State Schools

<p>In my initial research, sometimes scholarships are time-line related, as well. The earlier you apply, the more likely you are to be considered. Could that have happened?</p>

<p>James Madison University in VA has a strong music dept. It is a reasonably priced state school for out of state students (and, of course in-state).</p>

<p>I teach in the Theatre dept., and intract with many of th Music School faculty and students. I hav been impressed.</p>

<p>I was told by a professor one time that undergrads at CCM don't get many opportunites there. Is that true? They warned me that if I did audition and got in, I wouldn't have many opportunites.</p>

<p>Wohin asks,"I was told by a professor one time that undergrads at CCM don't get many opportunites there. Is that true? They warned me that if I did audition and got in, I wouldn't have many opportunites"</p>

<p>Response: LOL, This ISN"T true! If you go to the calendar section at uc and check out the CCM calendar, you will see a plethora of events. These kids work like dogs and have lots of opportunities. If you don't believe me, check out the CCM events calendar and call the school.</p>

<p>Perhaps the professor was refering to performance opportunities in opera for undergrads. Like a lot of schools with strong grad voice departments, the
opportunities for undergrads to perform in opera productions are few and far between.</p>

<p>Three state schools that aren't mentioned much on CC that have strong music depts/schools are Appalachian State, LSU, and University of North Texas. In fact, I'd never heard of Appalachian State til S started getting stuff in the mail from them and then by coincidence, they were mentioned favorably on this site. They are also very, very reasonable cost-wise (around $18k total coa).</p>

<p>North Texas and LSU both have very strong programs, and LSU's voice/opera program is exceptionally strong. As far as performance opptys for ug are concerned, I have read in more than one source that training the voice is different from instrumental performance and that what you should look for is good training with lots of protection for the vocalist. Good vocal training does not necessarily mean lots of performing as an ug. You are in this for the long haul and it is your body you're dealing with, not a physical instrument that if you damage it, you can go out and purchase a new one. I even read just last week that singers should not get formal voice lessons much before the age of 15 and should perform in good choir situations until then. The article said male singers maybe should even wait until age 17. So a strong graduate program sheltering the younger singers might actually be the preferable place to be.</p>

<p>Agree with Mercymom's summation on those schools. My D and I really liked Appalachian State when we visited. LSU and UNT both get great reviews from former students. Jeffrey Snider is Chair of UNT's department and I understand he is very well thought of. If LSU were smaller and UNT closer by, my D would be looking at both.</p>

<p>University of Colorado/Boulder and University of Nebraska/Lincoln both have exceptionally strong music departments.</p>

<p>Students from Kentucky who attend CCM do NOT qualify for the in-state tuition rate. Certain programs at U.C. (the engineering program comes to mind) do allow KY students to attend at the in-state rate; however, most programs do not. Had my D decided to attend CCM, she would have been paying the out-of-state rate even though we live only 17 miles from the campus and she graduated from a Cincinnati H.S. We reside in KY and that address means OOS tuition. My nephew enrolled in the engineering program as a freshman last year. He also lives in KY and received the in-state rate. I guess engineers rate and musicians, dancers, actors, and most other majors do not :).</p>

<p>I strongly agree with mercymom concerning protecting the voice. Many years ago I began studying voice as a baritone at the age of 22. My teacher was very well regarded and her husband was a great operatic bass-baritone. I remember apologizing for starting voice so late. I was told then that I was not too late at all, that too many people begin training too early.</p>

<p>While 22 may have been a little late, I do cring when I hear of people starting their pre-teen or early teen with voice lessons. I am sure there is some training that can be done at that time, but trying to develop a solo voice at that time is running a risk. </p>

<p>Give kids a good middle school and high school chorale experience. Be careful with these young voices. </p>

<p>I am seeing colleges that perform 4, 5 or 6 musicals and/or operas in a year. I am not convinced that going from one production to another is best for the undergrad. 18 to 20 year olds need to get good training in the studio and develop their voice.</p>

<p>Susantm, I'm pretty sure that the IU scholarship you're referring to is the "Faculty Scholarship," which is specific to the division of the university to which you apply. Your son's scholarship WAS a Faculty Scholarship-- it's just that it's much harder to get one (or a sizeable one) from the School of Music than as an undeclared freshman in Arts and Sciences.</p>

<p>Yes, fiddlefrog, that is exactly right. Actually my son's was half Faculty scholarship and half Dean's scholarship. And those are the ones that are supposedly "automatically" given for a good academic record.</p>

<p>Okay, I just checked the site, and it appears that this may have changed since my son was admitted. (Wouldn't you know it?!?) The automatic scholarships are no longer called Faculty or Dean's scholarships. So perhaps my son was unlucky enough to have been admitted just before they changed this. Rats!! We really could have used that extra money.</p>

<p>And perhaps your son and I would be classmates had the change been made two years earlier.
Rats indeed, although things are going well for me elsewhere.</p>

<p>COuld someone tell me more about App state. it looks good from it's website</p>

<p>It is a good music education school, with excellent applied faculty. You are in piano, is that correct? Bair Shagdaron </p>

<p><a href="http://www.music.appstate.edu/faculty/shagdaron/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.music.appstate.edu/faculty/shagdaron/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>is a lovely man, quite a fine pianist and kind, supportive teacher. There are good conductors there, orchestra and choral, support for the school through Hayes funding. Most important is the relationship of the faculty members with each other, and there has been ongoing interdisciplinary/cross-cultural music making. Percussionist is quite strong in this area: <a href="http://www.music.appstate.edu/faculty/falvo/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.music.appstate.edu/faculty/falvo/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>It is mostly an undergraduate school, but there are enough graduate students to strengthen the performance levels in the ensembles. </p>

<p>It is a mountain town, hour or so from nearest public transportation, lots of outdoor activities available, very hardy, friendly students. </p>

<p>Does this help?</p>

<p>No, I'm in voice</p>

<p>Agree with Lorelie on App State - I loved Boone - really the nicest people in the world. There is a mix of hippie,outdoorsy hiker/snowboarder, intellectual, artsy and even punk types - very eclectic. The surrounding area is beautiful and growing by leaps and bounds - to the point that my only complaint was the traffic. It has been listed on several "Best Small Towns" lists. It is an area that is attracting a lot of wealth - some of the developments are incredible. When we drove in, we were amazed at some of the properties we saw. Get a load of this new development just a few miles outside of Boone. My cousin's daughter went there with every intention of transferring to UNC, but she fell in love with the place and stayed. She designed her own interdisciplinary major involving dance, cultural studies and business. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.laurelmor.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.laurelmor.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>This area has always attracted wealth...this is where the rich and powerful vacationed before air conditioning. The Floridians transplant en masse in the summers, hence the fine Appalachian SUmmer Music festival. The voice faculty does a good job teaching voice. THree of the five teachers hold doctorates, the other two have more performance experience, but they are also fine teachers. THe choral person is solid. One of the voice teachers does the opera workshop program, 1-2 productions a year. Facilities are pretty good, and the campus is lovely. </p>

<p>GOod luck.</p>

<p>Okay, thank you for your insight. I talked to a voice teacher We know each other well and she has heard me sing quite a bit. She thinks i could get into her alma mater Eastman. Could someone give me more insight to Eastman and CCM. THanks.</p>

<p>Whoa - now you're back to $45k room and board. If you're in the position to position to consider Eastman, then I assume you have a private voice teacher. What does she or he say?</p>