<p>I seem to be logging out whenever I try to send a private message. Feel free to email me at <a href="mailto:mgbhg@comcast.net">mgbhg@comcast.net</a>. Best, Bachmom.</p>
<p>Momzie,</p>
<p>Just got back from our first sample lesson at my son’s first choice school. The teacher was wonderful and gave my son lots of feedback (both on his audition repertoire and his playing). At the same time, he also wanted to know what questions we had about the program. So I think it cuts both ways. We didn’t stay for the lesson – like you, we didn’t want to hover. Not sure I would have been comfortable recording it. For me, the lesson was an opportunity for my son and this teacher to get to know each other.</p>
<p>How does one go about setting up the sample lesson? My daughter is a rising senior looking to major in music education, and I’m unsure how to go about this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated (I hope OP doesn’t mind me asking this on her thread) :)</p>
<p>I also emailed the teacher directly. I told him a little bit about my son (a rising senior) and that we would be visiting the campus. It was surprisingly easy to set up and worked out very well. </p>
<p>P.S. Mythreesons – Hope this helps. I haven’t had much success with replying to private messages. Not sure why.</p>
<p>It sounds like this sample lesson has already happened, but I thought I’d share how we handled the many sample lessons my son scheduled (12?) as a high school junior and senior (he’s now finishing his freshman year of college). He emailed the professors of choice and asked for a sample/private lesson, letting them know when he’d be on campus. For a few schools, he was able to give the professors a choice of several dates. In the email he asked what the charge would be for this lesson and if the professor preferred cash. Only one professor charged him ($120/hour). While on campus he also did the campus tours, info sessions, etc. Hope this helps others who are just starting the process.</p>
<p>Movemetoo, we found the sample lessons to definitely be worthwhile both in terms of the audition (the student’s familiarity with faculty, the faculty’s familiarity with the student) and scholarship offers.</p>
<p>Thank you lastbird I am just getting to that anxious stage where it seems like everything will start happening so quickly during senior year! It’s hard to know exactly where to jump in!</p>
<p>When auditioning teachers don’t forget that sometimes the mountain comes to you. A lot of these teachers teach at more than your target institution and many travel to seminars and hold masterclasses that might be a lot closer to you. Sure you don’t get to see the school, but if your search is teacher driven like ours was you can eliminate or get jazzed about a teacher without as much expense. We found five teachers doing masterclasses over a weekend at NYU and then four doing classes at a viola fest in Chicago. </p>
<p>Always be sure to ask the teacher if they are going to be in your area anytime soon as most of them assume you want to see the school too. We eliminated several schools based on a non- click with the teacher. In one case the teacher we were interested in in the far away school was finishing up their commitment to teach some masters students at a university about thirty minutes from our house. We ended up taking several delightful lessons with the teacher. Sometimes a teacher might come into a nearby city to judge a concerto competition and has extra time. </p>
<p>And don’t forget to check places like You Tube. Not that it would ever replace an in person lesson, but you can often find videos of masterclasses held by a certain teachers or even faculty recitals ! </p>
<p>Just be sure to think creatively and don’t be afraid to email teachers directly. Everyone we did replied pretty quickly and was extremely professional about setting up a lesson. After all, it’s an important part of their job and they take it seriously.</p>
I am just getting to that anxious stage where it seems like everything will start happening so quickly during senior year! It’s hard to know exactly where to jump in!</p>