [Bard</a> College Conservatory of Music | Overview](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/conservatory/overview/]Bard”>About the Bard Conservatory)
Here is the piano faculty:</p>
<p>Jeremy Denk
Richard Goode (master classes)
Jeffrey Kahane
Matti Raekallio
Peter Serkin</p>
<p>Bard requires a BA/BM double degree program for conservatory students. There is also a college BA music major.</p>
<p>Also Ithaca, Hartt at U. of Hartford, and yes, state universities: in MA, Amherst and Lowell are both good with music.</p>
<p>Would he be interested in going to school in Boston? BU’s Conservatory and New England Conservatory.</p>
<p>Neither are mid-level but you never know what scholarship offers might come your way if your son is very good.</p>
<p>Look into CIM’s piano faculty: Sergei Babayan( teacher of last year’s Tchaikovsky Competition winner, who was then a junior at the conservatory), Antonio Pompa-Baldi, Kathryn Brown, etc. Fantastic teachers all, performance opportunities(which include the twice yearly Concerto Competition and chances to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra) and Master Classes from the great performers who come to play with the Cleveland Orchestra. Their Collaborative Piano dept( grad level) is one of the best in the world.</p>
<p>Thanks. Temple is a good choice, especially price-wise. Probably won’t look into Colburn because my son has a hang-up about earthquakes. He has a lot of ticks, but is a nice kid.</p>
<p>I really like Bard and the piano faculty is great, but my son doesn’t want to do a double-degree program. He will definitely apply to Ithaca and will check into CIM again. Indiana has a very large program and I think he would get lost.</p>
<p>Thanks to all!</p>
<p>Here’s a totally different kind of school, just for another kind of option:</p>
<p>[Bennington:</a> Music](<a href=“http://www.bennington.edu/academics/areasstudy/Music.aspx]Bennington:”>http://www.bennington.edu/academics/areasstudy/Music.aspx)</p>
<p>No distribution requirements, grades optional, students can do all the music they want and then combine with interdisciplinary kinds of studies of their own choosing. Beautiful campus with Vermont mountains on the horizon.</p>
<p>You might want to look at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. It is a small school with a strong piano program. If you are willing to consider another high level program, look at the Shepard School at Rice in Houston. And New England Conservatory in Boston was also an excellent suggestion.</p>
<p>I also recommend checking out Lawrence. We just spent a weekend there and were very impressed with the people and the campus. They also seem to be generous with merit aid, so if your son is a top pianist he could get some great scholarship money. In terms of traveling, the campus is 15 minutes from the Outagamie airport (from the east coast, you change planes in Chicago or Detroit). Lawrence has a conservatory and a college on one campus, like Oberlin. There is no requirement to complete a dual degree, unlike Bard.</p>
<p>Lawrence is definitely on our radar, although I’ve read that there aren’t enough practice rooms. I’ve also read this about NEC. He has to apply to some “safeties” both in terms of admittance and cost and he can only apply to 8 - 10 schools, so I have to start weeding out somewhere. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like NEC or CIM are strong on the financial aid end. I will check out Bennington. Another school that may fit our budget is the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston/Salem. I like the faculty and the piano program looks good. Thanks again everyone!</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of a conservatory with enough practice rooms! Let us know if you find one. :)</p>
<p>Bachmom - it’s hard to know what the actual cost of a school will be until after all the offers are in and the negotiations are done. Even schools not known for great financial aid will come up with full tuition or more for the right applicant. I think if you just have one or two financial (and admission, if possible) safeties then your son can feel free to apply to schools he feels will provide him the best education. I would also recommend that he applies to at least a couple of schools where he has the option for academics, just so he has a real choice of experience when the time comes to choose. My son, who is at Bard Conservatory, for instance, did not apply for a double degree anywhere else, although he did know he wanted to be able to take courses outside of music and did not apply to any pure conservatories. In hindsight, he would never go back and choose not to have pursued his second degree which has brought him so much fulfillment.</p>
<p>Great advice, SpiritManager!</p>
<p>Gilbert Kalish is advertised as teaching only grad students, but who knows…
Joaquin Achucarro at Southern Methodist University and John O’Conor at Shenandoah Conservatory both have a reputation for being great teachers and are at schools which might be generous to a very advanced pianist. Good luck!</p>
<p>Lastbird – Apparently, Kalish is looking for talented undergraduates right now. I’ve also read about O’Conor and he sounds great. Going to check out Southern Methodist University, too. Thanks!</p>
<p>North Carolina School of the Arts is a great idea, and more affordable than most.</p>
<p>My daughter applied to conservatories (and colleges) where the education would be best, and got great merit aid (up to $20k) at conservatories , but we still could never have afforded most of them, without substantial (impossible) loans. Colleges, on the other hand, offered need based aid.</p>
<p>In retrospect, we really weren’t thinking enough about affordability at the time. I would say the auditions were valuable anyway, but she only did 4, so the stress level was manageable: she got to meet faculty and other students, and got to have her music heard and evaluated, which were all positive experiences. (She is a composer.) Eight or nine auditions might be a lot- but others would know more about instrumental auditions.</p>
<p>As a parent, I was committed to following through if she really wanted to attend a conservatory, but fortunately she also got into a college she really wanted to go to, that had great aid, so it was not an issue.</p>
<p>I think you are on the right path having a good mix of quality programs with varying levels of selectivity and affordability. And focusing on teachers is smart too.</p>
<p>If your son has academic interests, I second Spirit Manager’s advice to cover all possible options because our kids tend to change a lot, even during senior year, and the choice between college and conservatory, for instance, can wait until late April 2014 if it seems like he won’t be sure until then!</p>
<p>Compmom – Thanks for your encouragement and for sharing your experience.</p>
<p>Also, your son might get more merit aid than my daughter, who knows!</p>