Pre-Screening Results 2008-2009

College Majors Music Major
301

<p>"Some may apply to a wider range or a larger number of schools. If the information is not going to change your actions, maybe it is better not to know."</p>

<p>D applied to a larger number of schools and a wider range. Knowing the numbers just supported the knowledge that it is an extremely competitive field she is going for. She did find out that one of the schools she was looking at was not expecting to have an opening, but was auditioning for a waitlist. That prompted her to take that off her list. D is realistic and has performed with some pretty amazing young talent that she is competing with. But she is determined and knows she can indeed "swim with the big fish", even though she may have to paddle a little harder than some! ;)</p>

302

<p>Does anyone know where Dean Southern has gone? He was a Voice Prof at CIM and "vanished" this year! Can't even "Google" him!
Notfromme, my D is like yours, thrives on the competitive atmosphere of live auditions, in fact, if you shined a flashlight on her, she performs! There is so much variation in the quality of pre-screening recordings that of course schools are going to miss out on some kids that would be great assets to their programs. But, as I've seen this year, some teachers/students are not being even slightly realistic about the youngsters' abilities and encourage them to apply to schools that are far beyond their reach. If those schools insisted upon live auditions for everyone, would that not "weed out" a goodly number of those same kids I just mentioned as they might not be as eager to apply if they had to head right out to audition? The fact that teachers aren't familiar with the differences between a BM from a conservatory vs. a BA in music from a LAC is problematic in itself.
I don't really know what might be the result, I'm just tossing this out there for discussion. And then there is the whole "send the department to Asia" talent searches... there are many ways to look at that whole idea. Should we keep this discussion within this thread or does this part of it belong in a thread of it's own?</p>

303

<p>Is this the Dean Southern? </p>

<p>Faculty</a> and Staff of the Frost School of Music</p>

304

<p>Just finished with Eastman audition. Day goes like this:</p>

<p>9am Meeting in the Theatre for everyone. They introduce themselves and tell you about the day.</p>

<p>9:30 kids go off to take music tests, parents hand around for Q&A</p>

<p>10:30 kids get their schedule for the day.</p>

<p>For voice kids:</p>

<p>1) General meeting of voice kids for Department head to tell you about the school. Parents can attend. About 45 minutes</p>

<p>2) "group interview" - 3 kids, and one staff member. I chatted with one staff member later (not my kids group). She said it is suppose to be a friendly chat. Only 3 times has she said that she would quit if a certain kid was admitted. Kids only, no parents. About 45 minutes</p>

<p>3) Audition. Entire voice faculty (7?) watch each audition. They have 2 pianists that accompany the kids. They are graduate piano students with a specialty in accompanying. That's why they want the music in advance so the pianists can practice. While one kid is on stage, the next kid can discuss the music with the accompanist.</p>

<p>Musics admissions stats gathered through the day:</p>

<p>About 2,000 applications (grad and undergrad, all programs). Down about 1% from prior year.</p>

<p>About 1,700 of the applications have prescreening requirements, and about 1,100 of them came in the last 2 days.</p>

<p>Less than 50% pass the prescreen.</p>

<p>About 500 admitted for 300 spots. About 140 of those spots are for undergrad. high matriculation rate for grad students (80%), so most of the excess is at the undergrad level.</p>

<p>I was getting the impression that 160 kids audition for voice (over all audition dates).</p>

<p>Around 15-20 voice spots are available each year.</p>

<p>Try to maintain a balance between male and female voices.</p>

<p>Merit scholarships range from $5,000 to $15,000/yr.</p>

<p>There are typically 5 to 8 $30,000/yr Rodgers(?) scholarships available each year for incomming freshman music majors (5 out of 160 is pretty good). Rodgers scholarship is primarily an academic (not talent) music scholarship.</p>

305

<p>Mamenyu, Oberlin also pre-screens for all jazz instruments. Operadad, very good description of the Eastman day, thanks!</p>

306

<p>Thanks very much Opera Dad for the description of the day at Eastman!</p>

307

<p>Remember that only the most competitive music schools/conservatories require pre-screening. </p>

<p>Personally, I am in favor of the pre-screens, because I think it helps kids and parents know how competitive the student is in the nationwide pool. If a student doesn't pass a pre-screen, it will save both time and money that can be funneled to more appropriate auditions/programs. </p>

<p>I have always wondered how musical theater programs can see so many high school stars without any pre-screening. So many kids end up getting their hopes up and dashed, and spending enormous sums of money, when they weren't really competitive from the get go. At least the pre-screens have the possibility of helping kids and families choose realistic lists, to prevent taking multiple audition trips if they were going to be rejected anyway.</p>

308

<p>Eastman clarification</p>

<p>I think the 160 vocal applicants included Grad Students. I think they will audition 100 vocal applicants for the 15-20 undergrad openings. I'm guessing they will make offers to 30 or so kids (15-20 accept).</p>

309

<p>Has everyone already heard from NYU's Vocal performance prescreening audition? I sent mine in very late and I sent it from Japan so it was probably one of the last to arrive, I imagine but it was postmarked 4 days before the deadline. I still have not heard anything and I am starting to think that means bad news... Any advice? Will they notify everyone one way or another?</p>

310

<p>Thanks, Cartera. We had searched and searched and actually given up. He just showed up on FaceBook too.
It's too bad that info wasn't listed earlier as perhaps my D would have swallowed her dislike of Florida's weather (although she detests snow too!) and applied to Frost. Thank you for clearing up the mystery for us...</p>

311

<p>Son auditioned today at NEC for voice.</p>

<p>Campus tours at 11 and 2. Amazing it can take 1 hour to show you all 3 buildings.</p>

<p>Talk with Admissions Director at 12:30</p>

<p>Assigned warm-up room 12:40-1:00
Talk with Accompanist: 1:-1:10
Audition 1:10</p>

<p>The faculty introduced themselves
Son sang 1st song
They picked the 2nd</p>

<p>Admissions details:
500 applications
300 invited
150 admitted for 70 spots
Of the 150 admitted, about 12 are also admitted to Harvard. The max # of kids accepted to the Harvard/NEC program is 5.</p>

<p>Admissions & scholarships: Heavily based upon audition rating. Academics could sway someone who is borderline.</p>

<p>If you apply for Merit and Need based financial aid, you could receive 100% tuition (does not include room and board).</p>

<p>If you apply for Merit only: Max 50% tuition.</p>

<p>Merit aid increases same percentage rate as tuition. 10% of kids have merit aid increased (a little bit) each year at the recommendation of department head.</p>

<p>Ok to put estimated numbers on FAFSA due Feb 2. Ok if it is late, as long as it is in by mid Feb when scholarship committee starts to meet. I get the impression that they don't think about you for financial aid until you have auditioned.</p>

312

<p>Curtis sent me a status update the other day saying they are still reviewing composition majors. I haven't heard a thing from NEC yet, as to whether that is good or bad news is beyond me</p>

313

<p>Operadad - was the format for the actual audition at NEC pretty much the same as Eastman in which the auditioner picks the first piece and the jury picks one of the others?</p>

314

<p>Opera Dad, I saw on the other thread that your son was accepted at Madison for voice. My daughter auditioned there this past Sat. She has already been accepted to UW. She wants to double major. Do you know much about the voice program and any specifics about the four voice professors there? I went to their choral concert in Dec. and unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed. My daughter is also auditioning at Indiana this Friday. Thanks for any info you have.</p>

315

<p>Don9992: FWIW, last year D's auditions all followed the same format; she picked the first piece, "they" picked the next. For the most part, they only heard 2, except at one school where she got to do all 4. It's been said here and elsewhere that the panel really only "needs" to hear one or two to be able to give a thumbs up or a thumbs down!</p>

316

<p>DD had the same experience. In all cases she got to pick her starting piece and then they selected one or more from her list. She and her teacher did vary her starting piece, though, to match the school and what she was doing well at the time. He seemed to know what the various schools liked to hear and of course what was going to best show off her voice in the first 30 seconds that week. They say that is how long it takes for the first impression.</p>

317

<p>Heard from McGill this morning and S2 passed the jazz pre-screen Yippee! I am so looking forward to our road trip together. They were very kind to call us back with the info that is hot off the presses--we had gone ahead and made reservations for that leg of our journey (on a leap of faith) because one flight was filling up and it was the only essential flight. We have never been to Montreal and hear its lovely, and S2 is taking french 5 and wants to practice during our stay!</p>

318

<p>Congratulations and good luck, SJTH to you and your son. It looks like a really great school.</p>

319

<p>GVMom - I don't have first hand info on UW Madison, but I have read good things about what they're doing in opera. I believe they have at least 2 full staged operas and also scenes/acts through the year. </p>

<p>I wouldn't necessarily be too concerned about a choral performance. Comparing choral work to solo performance/opera may be comparing apples and oranges. Some students who want to focus on the solo/opera work are not interested in choral work and, if an opera ensemble is available, do not even audition for chorus. Some teachers, who know that their students are interested in solo work, do not even recommend that their students audition for the most competitive chorus because travel and rehearsal requirements interfere.</p>

320

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<p>Yes, same format.</p>