<p>Hi all - just need an ear...freshman D's voice teacher is leaving, just told her studio. D is not sure what the college willdo to fill the vacancy. Her one choice for a different teacher has a full studio. Sigh...and I thought we didn't have to worry about auditions/applications until her senior year for grad school, plus upcoming S who is a trumpet player. </p>
<p>Is it still possible to transfer to a new school at this point in the year? I'm sure and merit scholarships are not available given the time of year we're in (she has a very large scholarship at current school). </p>
<p>And, all this just before finals week! I feel very badly for the sophomores and juniors there as well. At this point D isn't sure she wants to return next fall with all the uncertainty. She really enjoyed her teacher.</p>
<p>Darn! sorry . . . 
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<p>Sorry all about typos above…am a bit concerned and was trying to decide if I should post or not…then decided you are all a wonderful group and hopefully can provide a tad bit of advice. Options are, stay there and see whom they hire and give her time to research other schools/apply/audition again for her junior year, 2. Plan to go to nearby state school (admitted last year, assume she’d get in (rolling admissions) or see if other schools accept transfer students this late in the game for next year.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any advice!</p>
<p>Perhaps this depends on your school–but at my daughter’s, she would have been given the option to transfer with her studio professor. And this almost happened to her this year too. Had her professor moved to the other school, he would have taken one or two students with him.</p>
<p>This does seem quite unfair at this point, to come after application deadlines have passed. But it’s worth checking to see if your son can transfer with his professor, despite the past due deadline.</p>
<p>This happened to my daughter (VP) in her junior year- her teacher called a studio meeting in late October !and announced that she was leaving. In her case, the teacher was not going elsewhere, she was quitting teaching altogether so options were limited. Obviously, this left her juniors (who would be seniors the following year) in a terrible position because they had no options. The studio went, en masse, to the administration and requested that they be a part of the search for a new teacher- for each teacher who was invited to the “final audition”, several students were chosen to have sample lessons, which were observed by the admin. and departmental staff. As it turned out, D knew the teacher who was ultimately hired so he wasn’t a complete stranger, but it was not an easy process. The rising seniors had no choice but to stay, several of the rising juniors and sophomores chose to transfer to other schools while others stayed on.</p>
<p>Fall came and pre-screens had to be made, but the new teacher had no idea what rep the seniors were working on. There were problems but D knew what she had to accomplish and she went ahead and prepared her grad school applications. She ended up having a great senior year and is thriving in grad school- I love a happy en</p>
<p>One of the string teachers also left to go to another school and while some of his underclassmen chose to go with him, others did not. Another two teachers joined the faculty from elsewhere and brought some of their studios along. It was an interesting process but not one the students would have chosen.</p>
<p>@SingerMomOR- I think your D’s school or at the very least, her teacher handled this poorly. Unless something totally unexpected came up, they should have dealt with this much earlier in the year. It seems that more and more schools are treating students as commodities- if someone wants to leave, there are plenty more to take their spot. That’s wrong and in your D’s case, the school should be concerned with placing the students already in the department and give them priority over the class of incoming freshmen.It would carry more weight if the entire studio banded together and made their requests as a larger group.
My advice, considering the size of her scholarship, would be for her to stay where she is and hope that the new teacher is terrific. Should she not wish to do that, PM me and I can give you some advice about some possible schools, but at this late date, money is getting scarce.</p>
<p>Thank you Mezzo Mom! I believe the situation was unexpected. And, have recommended that she stay, focus on finals, and then research options. It was just a surprise and of course timing was not ideal. </p>
<p>@SingerMomOR- check your Inbox!</p>
<p>@SingerMomOR The unexpected shifts and changes in my D’s voyage to a career would make your hair stand on end. Timing is never ideal. Stuff happens. All I can tell you is that some of the worst things that happened ultimately turned into gifts. Just tell your D to work harder than everyone else. . FYI…no matter what…cream still rises to the top.</p>
<p>MM - Thank you! I will do that, and remind her that new doors will open…finding them may be the challenge!</p>
An update – this happened to us again…although this time the first day back after spring break. D’s studio teacher ( the newly hired for 2014/15 visiting teacher) was one of 12 eliminated for next year. D had chosen to go back after last year’s surprise and has truly enjoyed the new teacher and was doing very well academically. Now, she’s looking again…late, late in the game for a school to transfer to. So frustrated for her and for us as parents…not really wanting a gap year or fall term, but may have to do that if she can’t find something she’s happier with. She now wants warm and west coast!
Oh no! Lightening has struck twice. 
Yes, a huge learning experience for sure.
So sorry. Have you called the school and asked what the heck is going on?
It would not have helped for your d, but for future classes that was one of the parent session questions during auditions…how many tenured voice teachers do u have? One opera chair appeared somewhat offended/annoyed with the question, but turnover was something that interested my d.
Now flip forward a year and freshman vp d dilemma is slightly different…she was accepted as a mezzo, but is now being classified as a high soprano. Her teacher is not necessarily the best match (he’s not as familiar with the repertoire and his specialties are mezzos and tenors). Nevertheless she loves working with him, they have a great relationship, he accepts her love of musical theatre as well as classical/opera and from it looks like he seeks out advice from others to get additional rep recommendations (he has had other teachers set in on her lessons to hear her voice). He is a tenured professor who has high performing recent graduates (curtis and julliard acceptances/met finalists).
However senior vp students have recommended that she switch teachers. There are two other highly respected soprano teachers and she is not sure what to do.
He is the diction expert at the school and has stated that she has extremely strong technique and musicality. So it would appear that he’s a strong fit for her undergrad years. I have recommended that she have an honest conversation with her teacher and get his advice. I have met him and think he would understand and appreciate the dilemma and could offer sound advice. I hope he wouldn’t be offended. But d is hesitant because she doesn’t want to appear unappreciative or ruin the relationship they’ve built. She is very new to classical singing (her musical theatre voice training was classically based, but she just started singing classical music and art songs 2 years ago). As such, she has a lot of room for growth.
Any advice?
@cellomom6 - I haven’t yet, am waiting for D’s conversation with the voice faculty chair today. And, of course while I am concerned and frustrated, I also don’t want to be the hovering parent…so am also undecided with respect to what I should do to help her.
My daughter’s teacher had to take a leave for a semester in her Junior year. I know that this isn’t as bad. My daughter was upset but being a Junior in college I left it to her and the school to figure out. I was just moral support. She did not want to go to the teacher her teacher suggested at first. I don’t completely understand why. I just suggest for her to try her…you never know. It turned out to be a really good experience. Her voice grew with a new perspective. It wasn’t better just different and just as good. She now has a close relationship with this teacher who has given her some input with looking at Masters programs. She went back to her old teacher for senior year and all was good. I initially was concerned but in the end it all worked out. I hope your situation does as well.
Oh it was also another teacher to write recommendations for MMs. Some schools wanted numerous recommendations. Sooo that was good!