@MusicNerd2 I would also like to add a few observations from the mother of a senior who just went through the audition process…
at EVERY school we went to my daughter saw and met with fellow friends from Tanglewood Buti and this was extremely helpful. We got insight from a person with the same instrument who is presently in the program. Insight to the teacher, the dorms, the food, the conductor, the other students, the quality of the wind/orchestra program, the extra stuff you have to do… etc. It was welcoming. we had lunch with a few…we chatted with a few… D competed against a few she saw… but they remember each other and are kindred spirits in this music industry and they will see each other again and again in their lives. Connections are important as they say… the music world is very small.
I found the D was more inspired… more re charged by the summer festivals. If anything she was more ready to attack the new year. She drew inspiration from other students and the free concerts offered by the BSO @ Tanglewood BUTI. She also came back having learned new things… new things(techniques… composers… music history… music theory) to focus on.
She also talked to others last year about where they were admitted to… where they applied to… I did my research here and other places, but she had some say as to where others said were good and what their experiences were.
she regularly texts groups from Tanglewood and her roommate who I suspect she will remain friends with long after college is over. She actually told me she did not want the camp experience… but wanted a rigorous music festival that challenged her. So for what it is worth… every child is different, but for my child BUTI has been a great experience
@MusicNerd2 - Our D is very glad she went to Interlochen the summer before 12th grade. It was a long time to be away, but she loved it, made great contacts and learned two new songs that ended up as pre-screen and audition songs. In her case, she was not 100% sure she was going to apply to BM programs before her summer at Interlochen. She loved being around musicians and singers all day. It seems to be a good simulation of a conservatory program. They also had a class about applying to colleges, which was particularly helpful. She also got to “size up the competition”. She knows no one in our area who is applying to conservatories, let alone in voice. Most of her friends at Interlochen are aiming for a career in music. She could compare herself to others and figure out where she stands.
There was a significant drawback to having such a long camp. Fortunately, she was already done with standardized testing, but most of her friends spent their summer working on college applications, especially the essays. Our D had no time for that and felt behind in the fall. She also couldn’t record prescreening videos over the summer, which made for a busy fall. In the end, she has no regrets and is thrilled that she spent the summer at Interlochen.
Thank you all for sharing! My S is finishing 10th grade and was accepted to Interlochen (orchestra) on trombone for this summer. He is beyond excited but I’m a nervous mom about it all! Does anyone here have a recommendation about electives at Interlochen? Do they have cell service/access to their phones? We live so far away that I’m not sure if we’ll get up there to visit him at all during the summer! If anyone would be willing to offer additional information based on their child’s experience, please feel free to PM me!
@MusicNerd2@lisalisae
I agree with @HRoFan - my son loved his time as a rising senior at Interlochen. He came back excited to pursue performance in college. I also agree that the main downside was no time to work on college apps/essays and it made for a hectic fall (especially since his entire school list changed when he decided to switch to performance).
He ran into students from IAC at almost every audition he attended this winter. And has a rising senior, he was around several students who were leaving for college at the end of camp and advised him on the process. He’s also stayed in touch with them and has been able to ask advice as he negotiated the auditions and apps.
My S took computer music (since he thought he was going to do music technology as a major). In hindsight, I think he would’ve preferred to take theory. But he still learned something and made some cool music.
We live in northern VA and because of other commitments, could not take him to camp. So we sent him by plane and the camp picked him up at the airport. My parents visited him about half way through but we did not see him until the last weekend when we drove the 12 hours to Michigan. The counselors did take their phones away at night but they did have them during the day. He signed off of social media and really enjoyed not being tied to the phone. He called once a week and texted us a few times a week. We were also able to see him on the webcam Interlochen has at the camp.
It’s warm - definitely invest in a small fan for the bunkbed. And we paid for his laundry to be done - after much debate! But they don’t have a lot of downtime. He only left camp the one time when my parents visited, other than walking to a nearby restaurant. In some ways that was tough but in other ways, it made him fully concentrate on the music and his time there.
He did get into Interlochen (they gave him automatic admission for the second year) but he did decide to attend Tanglewood as he felt that would give him a bit more freedom as he leaves for college in August.
Thank you all for sharing your experiences with Interlochen! Your comments have been very helpful and reassuring. Regarding electives, my practical (selfish?!) side wishes D would sign up for the college prep class where they work on applications, essays, etc.–especially since several of you mentioned that your kids felt they had to race to catch up in the fall. I hadn’t really thought that through, but I think I’m okay with her doing yoga, art, writing, etc. instead-- since their days will be so packed with rehearsals, masterclasses, etc. I worry a bit about D feeling burned out when she gets home, and lacking stamina for the fall. Thankfully that does not seem to have been the experience of anyone here. What a relief! Thanks again for all of your help!
@violinmomaz My D was accepted to BUTI – I think TMC is only for college students and older, but she’ll be a rising high school senior. Anyone else here have a VP kid accepted at BUTI for this summer?
@khill87 my D is a French Horn HS senior and will attend YAWE at Tanglewood BUTI this summer. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the BSO concerts that were free for all the BUTI kids. She got seated in the audience close to Emmanuel Axe… John Williams was there too… so many celebrities.
My D was also accepted. She is a current senior who plays viola, but is taking a gap year after she graduates as she didn’t decide to be a music major until this year and wasn’t ready for auditions. She’ll be using the gap year to take lessons and prepare for her auditions.
@nanava that’s wonderful! My daughter (violin) also was at a crossroads beginning of senior year, but for a different reason. She developed an overuse injury while preparing for auditions, and during the first semester of senior year she came to realize that it would be pushing things to try to audition. Her decision was to attend an LAC with a strong music department and a teacher who she chose to study with. She loves the school, and was lucky to find that situation, because she is exploring a lot of areas that intersect with her music, at the same time that she feels she has the right resources to move her violin-playing forward. She’s happy with her personal decision, but taking a gap year to learn, prepare, perhaps give lessons, etc, was a real consideration. I applaud your daughter for making such a good choice for herself!
Don’t know if this is useful to anyone, but D (current junior, BM candidate, VP) was accepted to Miami Music Festival and Berlin Opera Academy yesterday (3/19). Still waiting on one more and financials to see if she (we) can afford either, especially looking toward fall and MM audition travel expenses.
@cgv123 we learned something new this year as this is my D’s first summer festival during undergrad. D (Currently 2nd year VP BM) was notified of admission to Miami Music Festival about 2.5 weeks ago, with the news that role offers may take 3-6 weeks, and that at the time of a role offer an artist would have 4 days to accept (and pay a deposit) before the role was offered elsewhere. Very interesting! This process makes sense for Opera programs, in particular, where roles have to suit particular voices/artists. Anyway, D was lucky to receive a role offer just 3 days later, but did indeed have only 4 days to commit. I think many students (in this kind of case) commit and risk losing the deposit if they get another, really great offer. It seems like that could get REALLY expensive. Maybe our Ds will sing together in Miami @songbirdmama !! I hope this is helpful to other Undergrad VP families.
@songbirdmama - we are in the same boat re: thinking about travel $$ for next year for MM auditions. (How can it possibly be happening again already?) My D’s prof wanted her to attend BOA, but it was pricey and she made a different choice. I’m hoping will be rewarding for her. Fingers crossed.
If I were to do it again I’d have my D apply at fewer places, audition in person and ignore some of the programs with very early or rolling deadlines because those offers come in and want a quick response (understandably) but other programs haven’t even closed auditions yet.
@dramasopranomom She declined Miami. The start date for session 1 is earlier than the end of their last semester classes (She requested session 2, but they offered session 1). She might do Berlin if we can swing it- good small role plus a role study from which arias could be used in MM prescreens. Downside is the faculty is largely European so connections not as relevant right now. I think she is hoping to hear from that last program, as there are teachers in attendance who she is considering for grad school. That is her focus at the moment - finding the right places to apply in fall.
Question for those whose kids have been to BUTI in previous years: Any tips for a newbie? Things to take or things to know about that may not be obvious in advance?
D is a vocalist who will be there for six weeks. We live in the southeast and haven’t yet decided about flying vs. driving (might make a road trip out of it and see a couple of schools along the way). If flying seems better, haven’t decided whether she’ll fly alone or I’ll accompany her.
Last year she went to Eastman’s summer program and since she didn’t have much experience flying, I went along for the drop-off, but she flew home alone and it went great. However, even though I’m not sure if I need to do the flying with her this year, I wonder if it would just be helpful for me to arrive with her and help her get settled. It definitely was helpful to have me in Rochester last year to get things for the dorm room, like an electric fan and sheets and pillow, etc. – all the stuff that was too bulky to take on a plane. Thoughts from those who have been to BUTI?
Also; If anyone is going to Eastman Summer Horizons and has questions, I am glad to answer them based on D’s experience last year (which was very positive)!
D heard today that she did not get into Oberlin’s summer vocal program. But that would just have been icing on the cake in addition to Tanglewood BUTI, so she’s still looking ahead to a fantastic summer. (And having her away for six weeks will be plenty for me! If she’d added in Oberlin, it would have felt like a very short summer, indeed!)
Anyone else still waiting for summer festival or summer program notifications?
Sorry to hear that @khill87. Your talented D should be very proud for her wonderful acceptance at Tanglewood, a very competitive summer program. Keep in mind that this decision has no bearing on forecasting if your D will be accepted or not to Oberlin Conservatory if she applies. I know instances of candidates being rejected to the summer academy and accepted later on to the Conservatory and vice versa.
But that would just have been icing on the cake in addition to Tanglewood BUTI, so she’s still looking ahead to a fantastic summer. (And having her away for six weeks will be plenty for me! If she’d added in Oberlin, it would have felt like a very short summer, indeed!)