<p>My daughter is in the process of developing her list of potential Music Schools and her private teacher mentioned the Hartt School at the University of Hartford. D plays flute and piccolo. Any insight on Hartt is apprecaited.</p>
<p>My son just auditioned there for jazz. The majority of students auditioning on his date were classical. I believe that is their larger program. I would love to know more about it, too--audition days are exhausting and don't always leave time for tours and information sessions. The teacher who auditioned him left it open for him to come back and sit in on classes, which I thought was very thoughtful of him. Very upbeat environment in the music school itself. Seems like a good place to be with other serious musicians.</p>
<p>My son is viola performance BM '07 Hartt grad in the process of applying for grad schools with a viola/chamber performance concentration. He began his Hartt undergrad work in Sept '02, and was admitted as a 5 year dual degree (performance/music ed) candidate. He chose not to finish the remaining ed requirements, which would have required an additional semester beyond the original to concentrate on performance, his first love.</p>
<p>He/we can't say anything negative about his experience at Hartt (other than the food quality/meal plans). He was at home the minute he saw the school, and worked with fantatic peers and faculty. He described it as a cooperative, non competitive environment. During his last two years, he was a full scholarship recipient in Hartt's Performance 20/20 program, and was fully engaged in an extremely high level of chamber groupings and musicianship. There is an on-site magnet school, with both a String Project and Band Project; participation is required for music ed majors, optional but recommended for performance majors.</p>
<p>Admission to the Hartt program is highly competitive, and requires admission to both U/Hartford and Hartt. John Wion recently retired as the primary flute
instructor. Janet Arms, a former student of Wion's with impressive credentials has taken over Wion's studio. Greig Shearer is the other flute instructor.</p>
<p>The music building is dated and could use an update, but it is by no means substandard. Ground has been broken on a slightly off-site facility to house the theater and dance programs, as well as the Community Division. Freshman dorms were redone a year ago, and a new upperclassmen door opened this past September. The two suite complexes are serviceable, but nothing spectacular. The campus is fairly compact, in a residential section of West Hartford, but borders (within 2 miles) a less than stellar section of Hartford proper.</p>
<p>Talent aid is auditioned based, and is a direct function of your audition. It can range from paltry to full scholarship; my son was initially offered 1/2 tuition, but based on his growth he ended up on a full scholarship his last two years. U/Hartford's policy had been to NOT allow a combination of a Hartt performance award with a university academic scholarship. </p>
<p>You can use the "search this forum" for other Hartt posts, as I've commented on the program in numerous threads. Feel free to ask me any general or specific points if you want additional info.</p>
<p>The flute teachers at Hartt are outstanding. Greig Shearer is principal with the Hartford Symphony and a highly regarded soloist, ensemble player, teacher and mentor. In my opinion, you can't get much better than that!!</p>
<p>Son was accepted to Hartt on tuba and offered 1/2 tuition scholarship based on his audition. He didn't end up attending but it was a tough call.
The building ARe a bit dated. Son didn't seem to even notice that!</p>
<p>The admissions folk and students we met were open and encouraging.
Seemed like a great place to me (the tuba player's mother).
We did find that UHartford did not offer academic awards on top of music merit awards. That would have been lovely.</p>
<p>musicmom and violadad--did your kids hear from Hartt soon after audition, or did you wait until April? I've heard conflicting information.</p>
<p>My son also auditioned at Hartt...but he did the early audition which was the first weekend in December. DS heard by Christmas including his aid. I'm not sure how the remaining auditions went...but I thought it was a deadline school...in other words students heard in april.He didn't go to Hartt, but it was a nice option, and the merit aid he received was excellent.</p>
<p>My son's was an early February audition, and he did not hear till April. I think the only quick response is from the early December audition; all other dates will not find out till April. At least that's how it was a few years back.</p>
<p>Thanks, that's what we thought!</p>
<p>While I know nothing about the classical department, I actually wouldn't recommend it for jazz. I have played with a few people that go there now and although they all seem really enthusiastic, the playing ability, I found, was less than spectacular. The best jazz musicians I know are looking elsewhere. I'm sure that it could be tremendous for anyone (as college does not determine how good/what type of a musician you will be), but I really wouldn't rank its players in the same class as nec/msm/new school/mich state/unt/etc...</p>
<p>jazzzmomm-</p>
<p>Our son also did the early audition at Hartt in December.
I remember it well......BIG snowstorm that weekend. Son made the tripwith his Dad by car from NJ to Hartt the night before audition. So they were there when the storm hit Sat. Son auditioned but many others couldn't make it.
The drive home in the blizzard took 8 hours. I think they thought it was an adventure....I was an anxious wreck. </p>
<p>Anyway, he had his acceptance and merit award just before Christmas.
He did not have to respond until the 'regular' time in May I think.</p>
<p>Hello everyone,
I have been admitted to the Hartt School as a piano performance major.
I am the only musician in my family, and everyone is asking me how prestigious Hartt is, and how many people are admitted.
Does anybody know what the acceptance rate is for the music program? I have seen many posts about acceptance to theater, but nothing for music.
Thank you!</p>
<p>You know...I always see Hartt mentioned on this forum. All the time! So much that I had checked them out, and read into them a lot, but ultimately, I've taken them off my list for graduate schools, why? Because I read nothing but horrible horrible awful things about the city of Hartford! I never see it mentioned on here that Hartford has been rated the 2nd most dangerous city in the country, or at least something around there. The crime rate is very high, and just does not seem like a pleasant place to live. Can someone please bring some insight into this, because I go to Florida State right now, and I thought Tallahassee was a dump, I'm actually shocked at the idea of a "prestigious" school being somewhere in an even worse dump than Tallahassee, Florida.</p>
<p>We visited the campus a few years ago for my older d. If I remember correctly, the school is located in a nice area surrounded by beautiful homes. But, I will admit, the city of Hartford was somewhat of a let down. :(</p>
<p>gms5287,
Have you visited Hartt SOM? Larger cities always have high rates of crime. Philadelphia is now called killadelphia. There are many prestigious schools located in inner cities with high crime rates. </p>
<p>And as far as Tallahassee and FSU, I certainly wouldn't consider that a dump. In fact, it was one of the prettiest towns I've visited in recent years. We just visited last week and we thought the campus was immaculate. Tallahassee appeared to be a great college town. Here in Chicago, Univ. of Chicago is in a dangerous area (muggings plus worse) and Northwestern CAN be a marginal area (Evanston) with both unsafe to walk alone at night. So it all goes with the territory.</p>
<p>Agreed. I have grandparents who live in Hartford (a lovely neighborhood, thankfully) and visiting that city isn't exactly a joy. If you're looking for good music schools in New England, Hartford isn't at the top of the list.</p>
<p>Can anyone comment on the quality of the program, or the admitted students rate. Like Mitra I was accepted this year and will probably go. As much as the town 10 minutes away might be scary, I come from New York City, so I'm not exactly worried. I think it might be a factor for some people, but can anyone answer Mitra's original question?</p>
<p>I've heard excellent things about the vocal program at Hartt. I hear the atmosphere is not as competitive and the faculty is nurturing and really cares about the progress of the student's achievement. Congrats on getting in!</p>
<p>Although this is a bit different, I have a friend who is a sophomore in Hartt's jazz studies program and he is having a ball. He said although the facilities are a bit dated, the teachers are amazing and the dorms are "Ok." </p>
<p>So despite the terrible location, the school is supposedly pretty good. A serious consideration. :)</p>
<p>Our acceptance letter from Hartt came today (flute performance). There are many things about the program which I like, including their emphasis on pedagogy and making a living in the music field. (Said as a true parent!) Their flute professors are both playing in the profession...Janet Arms plays with NY lyric opera and Greg Shearer is principal flute with Hartford Symphony. When we toured the campus it was in a very affluent looking part of town. The rest of Hartford seemd to be a mix of economic levels.</p>
<p>operasinger, mitra- as to the actual admit rates of the overall program, I can only repeat what son told me back in '02 as a freshman. From what I recall, he said his freshman class of about 250 (neither he or I can recall the exact number) across all Hartt disciplines was drawn from an applicant pool of about 1250. There is a poster "Hartt Admissions" who appears both here and more recently on the Music Major forum. A search of that poster name and a search of their posts will reveal past postings, and a contact phone number. I can't recall specific info on admit percentages on the Hartt webpages, but I'm sure a call to the admissions office will get you the info.</p>
<p>Hartt's "News from the Dean's Office" newsletter and back issues are available online here: THE</a> HARTT SCHOOL: MUSIC-DANCE-THEATRE In the accolades section, you can see recent awards, recogntion of current students, alums and faculty. Two of note <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/09colct.html?_r=2&ref=nyregionspecial2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/09colct.html?_r=2&ref=nyregionspecial2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin</a>
UNotes</a> Daily | News</p>
<p>I can't speak to the vocal or MT, jazz the or piano program specifically. My son was a violist. He did participate for his last two and a half years in the Performance 20/20 chamber program. The peer level was exceptional, across all instruments. The overall atmosphere was one of collaboration and cooperation. As a point of reference and comparison, my son has played with students and grads from Juilliard, Eastman, NEC, Peabody, San Francisco Conservatory, Yale SOM, Indiana and others in festival programs, orchestras and chamber ensembles, and won a regional chair on his fourth auditon. He was completely happy with his experience at Hartt.</p>
<p>Regards gms5287's comments, the campus is in a suburban residential area of West Hartford, not Hartford proper. It is roughly equidistant to some high end magnificent homes (including the govenor's residence) as it is from a less than desireable area of Hartford proper. There are areas of any city that most people will steer clear of, Hartford included, but Hartt is not in an undesireable location by any means. Hartford's unemployment rate is high, and the public school system is "troubled." Comparative crime statistics are available online.</p>
<p>There have been a number of the typical campus crimes including robberies, dorm break-ins, car thefts. There was also one incident (academic year '06-'07 I believe) of an accidental firearm discharge in a dorm. The "perp" was the sibling of a student. We found the university quick and forthcoming in advising of potential issues and in reporting/notifying students very promptly of incidents that had occurred.</p>