Peabody vs. BoCo vs. Eastman

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>I could not have survived this process without CC. There should be an award for this forum. </p>

<p>That said, I now must survive D's decision-making process. IHO (in her opinion) the "best" teacher is at BoCo, but they offered very little $ (we intend to ask for more). Eastman offered more, and Peabody offered the most. Do we go for "the best" teacher, or the most money, with full knowledge that grad school and expensive summer programs loom? Do we break her heart and not let her go to Boston? She has worked SO hard for SO long. Anyone?</p>

<p>Your assignment:</p>

<p>Please compare and contrast these three conservatories, particularly in the area of woodwinds. Credit will be given for partial answers.</p>

2

<p>A partial answer based on the collective wisdom:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/891462-questions-after-acceptance.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/891462-questions-after-acceptance.html&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/390796-does-phenomenal-applied-teacher-really-trump-everything.html?highlight=teacher[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/390796-does-phenomenal-applied-teacher-really-trump-everything.html?highlight=teacher&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>My experience with bassoon is limited to the basson stand my string playing son brought home as an undergrad. I must assume he acquired it in a poker game.</p>

3

<p>First of all Congratulations!!! Ohh, to have such choices! IMHO, all things being equal, of those three choices, you can’t top Boston in terms of opportunities for music. There are all kinds of groups always looking for musicians, that post ads on the walls of all the schools. Don’t know if that would appeal to her. Like I said, just my 2cents.</p>

4

<p>Yes, flute1298, that’s the appeal! Boston vs Baltimore vs. Rochester…no contest! But the $$$$ (she groaned…)</p>

5

<p>Playing the bassoon in Baltimore in May might be like playing the bassoon in the bathroom with the shower running on hot for 45 minutes.</p>

<p>More gigs in the Boston area and she likes the teacher. Tell her to get gigging early and earn some of the difference. (And ask BoCo for some $$ because my son decided to go somewhere else and won’t be using the very generous scholarship offer they made.)</p>

<p>Can’t go wrong with Eastman as a school but the weather, ugh, and it’s Rochester.</p>

<p>If I was 18 again, I’d be in Boston or Chicago in a heartbeat.</p>

6

<p>Wow! Thanks, Speihei, for the heads up on the BoCo money! D emailed the teacher last night. We shall see…</p>

7

<p>The teacher is so important, as well as the musical opportunities in the area. Both are number 1 with Boston.</p>

<p>I can say Boston is great. That would be my choice, in a heartbeat, if I were you.</p>

8

<p>If your daughter chooses Peabody, she will have a lovely young woman from Maryland studying bassoon with her. I heard her play at the Ben Carson Scholarship award dinner this past Sunday!</p>

9

<p>Eastman degree IS an excellent thing to have in hand - you are considered a “known quantity,” according to several successful alums and other music professionals we have known and/or spoken with. Current experience seems to backing up these assertions, too.</p>

10

<p>Sorry that I don’t have the experience with woodwinds but I can comment in general about these three programs.</p>

<p>I think that the best overall music program out of the three is Eastman, then Peabody. Boco is a very strong school for vocalists and Musical Theater majors but as an instrumentalist make sure that you will be happy with the teacher and studio and the instrumental program. </p>

<p>S was accepted at both Peabody and Eastman last year and chose Eastman because of the teacher, studio, and overall program. He really liked Peabody overall, the school, atmosphere, and the location, but the teacher and studio was the deal breaker. If he had been assigned a different studio it would have been a more difficult decision. It was the one school where he did not have a lesson with the teacher prior to audition day so was not able to choose the teacher that he wanted.</p>

<p>He looked at Boco but did not apply there, did not like the studio or the strings program there as compared to other Boston schools. His impression was that instrumentalists did a lot of pit playing for the vocal program. Boco was at the bottom of his list as compared to NEC and BU in Boston for what he was looking for. </p>

<p>I would suggest that to make a choice you need to be sure that the private teacher, studio, and instrumental program are all what your D will be happy with. Location of school is important but not the top priority. Boston is a fabulous city, we all wish that S could have ended up there, but Eastman won out. Rochester is cold and gray in the winter, but Boston and Baltimore both ended up having worse winters weather wise this winter. The musicians are so busy there that they barely notice the weather, and Rochester is a nice community that is extremely supportive of the Arts. </p>

<p>Of course money will come in to play but that is a more individual decision that your family will need to make. Eastman gave my S a great offer, so that made it easier also.</p>

<p>Both Eastman and Peabody have a similar nurturing feeling, everyone is very friendly and the atmosphere is supportive. And they both are affiliated with excellent Universities. Boco does not have a University affiliation. </p>

<p>Good luck in making your decision, your D has three great choices.</p>

11

<p>Thanks to Slovesviola, for stating what I wanted to state earlier.</p>

<p>We don’t know a lot of top instrumentalists who choose BoCo, when there are other excellent offers on the table. In the Boston area, BoCo is not considered a “top” school for instrumentalists. Yes, the school is well known for musical theater, dance, but not as much for classical music instruction, particularly with NEC, BU, Longy, Berklee around the corner.</p>

<p>Also, in terms of classical “gigs”, I wouldn’t be planning on funding a BoCo education with mythical gigs. Of course there are some opportunities for performance majors in Boston to make money, but there are LOADS and LOADS of superb instrumentalists, and I don’t think people are beating down the doors at BoCo, when there are the other fine music schools, as well as great musicians at Harvard and Tufts. Also, as we have discussed in the past, there are just not as many of those paid gigs as there used to be, even for professional musicians.</p>

<p>Just my two cents…:)</p>

12

<p>Margecat, your daughter must be very promising to have such great choices.
I think an instrumentalist–especially a bassoonist–also really needs to consider whether there are student musicians in the program who can play at or above her level–for ensembles, orchestra, and to learn from and be challenged by.</p>

13

<p>Thanks so much for each of you for your input! I wish we could all get together for drinks, I’ll buy!</p>

14

<p>Mom4 has a great point about the other musicians in the program. It is important that there will be peers that are at the same level and above to collaborate, perform with, and be inspired by. If you are the best, will there be room to grow? </p>

<p>There definitely would be gigs in Rochester!!</p>

<p>Marjecat, a celebration sounds great!</p>

15

<p>Margecat, if the decision ends up to be Eastman, I’d love to celebrate with you at move-in or family weekend! Good luck!</p>

16

<p>Having spent seven LONGGGGGGG years in Upstate New York (Syracuse) and knowing every inch of the NY State Thruway (I think I can actually call some of the red tailed hawks perched in the bare trees by name…) I find it hard to imagine that there are performance opportunities in Rochester. That said, D and I loved Eastman, liked the studio teacher, and are in possession of a bluelight to combat SADD. Oh it is SUCH a good school, why can’t it be — somewhere else?</p>

17

<p>That is the problem with music schools, they all have bits a pieces that are great but it is hard to find a whole! My son wanted to take the Rice campus, move it to Boston and hire his teacher at Eastman :)</p>

18

<p>Marjecat, as you know, Rochester is Rochester and there isn’t much here. It’s cold and bleak and even the orchestra isn’t what it should be- surprisingly, most of the RPO members don’t teach through Eastman. The physical plant, the dorm and dining is nice, but walking anywhere other than down East Ave is something that the locals won’t do.
You are right on the mark about BoCo though, it’s attention in recent years has gone to their MT program, the cash cows of schools everywhere now.
And yes, it’s hot and humid in Baltimore, but weigh that against frigid temps and snow (anyone in Rochester this past winter, know that this was a real anomaly and not to be believed!). Bassoon is a very special instrument, so this one really boils down the the teacher, above all, I would say. Your D has done well- good luck with the decision!</p>

19

<p>I think the fact that most of the members of the RPO do not teach at Eastman (or that few faculty at Eastman are members of the RPO?) should not reflect negatively on Eastman. Mezzo’sMama, I thought I remembered reading you say that you have lived in that city? I apologize if I am wrong about that. I remember this from a thread last spring in which a student considering Eastman had said she was concerned about the area surrounding the school. Your response was memorable to me because you urged the student to use spell-check! </p>

<p>I live in a city that is home of one of the top music schools and I think many people here may take that school for granted compared with other schools at the same level that are not in our own backyard. </p>

<p>I know/know of several students who are currently attending Eastman and I have heard wonderful things about Eastman that have been mentioned by others on this thread.</p>

20

<p>rigaudon, I DO live in Rochester, and am connected in the music scene here, so can speak with some knowledge. Like any school, Eastman has some majors which are better than others, so of course, it’s the teacher who is all important. The weather here is a given- if one has never experienced " Lake Effect", it’s a phenomenon unlike any other!
As for the neighborhood around the school, simply put, it’s not safe.Rochester has a very high crime rate and for many years, the murder rate per capita, was the highest in the state, which for a small city, had a major impact upon the city’s ability to attract tourists, business,etc. A change of police chief and mayor has led to an improvement in the murder stats, but an important point has been the fact that years of work to design and build a Performing Arts Center in the city collapsed due to the studies which showed that the very people who would make use such a facility would not attend due to their “fear of going downtown”! So now, the search is on for a suburban location.
My D has had many occasions to perform at the Eastman Theatre-even here HS graduation was held there- but none of the kids will walk anywhere other than to ESM’s dorm or down East Avenue, which are orders even given by those running All-County or All-State festivals in the theatre.
I’ve always found it odd that while most conservatories are proud of the number of local orchestra/symphony members who teach at their schools, that hasn’t been the case at Eastman. That may not be important to some, but connections are important in the music world and playing in an active ensemble certainly can’t hurt.
It’s all a matter of personal taste and finding the right spot for each student, which includes the teacher, performance opportunities and the proper mix of courses. A school attracts top faculty by consistently striving to improve in all ways and Eastman has just taken a major role in the latest renovations to the Eastman Theatre. Their dorm/dining facility is great too. This setting may well be fine for some students while others would feel stifled and still others are happiest in a more remote location such as Oberlin.My D’s best friend attends the U of R River Campus and I taught there for some years, so I know that end of it also. I was merely stating what I have personal knowledge of, and having lived here for almost 36 years I think I’m qualified to do that much!
I know that Marjecat is familiar with the city and that her D will make the choice that’s right for her.</p>