<p>How important are taking lessons with music professors during college visits before actually doing auditions at each college?</p>
<p>Personally, it helped me make decisions (such as where I wanted to audition and where I wanted to go). It’s so important to know what your goals are for college, and what kind of person you work best with. If there are multiple teachers on faculty for your instrument, email all of them that you are curious about and see who will meet with you. I can’t tell you how comforting it is to walk into an audition and see a friendly face!</p>
<p>Logistically speaking, since your visit of a particular school is likely to be last time you will actually be in the vicinity of the school before you attend a live audition, it occurs to me me it would be very worthwhile to arrange for sample lessons with target professors before you make the trip. You will then have the opportunity of a “mutual try out”: for you to try out the teaching style of the teachers, and for the teachers to preview you as a candidate. A frank and helpful teacher will let you have some indication about what you should be paying particular attention to and what you should be working on to prepare for the audition. You may even ask questions on the suitable repertoire for audition, or anything about the school. That may help you make choices about where to audition, and whose names you would like to put down (or exclude) as “preferred teachers”.</p>
<p>For a music major, taking a lesson or two during the college visit prior to auditions is probably the most valuable thing you can do with your time there. Private teacher fit is generally considered the most important factor in choosing a school (aside perhaps from cost). You can’t get a feel for that fit without a lesson. A teacher may get rave reviews from some students but be totally wrong for others. A school may be absolutely wonderful and have an incredible reputation, but if it doesn’t have a teacher that can work with you in a positive way to help you grow as a musician, then it is not a good school for you. </p>
<p>If you can possibly make a sample lesson work during the visit, then it is well worth it.</p>
<p>Thank you for the valuable input. We will definitely try to schedule master classes for the girls.</p>
<p>Just a small correction - a Master Class is something else entirely. If you use that term, it would only be confusing. What you’re talking about are sample lessons with faculty.</p>
<p>Sorry!..about the master class…shows my musical ignorance! I meant sample class</p>
<p>The terminology will make a difference in searching. </p>
<p>Using advanced/“lessons”/search titles/show threads get you these:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/889777-sample-lessons-help-make-final-decision.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/889777-sample-lessons-help-make-final-decision.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/856129-more-questions-about-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/856129-more-questions-about-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/850405-when-schedule-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/850405-when-schedule-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/850220-contacting-teachers-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/850220-contacting-teachers-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/797387-help-question-about-prospective-lessons-applying.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/797387-help-question-about-prospective-lessons-applying.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/771852-payment-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/771852-payment-sample-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/704014-difficulty-getting-practice-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/704014-difficulty-getting-practice-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/334339-taking-practice-preview-lessons-before-applying-conservatories.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/334339-taking-practice-preview-lessons-before-applying-conservatories.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/465933-scheduling-lessons.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/465933-scheduling-lessons.html?highlight=lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/341209-critical-have-lessons-before-auditions.html?highlight=lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/341209-critical-have-lessons-before-auditions.html?highlight=lessons</a></p>
<p>The list is representative, and I did not give you the threads pertaining to voice. Try the same search, and you should have the full 3 pages of threads.</p>
<p>Violadad,
Thanks for the information. Is it possible to change the title of this thread/topic from “master class” to “sample lessons”? I don’t have authority to edit the title anymore. As you said it would help in the search.
Thanks</p>
<p>rammnam, if you hit the report problem post link, a dialog box will appear. You can then type your request for a moderator to change the title. Sample lessons or trial lessons would be more appropriate. A poster has only a 20 minute window in which to edit their posts.</p>
<p>I’ve summarized the 2010 audition experience here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/901390-2010-collective-experience.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/901390-2010-collective-experience.html</a></p>
<p>The various links are representative of what many encounter, so it is an overview. Within the linked threads, there are often additional thread links expanding a topic. Might well be worth a read through.</p>