<p>Dear Thumper1,</p>
<p>Where is your son now studying? (Sorry if you already mentioned and I forgot.) How does he like it?</p>
<p>This is such a hard time as they try to make the right decisions and then hope for acceptance. And then April when the thin or fat letters come...followed by thin or fat financial aid... :-)</p>
<p>Susan</p>
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<blockquote> <p>Where is your son now studying? (Sorry if you already mentioned and I forgot.) How does he like it?>></p> </blockquote>
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<p>My son studies at Boston University and he loves it. The main reason he went there is for the trumpet teacher who is fabulous. He is very pleased with the music instruction he is getting. Last summer he was at a music festival for five weeks with students from all over the country...from conservatories and other music programs...and he felt his preparation was equal to or better than what others brought to the program (and he acknowledged that he was probably the lowest of the trumpet players...). He really loves Boston and hopes to get back there soon.</p>
<p>Just thought I would let everyone know that my daughter got an invite to audition at Manhattan School of Music. Please keep your fingers crossed! (We are still waiting to hear from Juilliard.</p>
<p>Congrats on Manhattan! Let us know about Julliard.</p>
<p>Congrats on the audition! My son is not in the same league, but he does have an audition in town today with Lawrence University, which has a music conservatory. The people from the college have been very encouraging and really want my son there, but the conservatory is separate, and he has no idea how competitive it is.</p>
<p>Does anyone here know anything about Lawrence and the strength of its conservatory?</p>
<p>Lawrence was the first school we visited with D. They had a representative at the college fair at Interlochen D's junior year, and we visited in January of junior year. D did NOT like Appleton/Green Bay. She had a voice lesson with the recommended teacher at Lawrence and liked the teacher. She also liked the kids with whom she spent the night in the dorm. H and I thought Lawrence was a nice, small school, but VERY regional. They try to promote it as a national school, but almost everyone is from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan. My D did not think the academics were strong enough for her, although they are fine. Her assessment was that she could do better. She was right. I think the kids at Lawrence seemed friendly and nice and I would not hesitate to send a kid there.</p>
<p>I just reported that my daughter was invited to audition at Manhattan School of Music. I neglected to mention that she was also called back to the lead in a Broadway show (they are casting for both their Broadway show and their touring company). I have been told that my D is unique in that she can sing both Broadway and classical. In any event, I'd like to hear from other parents. What would you do if your child did get the offer? Would you have her grab the opportunity and catch up on college later? Frankly, that's my gut inclination, but I would like to hear from others. Thanks.</p>
<p>DivaMommy, congrats on the audition invite at Manhatten School of Music and on the callback for the Bdway/Tour role! Lots happening for your D! </p>
<p>The decision to take such a role is obviously an individual situation thing but my feeling if it had been my own daughter, she would take the year to do the role and postpone college a year. You often can defer. My daughter has a friend who was admitted to NYU/Steinhardt but before her freshman year started, she was cast on the Mamma Mia tour. She was cast as ensemble but understudy for the lead of Sophie. She did the tour, eventually became the lead, Sophie and now is the lead in the Broadway cast so did not go to college this year, though had deferred. I am not sure her plans. </p>
<p>Good luck and please let us know what happens. Was this at an open call or via an agent submitted audition? Pretty exciting. The odds are tough but someone gets it! My D has auditioned for Bdway and tours but not lately. I am guessing maybe you are talking of Hairspray as I know another young woman with a callback for that. Fingers crossed for your D if this is what she wants. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Dear Susan:</p>
<p>Yes, it's Hairspray! She actually had her first audition with them a year ago and we were pleasantly surprised when they called back yesterday. She didn't really have an agent at the initial audition...she was referred to one from an off-broadway show that she didn't get in. The agent heard the rave reviews from the producers that referred her and here we go!</p>
<p>Thanks again for the good wishes.</p>
<p>DivaMommy: While it is true that numerous classical artists do crossover later in their careers, it is very difficult to make the kind of vocal progress and development needed to sing the most challenging legitimate repertory while singing (idiomatically) the music theater repertory. Most voice teachers at the highest levels are quite vigilant about outside vocal activity, and the attitude is often negative about time spent doing regular musical theater (operetta is a different story) and choral singing, especially if the curriculum and the professional goal is the world of opera. Your daughter is obviously extremely talented, and you must be very proud. It would be hard at her age to make such a major decision, and the lure of this opportunity is great. My concern and (if I had to bet the farm) guess would be that her admittance to a major conservatory curriculum in voice would be at risk if she asked for a deferral for this purpose. Experience has shown that most young voices do not weather such demands well, and damage is done. Many of the performance tour groups are legendary for the vocal debris. Good luck guiding her to self awareness as to what kind of music she really wants to pursue. Just remember that any vocal damage may very well be permanent. </p>
<p>Friends who have had children abandon (or defer) college for sports (tennis, etc.) have regretted it for them later. Conversing with them as a family friend, I have been struck by the difference between them and their siblings (and these are children considered by the parents to have been the brightest in the family), in terms of vocabulary, knowledge, and intellectual sophistication. They clearly have lost something by missing out on the college experience. It is hard to come back after making money and living the performer's life. Would it be the same for a broadway musician? I do not know, but those issues would worry me. </p>
<p>Vis-a-vis the prescreen notices from the conservatories: e-mails went out last week to (at least some) instrumentalists who had been granted auditions; snail mail delivered (at least some) rejection letters this week. I know of applicants to Juilliard, Manhattan, and NEC to whom this has happened. I do not know if this is true in all disciplines. Did your daughter get her notice from Manhattan this week via e-mail? </p>
<p>This is a scary time, worrying about our young artists as they begin this very crucial audition season. I hope I can keep my cool. I am starting some good books and a knitting project, hoping to keep my mind and hands busy while I wait. The good thing about this process is that it is important information in our ongoing evaluation of career goals, and to have the opportunity to be judged at such high level venues is invaluable. The conservatories are particularly competitive, but if they cannot survive the competition now, there is not a very good chance they will be the divas and stars of tomorrow. It is hard to watch them struggle with their dreams and expectations, but it is a world of reality, even in the arts, and we must all face it. It is a gift that they can face this now, while with families who care so very much for them. </p>
<p>Good luck. </p>
<p>Good luck....!!!!</p>
<p>Dear Lorilei:</p>
<p>Thank you for your long thought provoking letter which strengthened some of my concerns. Fortunately, we are not "there" yet and we do not know how far she will go in the audition process. I am curious however. Your insight seems to suggest that you have some experience in the arts. Do you?</p>
<p>As far as Manhattan, my D heard by email. She has not heard anything from Juilliard.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your advise.</p>
<p>DivaMommy: I have sent you a private e-mail with more information.</p>
<p>Thumper1, How can a relatively untutored parent tell what league their child is in musically? Is there a minimum qualification like all-state before music ability is considered as an aid to college admission? Does one just rely on the private teacher's recommendation? One of my sons is a serious trumpet player, but doesn't want to major in it.</p>
<p>iggal, I'll answer your question, too. D is a gifted classical singer and I have NO idea where the talent came from. I had to rely on the assessment of her teachers, which was made easier because she spent her last two years of high school at a premier arts academy. She is a vocal performance major in college. It is hard for a non-musical parent to assess talent.</p>
<p>iggal:
I don't really know the answers to your questions, but thought I'd just commiserate with you. I too have a son who is a trumpet player. He has taken lessons and participated at ensembles through the Eastman School of Music (Community Education Division) for years. From hanging around there so much I think he decided early on to not major in music. While he loves trumpet he knows he is probably only good enough to do a music ed. degree, and he just is not interested in being a music teacher. (Although many a kid hoping for a solo career or a top orchestra seat has ended up teaching instead.) </p>
<p>When we first looked at colleges (he was interested in smaller LACs) the quality of their music program was really important. Somehow, though, I sense that that has waned for him in the past few months. I know he still wants to play trumpet in college, but I also sense he is looking forward to other things. That's fine. I know he is good enough now to have a lifetime skill and passion. (Ah, the pay off for those early years of "reminding" him to practice!) Not to mention he has excellent taste in music! (No rap in our house - yay!) </p>
<p>He is supposed to be submitting an audition tape for a couple of schools for small scholarships - but I don't see him working on that. Anyway, I hope the schools see his music backround for what it is - a testimony to his self discipline and hard work, and his willingness to pursue something he loves. I often wonder if colleges really appreciate what it takes for a kid to become proficient at an instrument; every night practicing in one's bedroom - all alone - for hours, Saturday mornings all year for rehearsals, Friday and Saturday night gigs, stressing about recitals and auditions on top of exams, and don't even get me started about the pit orchestra schedules!!!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Generally, speaking of orchestral instruments, if you consider how many of each instrument you find in a symphony orchestra, you can get an idea of how competitive things might be. For instance, there are 2-4 flutes in an orchestra, and considering how many youngsters play flute in middle and high school, that is a lot of competition. The same thing is true for trumpet and clarinet. When you get to the more expensive instruments to buy and difficult to play, things ease in terms of competition. Instruments which require an innate sense of pitch just to make the notes (strings, slides-trombone and overtones-horn instead of keys-clarinet and valves-trumpet) are more difficult, and fewer kids pursue them far enough to be competing. Another issue of how many youngsters stay with an instrument is the convenience factor. How many lug around a string bass or a tuba, compared to the flute or the violin? [The viola, however, is always a good instrument to play, harder to play well, fewer pursue it, and no orchestra ever has enough really good players.] Many of the major schools will have very few openings each year in instruments like the flute and the trumpet. Then if you look at the numbers of students at a school, you can get an idea as to whether there might be enough students on campus (not necessarily as music majors) to stock the orchestra and the marching band. Apparently at the major conservatories, the heaviest competition is in piano, violin, flute, female voice.</p>
<p>The talent thing is so hard to discern. While I am a trained and educated musician, when it comes to my own children, I am almost clueless about their "talent", I am just too biased and invested. My solution has been to encourage them to enter competitions and to put themselves up against the best, to see how others would judge and rank them. [All-State is a nice designation, but unless your young musician plays one of the rarer instruments, it probably is not of value as a hook. If your child is concert mistress/master or principal in their instrument, it means more. However, it will probably qualify your youngster for a scholarship at music camp at your state university, and that is a good arena to test the water.] These competitions are not necessarily in world arenas, but rather against other players/singers of their age and experience. If they come out on top, that is a sign of encouragement. If they were never to advance, it would be a message of "enjoy your music but as an avocation." These college auditions serve the same function, and it is far better to find out now how well they stack up in the performance arena than after several years of college. </p>
<p>From chatting with other parents at conservatory auditions, I have learned quite a bit about how things are in the different instruments (including the vocal instrument) and how the networking happens in those fields. Between that opportunity and the wonders of CC, we should all gain better perspective on this adventure!</p>
<p>lorelei:
So true about the viola! The violas have been the "weak link" in every orchestra that my kids has ever played in!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, my other son (a HS sophmore) is quite an accomplished cellist. While he works very hard at his cello and has played for 11 years now (yikes) he has announced that he will not be bringing it to college. Maybe he'll change his mind as he gets closer, but somehow I doubt it. Oh well, I'm looking forward to the day I can drive a regular car and not worry about accomodating the cello!</p>
<p>There are many sagas about car shopping by cello families. I have a friend who plays the string bass and transports it in a VW Bug, takes the seat out, goes all over the place.</p>
<p>I'll try, also to give you my perspective. Your child's private teacher "might" be a good source as a beginning to help discern level of performance....but that depends also on the quality of the private teacher. I think that if a child is interested in pursuing music as a career that child should be studying with the best private teacher in the area for their performance medium. All State isn't the be all end all, but it does show that a youngster can work on an audition piece, and play it successfully as part of a field of players. I personally think the issue of talent rests mostly with the student. Musicians who are dedicated to their craft, and devote significant time and effort to improving have a much better chance at success than those who don't (regardless of their inate talent). I can only speak for my son...he practices a minimum of 4 hours a day, and has done so since 7th grade. His commitment to music extended far beyond his school ensembles and included chamber music, orchestral and wind ensemble experience at a precollege level for years, private lessons on piano and trumpet, summer music programs (camps and then Tanglewood for two summers), music theory and history interests, and membership in a choir. Also, music was what he WANTED to pursue. He aggressive sought programs, teachers, lessons etc. SO....having said all that....what the student wants to do should be the driving force within reason. The audition process for college students is a daunting one. They should be well prepared for the experience and the best way is to audition audition audition (for things like all state). Also, all music students in college must have a working knowledge of piano and theory. Good luck to your youngster. There are many kiddos who want to continue playing and fortunately you don't have to major in music to do so. Many universities and colleges have ensembles for all students to join. If this is what the kiddo wants, research that and/or ask questions to the adcoms (that is what we are doing with DD).</p>
<p>Thanks Mom of Wild Child, Lorelei2702, Weenie and Thumper1 for your help. Weenie, your description of your son practicing alone in his bedroom really resonated with me; mine always wanted to practice in private. The only time I could prevail upon him to play where I could hear him well was when I was sick in bed; then he would set up his stand in my room (but not for four hours --I admire the dedication of Thumper1's son! ).</p>