<p>I don't know if other parents are feeling this frustration; this is both a commentary and a vent.</p>
<p>There has been a thread going about BUTI vs Interlochen, and some questions about Meadowmount vs Heifetz. Each of these festivals has different stand-out features. My kid did BUTI last summer and it was excellent in many ways, speaking from a strictly musical perspective. BUTI has something else going for it: every single person that we came into contact with in their administration was fantastic -- helpful, caring, and interested in us. It leaves you with a positive impression, and also the feeling that they will take good care of your child. </p>
<p>Heifetz is new to us, so we are comparing how they are, administratively, with what we experienced at BUTI. We had not heard anything from Heifetz, so I sent several query emails this week to them, asking when results would be announced; we got no reply, at all. Called their office twice, on different days, got a machine. Finally someone picked up the phone today. The fellow was not unfriendly, but would only say if you haven't heard yet, you are waitlisted. Really? This is how they "notify" you of being waitlisted? Every other festival we've dealt with over the years (5 at least) sends you an email by a certain day. Heifetz may be the most extraordinary summer experience, musically, but so far, the "tone" is standoff-ish and cool, and not open. I don't like it. </p>
<p>Twice my kid has gotten into Meadowmount, so we've gotten paperwork from them with forms and instructions. Holy cow, does the administration up there seem heavy-handed. No wonder it has a rep for being a boot camp. Tons and tons of rules, many that seem archaic and over the top and unnecessarily controlling. No scholarship offered the first time, and the language used to say this was beyond harsh. Again, this is a perspective based only on the administration and the "tone" being set from on high, not a reflection of the musical magic that could/will happen there.</p>
<p>I know that Heifetz recently underwent a personnel change in their administrative offices, so it may be a reflection of that. I agree it’s odd not to be told that you’ve been wait-listed. Personally, I agree that the tone of administration communication is a harbinger of many things to come. Is BUTI still in the running for you? </p>
<p>Festivals do have their own vibe, and with Meadowmount, the description the OP gave is pretty much what it is, it is a serious music festival, but it is one that achieves seriousness by being heavy handed, rigidly structured, etc, which in turn knowing the people running it, doesn’t surprise me (Galamian called Meadowmount a “concentration camp”, a place where you concentrate, which given the nature of what a concentration camp was, was a pretty poor joke). On the other hand, they are what they are, they don’t hide it.</p>
<p>One warning about the way programs treat you, keep in mind that administration at programs can change, many of them rely on volunteers, and what looks like not caring is that their staff is small and they aren’t all too familiar with running it. Meadowmount and Interlochen and BUTI have been running a long time, so they have an advantage, but even a program like BUTI can have problems, have a bad apple running the show, etc…so a program might appear cold when you are getting admitted, but once in are wonderful. BTW the same thing applies to music schools, there are schools that their admissions process has problems, but in running the school, are responsive and great; but there are other schools that are all warm and friendly when getting admitted, then are from you know what when you get in (kind of like the old joke about the Microsoft sales rep who dies, is sent to hell, and is given a vision of hell that is all parties and such…but when he gets to it, it is hellfire and brimstone, and he yells “what is this, this isn’t what I saw”, and the Devil grins and says "oh, that is the demo for Hell 2.0, sorry,we are running hell 1.0)</p>
<p>Glassharmonica,
Pretty sure we will land at Meadowmount this year, not BUTI. It’s apples and oranges, very different purposes. BUTI allows little practice time, but an excellent orchestral experience. It’s time for intensive practicing, so leaning toward MM.</p>
<p>D3’s violin teacher used to tell a long cautionary tale about her time at Meadowmount, involving being chased across campus by a three-legged fox. Make sure you pack running shoes. :)</p>
<p>Stradmom,
oh dear – thanks for the warning! 
At least she wasn’t chased by the administrator for stepping across the white line on Route 10!</p>
<p>The person running Meadowmount for many years was proud that Galamian left them his shotgun…need I say more <em>lol</em></p>