<p>When “mine” were actively auditioning, they always preferred the live ones. Too much time and money tended to be spent when CD/DVDs were involved. Somehow, there were more nerves for the recorders than a live audience.</p>
<p>Sometimes students are accepted “on the spot” when it’s a festival director doing the live auditions. Although I wouldn’t buy a plane ticket till I had it in writing, that can be a great ego boost and allows the student to relax a bit when waiting for the results from all the applications.</p>
<p>I also have always felt that the live auditions are great preparation for auditions for professional orchestral jobs. I know I saw one of my own kids really grow through several years of taking summer festival live auditions - got to the point where the kid could begin to predict on which exceprts the muscles would tense and learned how to anticipate this as well as other “surprises” that occur in live situations.</p>
<p>I’ve also known kids (strings) who were selected to orchestra festivals based on CDs that they worked and re-worked and re-worked. They were shocked when arriving at the festival to realize that they weren’t really quite the level of some others. </p>
<p>Bassplayer 08 - I think missing the first two weeks of freshman year would be a huge mistake - no matter what college or conservatory. So much happens in those first weeks that you would have a hard time making up, if ever. The festival will come again - although perhaps it will never fit easily into your schedule. However, in subsequent years you will have a much better idea of the consequences of missing that much time.</p>
<p>Bassplayer 08 - Do you already know what college you are going to? Not all colleges start at the same time, so you may be missing more or less than 2 weeks! (My D’s school starts in mid-August. S1’s school starts in late August. S2’s school starts after Labor Day.)</p>
<p>The problem is that in Germany, summer breaks are staggered from one state to another (to ease traveling conditions on roads and airports and tourist attractions). So that in Bavaria (where Bayreuth is), the break starts at the very end of July and goes into the middle of September. That is why my D never did a summer program or summer camp - the ones in the US did not coincide with when she was available.</p>
<p>I do not think a summer program is important enough to miss the first 2 weeks of college. Many schools would not even consider this excused, so you would not be allowed to make up the missed work. You may miss semester auditions. You might find out that 2 weeks behind in your music theory class is devastating - and it might be too late at that point to switch to an easier class.</p>
<p>You might contact the program in Germany and see if they have half-term programs that would allow you to leave earlier.</p>
<p>So I got rejected from this festival today, but it was the weirdest rejection email I’ve ever seen. It was like “Unfortunately we don’t have a spot for you this year. As you know we didn’t have formal auditions, but if we had, given your qualifications, you certainly would have been awarded a spot.” It was really weird.</p>
<p>It sounds as though they do not want to tell you the real reason for not accepting your application for some reason or another. That could mean one of several things. Perhaps they are not taking any bassists at all this year but did not realize that until recently. Perhaps they wanted to take some bassists but were unable to get a teacher, or the teacher who was supposed to be there had to cancel. Perhaps some favors were called in behind the scenes and all the spots for bassists were filled through unofficial channels before they even considered your application. Every now and again you may come across a situation where the outcome of an “audition” is decided before anyone plays a note. Their use of the word “formal” leads me to wonder whether there may have been a round of “informal” auditions that only included people they already knew. If that is the case, perhaps they are saying that you will hear about such insider opportunities in the future.</p>
<p>^ Not sure, I got off the wait-list a year or two ago but couldn’t make it. I guess it depends on the year (sorry, that was completely un-helpful).</p>
<p>I don’t know Aspen’s procedures - some schools waitlist many folks rather than outright rejecting them. However, at top programs like this, getting in off the waitlist is pretty common. Since the program is so selective, people tend to apply to multiple programs. So the people who are accepted here may well be accepted elsewhere as well, and choose the other place.</p>
<p>Usually the commit date is fairly soon, though, so the waitlist gets activated within a week or two.</p>
<p>Again, those are generalities - I don’t have any experience with Aspen.</p>
<p>violindad, re: warming up in bathrooms, i was once treated to a very spirited performance of the Carmen Fantasy in the women’s room at a music festival before a masterclass. the down side was that i didn’t want to emerge and disconcert the fiddler, who was also cursing a blue streak at every missed shift.</p>
<p>DS was invited to participate in a summer vocal program in France (he would be there for three weeks of the program to play in the orchestra for the opera). He would receive 500 euros and lodging. He would have to pay for his food and any other expenses, including airfare.</p>
<p>After researching the program, we have discovered very mixed reviews about the experience (more negative than positive) and although they DO pay a portion of the expense, it will still cost quite a bit to attend. DS was hoping to travel both before and after the program (specifically to Germany) to visit music schools because it is his goal to attend grad school there next year.</p>
<p>Would you recommend that your kid spend three weeks at a possibly second-rate program in order to gain the “Europe experience” or would his time and money be better spent just traveling over there (maybe off-season) and visiting his targeted destinations? The deadline is coming right up and he needs to let them know one way or the other. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>To Violinmom,
If your S has never traveled in Europe or to those parts of France, I would encourage him to take the gig, if he’s not giving up some other better gig. It will likely be a great experience for him even if the program itself is not stellar. Perhaps it will lead to other opportunities. Also, he can make his contacts in Germany since he’ll already be in Europe. What program is it? I’ve been looking into a lot of programs for my D, so I’d love to find out what you know. Perhaps a PM is more appropriate? </p>
<p>500 euros plus lodging is not bad–are you saying that all you have to pay for is airfare and food? You’d be surprised how cheaply he can eat if he goes to the market and “picnics” most of the time. For finding good airfares, I usually use Kayak, unless I’m using points with AmExp.</p>
<p>Honestly, if he hasn’t done much traveling, I would strongly support it.</p>
<p>keep in mind that results may be out for some instruments and not others. In past years, for example, Aspen piano results were way later than this, so until you hear, you don’t know…</p>
<p>Violinmom: I agree with sopranomom92. Staying in the same place in Europe for three weeks is quite different from travelling around and will likely give your son a much better feel for what living in Europe would be like. He will probably meet many people who can give him opinions and information that could be very helpful in decisions and preparation that he needs to make for potential studies in Europe. </p>
<p>I studied in France for a July when I was in university and my son attended a program for a month in Poland. The experiences were invaluable and ultimately both of us enjoyed those stationary times in Europe better than the weeks of travel that we have had in Europe. </p>
<p>Even if the program is not first class, the experience of playing in an opera orchestra for three weeks is probably a good one to have under one’s belt prior to grad school. </p>
<p>If he is planning to go to Europe anyway, why not do the program in addition to some travel? The program does not add any expense and if he meets people in the program that he can stay with during his travels, then it will reduce his expenses. The 500 Euros will certainly more than cover his food and incidentals during the three weeks, so he can put some of that towards his travels that he plans to do regardless.</p>
<p>I have an application pending at Aspen (cello) and haven’t heard yet. Any idea when I’ll get the letter? Sounds like it’s variable (depending on instrument, etc.), but I’m getting angsty and I reckon it doesn’t hurt to ask.</p>