<p>I honestly don't ever recall seeing it mentioned here, but just curious if anyone has ever auditioned, visited, has anecdotal information. It's near the top of son's grad school lists because of its concentration in chamber music. </p>
<p>Distance precludes a visit until the actual audition.</p>
<p>I think they hold auditions in New York City around the same time as the NYC conservatories audition. Call and ask. Lorelei</p>
<p>Unfortunately, his choice of program, Masters in Chamber Music, requires an on site audition. No way around this one. The bulk of the schools are in the East, driving distance not a problem. One or two additonal flights if he has to audition on-site for a couple more.</p>
<p>I have some familiarity with it, through the prep program. It has just moved to a new location in a newly reconstructed building, with attractive performance spaces. It is a couple of blocks from the San Francisco Symphony and convenient to public transportation ( that part of SF -- civic center -- shares some lovely beaux arts buildings and cultural centers -- the symphony, the opera, city hall, with a fairly visible homeless population, but it isn't particularly unsafe...), including BART. They don't offer housing, and rental prices are high in SF, but it would be easy to commute. There are some outstanding teachers there, some are members of the SF Symphony, some in chamber groups, etc. I am familiar with two of the violin teachers: Wei He and Axel Strauss -- both excellent teachers, and with some of the piano faculty, including Sharon Mann, who is a terrific teacher (she has sent some students on to Juilliard). There are a lot of Asian students, from China and Korea (Pacific Rim location probably is one of the reasons).
An on site audition, apart from the cost of flying out to SF, is a great way to see the place and evaluate it for "fit" and the Bay Area is a lovely place to visit. Some good restaurants nearby are Hayes Street Grill and Zuni. Hayes Street also has some good sandwich places (Arlequin) and ethnic restaurants.</p>
<p>San Francisco is a great city and the conservatory is wonderful in certain departments, weaker in others, depending on the faculty. In chamber, the viola teacher is Jodi Levitz...I do not know her. The violinists, Ian Swenson and Axel Strauss are phenomenal. I also love Paul Hersh. Your son would be in a city that is saturated with chamber music and wonderful musicians. The chamber opportunities are limitless...</p>
<p>how is the voice dept of the SF conservatory? any good teachers?</p>
<p>Which Conservatory is better for vocal performance/opera undergraduate?</p>
<p>Laura7 I sent you a private message.</p>
<p>Oberlin - for the campus as well as the program.</p>
<p>Does anyone know about the violin teacher Bettina Mussumeli at SFCM? I got accepted to the school/her studio, and I would really love to go to the school. However, since I live in CT and my family doesn’t have the means to send me for a visit, I can’t meet her. Has anyone worked with her/does anyone know how she is as a teacher?</p>
<p>still haven’t heard from them yet :(</p>
<p>I have a question–I was talking to my friend about this school and he said his parents wouldn’t let him apply (for BM Vocal Performance) because he’d need to “make connections on the East side of the US”… do you think this is a legitimate concern, or bogus – are “connections” in San Francisco just as good as good as “connections” in New York?
It seemed arrogant of his parents to say, almost… or is music really considered to be centered more in the Northeast?</p>
<p>(I didn’t think to apply to this school this year, but if I ever do another round of applications, I’m almost definitely applying. I’m just wondering what everyone thinks about this.)</p>
<p>Not only arrogant, but ignorant. They know nothing about the San Francisco Opera, the LA Opera, the LA Phil, or the Seattle Opera to name a few? I guess if the west is good enough for Placido Domingo, et al. it’s good enough for some kid getting their BM in VP.Puhleeeeeez!</p>
<p>Oh please…there is PLENTY of music that is NOT on the east coast.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>:confused:</p>
<p>I know the Dodgers and the Giants moved years ago. When did the Phillies move to LA?</p>
<p>All kidding aside, there are world class programs west of the Hudson River.</p>
<p>Or the Potomac.</p>
<p>Or the Mississippi.</p>
<p>Or the Colorado.</p>
<p>Indeed. Despite being a lifelong East Coaster, I’d take the LA Phil (and Esa-Pekka, and Gustavo, and John Adams) over the CSO, NYPhil and BSO any day of the week, if only for their awesome programming.</p>
<p>There are also groups south of the Mason Dixon Line.</p>
<p>Lastrose: Bettina is marvelous. A wonderful person and violinist. Congratulations!!!</p>
<p>Symphonymom- thank you! I’m so thrilled to have been accepted. My mom is concerned that SFCM is too much of a “chamber music” school, and is worried that I will not develop enough of my solo repertoire. I’ve told her countless times that I love chamber music (it’s partly why I applied there), but I definitely do want to continue learning solo rep. Does anyone have insight into how much chamber music is focused on versus solo?</p>
<p>Violadad’s post conjured up an image of the Philly Phanatic working the crowd during an orchestral concert.</p>