<p>Can anybody tell us anything about the Oberlin in Italy summer program from personal experience? We've checked out the website at length, but we'd like to hear more from anybody who's been there or who knows somebody who's been there. It looks amazing!</p>
<p>I think there’s a couple of mentions here: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/423339-summer-programs-2008-a.html?highlight=summer[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/423339-summer-programs-2008-a.html?highlight=summer</a></p>
<p>The list also shows last years attendees. Might be a comment or two here as well <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/510498-music-festival-master-list.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/510498-music-festival-master-list.html</a></p>
<p>DS is planning to go this summer and is very excited. He is looking forward to immersion in Italian, being in Italy, and singing! I believe that they are done with auditioning applicants so it is probably not available until the following summer.</p>
<p>Thanks, violadad! We’ll check those out. We did a search, but I don’t think we’re very good at searching. The type of things we were looking for weren’t on the first few pages of search results. Oh well. I knew you’d know where we should turn!</p>
<p>That is so cool that your son is going, Juggling Mom. Lucky him! Looking at the Master List of Acceptances, I’m assuming he hasn’t committed to any particular college yet. Did you happen to look into whether his other colleges would accept the college credits? If so, would you mind sharing what you found out?</p>
<p>Also, how did you guys first hear of the program? Do you or your son know of anybody else that has attended? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>My daughter attended in the Summer of 2006. She thoroughly enjoyed it. It was in a different location then, but feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.</p>
<p>Thanks, Bass Dad! I’ll definitely do that. Right now, I’ve got to turn in for a 4am get-up. Can’t wait to hear about her experience!</p>
<p>I’ll probably be in touch on Thursday – or tomorrow night if I can fit it in.
Until then …</p>
<p>Our D (viola) was a participant last year. It was great. Highly recommended!! I’d be happy to take a stab at any questions you might have.</p>
<p>Thanks, tomdug!
I’ll do that! I’ll PM you either Thursday or Friday … which are my “Saturday” and “Sunday.” I am anxious to hear what you have to say. Thanks for offering.
Until then …</p>
<p>Our D (oboe) also attended last summer and really loved the experience. Our only regret was that we weren’t able to visit!</p>
<p>My son vp major at Oberlin attended last year, and had the best time of his life. He absolutely fell in love with Arezzo. He and a group of his freinds toured all of Italy. He loved each place more then the last:) You can also pm me if I can help you.</p>
<p>This program sounds fantastic! I’m assuming you have to be in college to participate, but is there a certain summer (ie- between sophomore and junior year?) that most people attend? Or does it matter at all?</p>
<p>theperformer, the Oberlin in Italy site is here: [Oberlin</a> in Italy - Arezzo](<a href=“http://www.oberlin.edu/con/summer/italy/programs.html]Oberlin”>http://www.oberlin.edu/con/summer/italy/programs.html) if you want specific info. I’d imagine “when” is a function of your talent being competitive within the audition pool.</p>
<p>There is no one certain summer when most students attend. The year my daughter went, it varied from a few students in the summer before college to some young adults who had graduated two or three years before, with everything in between represented. Most of the participants are in their college years and a fairly large number attended other schools than Oberlin.</p>
<p>I get the feeling that the acceptance rates for this program are reasonably high. They get a core of top notch singers and instrumentalists, but there appears to be room in the chorus and the back end of many sections for solid, competent musicians who can pay full tuition. This is not a 24/7 music program, rather an equal mix of music, cultural immersion and vacation.</p>
<p>Thank you BassDad. I think I might save up for this program during the summer in hopes of attending in 2010! I think after a year of conservatory training under my belt will greatly increase my odds of attending! </p>
<p>Did your daughter just love it? The price also seems very, very reasonable for a month in such an expensive country.</p>
<p>She had a wonderful time, although it was in Urbania not Arezzo back then. She went the summer that Italy won the world cup in soccer and the place was going nuts with every victory. Think city-wide block parties with free drinks and home-made Italian food being pressed into the hands of complete strangers. They even had to cancel one performance that conflicted with a soccer match because they knew that they would not have an audience. I think 2010 is another world cup year, so you may be in luck if Italy does well.</p>
<p>The price was good for that amount of time and she managed to keep living expenses down by sharing an apartment and cooking most of her own meals from ingredients bought in the local market rather than going to restaurants all the time.</p>
<p>Thanks, BassDad! That sounds fantastic!! I hope that Italy does well in 2010 so I CAN experience that. I was in England during the last world cup and that was very fun to watch with all the crazy local fans!</p>
<p>Also, I was looking through some past threads about this program and saw the they mention that students can opt to live in a convent instead of the individual apartments and that this option is much cheaper. I looked on the website and could not find any mention of this. Has it been done away with and is no longer offered?</p>
<p>I think the convent option was from back when they held the program in Urbania. They moved it to Arezzo a couple of years ago, so they may not be doing that any more.</p>
<p>Oh, ok. Thanks, BassDad! Do you have any idea how many students attend this program each year?</p>
<p>I don’t have exact numbers, but it is basically a chamber orchestra and enough singers to put on an opera (leads, comprimario roles and chorus). I would guess somewhere between 75 and 100.</p>
<p>For those of you who have sent children on this in the past, or are sending a child this year, did you opt for the group flight, or make your own arrangements? My first thought was the group flight, just for the added security of knowing that my D would be traveling in a group, but the college is not getting back to us yet with an exact cost or details, and I was looking to maybe book something that would leave closer to our home. This will be her first time out of the US, except for a 2 week trip to Mexico in high school, and I am a little nervous about her traveling by herself.</p>