<p>In previous years, I know MT applicants have had to bring a piano piece to demonstrate their theory training. However, the website (which has been updated for this year) does not mention needing to prepare a piece ahead of time - it says:</p>
<p>“The faculty will evaluate your music reading skills and your understanding of rhythmic notation. The ability to read music is an important factor in the evaluation of your application.”</p>
<p>This means that we (the applicants) will have some sort of theory test but do not have to prepare a piano piece, correct? Hopefully some who have already auditioned can chime in.</p>
<p>Have you auditioned this year? They changed the site to say you dont need a piece anymore and they MAY ask you to show sight reading/piano ability but they dont always.</p>
<p>We were not aware of the change in requirements. My son's audition is in Feb., but everyone we have been checking with has included a piano piece in the requirement. I guess he will have one with him just in case, but that will ease the stress if no piano audition is the case.</p>
<p>My D emailed Laura Strozeski at the SMTD and asked directly how they conduct this portion of the audition.</p>
<p>Laura told her that kids do not need to prepare a piece for piano. She said to instead, expect some sight-reading and perhaps scales or chords – that type of material.</p>
<p>So the previous poster was correct: you will have to play some basic stuff on the piano to show your level of understanding, but you do not have to come in with a piece memorized, etc.</p>
<p>It has obviously changed from the way it used to be and that is likely the cause of the confusion here. When my D auditioned at UMich, you had to bring a prepared piece. As well, you ALSO had to do sight reading at the piano. However, these are for placement purposes.</p>
<p>Yes, soozie, Dean Strozeski clearly stated that the process <em>has</em> changed. I am only guessing here, but they likely feel that asking a kid to play some basic scales and chords and sight-read gave them a better feel for how much the kid really does know than did having someone prepare a memorized piece. And, as you say, this is apparently really done for placement purposes. My D had talked to several Michigan grads who tell her that some kids come in as very accomplished pianists (your D would be in this category!) and others have not played at all. That means that those non-players can expect to be placed in beginning level piano! :)</p>
<p>NotMamaRose- does this mean that if I am at a beginning level for piano that it will not negatively affect my chances for acceptance? I am a little worried that it will hurt my audition, but I'm hoping this is not the case!</p>
<p>ErWill, I wish I could answer this, but I don't know. In the past, as soozie said, the piano piece and sight reading tests both were conducted and were part of the assessment, though I have heard it said that they were more for placement purposes. However, if you look at the SMTD web site and the audition requirements listed <em>now</em>, they say that the ability to read music will be a factor in assessing your admission prospects. How much those count, I wish I knew! At this point, (as we all say now) "It is what it is." Just go in there and do your best. :)</p>
<p>A friend of my son's is a Freshman in MT and he is not an accomplished pianist by any means. I think when they say "read" music it is just that. Not how well you play the piano. Good luck.</p>
<p>NMR....I just want to clarify what I had said earlier (I think) as what you posted in #10 wasnt' QUITE what I thought I had said but it is easy to read things differently than intended on the internet. But when people were talking about what was required, I mentioned that when my daughter auditioned three years ago, an applicant had to bring a piano piece to play AND sight read, compared to apparently now it is sightreading and not bringing your own piece (according to recent posts and information from UMich). However, when my D auditioned, piano was considered for placement, and NOT assessment as far as admission. The candidate was even told what level she was placed in, if she were to attend. I can't state what it counts for now but just want to say that it was for placement then. I was only saying that a piano piece and sight reading were both done at the audition. To my knowledge, some who have been admitted in the past are beginner pianists and some are accomplished. Some place out of the piano requirements. </p>
<p>I have never quite understood how some schools have an audition component for "placement" purposes. For instance, the placement piano audition. Or some have a music theory test just for "placement" or a dance audition "just for placement." It would seem to me to be more efficient to do placement evaluations on the first day of the school year with the small number who are accepted than with everyone on audition day. I know at my D's school, the studio has dance placement auditions on the first day every year and also music theory placement tests, but not at auditions. Am kinda curious about doing all this on audition day if it is only for placement (as some of these schools state).</p>
<p>By the way, all that said....I truly believe it is important for anyone going into this field to be able to read music, understand music theory and to play piano, even if it is not required to be admitted. As Brent Wagner would say, start now if you haven't already done so! You need not be proficient to be admitted but you really need these skills in this field. My D placed out of piano at UMich and out of music theory courses at her own BFA program but that isn't necessary. However, the skills are necessary in the long run. This isn't why my D ever played piano but now that she is a BFA student and going into this field, I can't begin to tell you how handy it has been in her career that she is a musician. If you attend the UMich auditions, Brent will tell you to start playing piano "yesterday." It is excellent advice.</p>
<p>When my daughter auditioned this season she was asked to play a random piece given to her - she said about 10 bars. Afterwards she was told what placement class she would be put in and told if she took classes over the summer she could be retested the first week of school to be placed in a higher class. That was the extent of the piano audition.</p>
<p>MomOfAPrincess, thanks for relaying that to the others here who have not yet auditioned or whose kids have yet to audition!
Soozievt, I apologize if I somehow misconstrued what you had related in the past about Univ. of Michigan's piano/sight reading auditions. I recalled you being one of several people who told us that kids at the auditions were told that the piano piece and sight reading <em>were</em>, indeed, for placement purposes. If you did not say that, well, I apologize! I do know that several Michigan grads whom my D knows said that was true in years past. But the way the Web site reads now, it is hard to tell. But I agree with what you said about the importance of being able to read music and play the piano if one is planning to pursue MT. Very important, that.</p>
<p>NMR, oy, I think the mix up is the fact that we are typing and not talking! Yes, yes, you had understood me correctly that in years past that the piano was for placement purposes (still could be). I now think I misread YOUR sentence where you wrote:
[quote]
In the past, as soozie said, the piano piece and sight reading tests both were conducted and were part of the assessment, though I have heard it said that they were more for placement purposes.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I think I got caught up in misinterpreting your use of the word "assessment" and I was just saying it was for placement ONLY and that back then you had to play your own prepared piece AND sight read. But I now realize you likely were saying the SAME thing as me! LOL I guess on first read, I interpreted you to be saying I said they assessed you for admission. But I guess you WERE not saying that and so.....all's good and well, never mind this misinterpretation as I think we must be saying the same thing after all! No need for YOU to apologize. If anything, I misread your sentence's meaning.</p>
<p>Yup, you're right: we <em>were</em> agreeing, as usual! :) It was my awkward choice of words (choosing "assessment" when I meant "placement") that put a monkey wrench into the machinery. But it's all good, as the kids say. And the bottom line is: kids who want to do MT for a living, learn to play the piano and read music. You will be glad you did! :)</p>