<p>I have read through the forums, including the detailed discussion about how to proceed with auditions, etc. from others. I am interested in trombone performance (classical).</p>
<p>Two basic questions:</p>
<p>When should I arrange trial lessons? The summer before my senior year or the fall of my senior year?</p>
<p>How can I tell how good a trombone teacher is in advance (besides advice from my teacher)? How have others approached this?</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>Well…my son is a trumpet player but he had most of his trial lessons the spring of his JUNIOR year in high school. He did have two lessons that took place the weekend of auditions when he was a senior…but all the others were during his junior year.</p>
<p>As for when, the junior year is probably the starting point for most, but it can vary based on your exposure to other teachers at different summer programs, festivals, pre college experiences. Summer lessons at a college can get tricky, as many faculty are actively engaged off campus as festival faculty, guest artists. </p>
<p>As for who, word of mouth is a good starting point. Identifying styles and technique of player/teachers you admire is another guide in steering towards an instructor. Recent orchestra audition winners coming from a particular school or instructor is another means of identifying who is getting results.</p>
<p>Try pm’ing RuinningtheBasses if they don’t respond directly to this thread. Son is currently a trombone Masters student at Mannes, and they might be able to offer specific suggestions.</p>
<p>Some further reading:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/391801-importance-master-teacher.html?highlight=teacher[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/391801-importance-master-teacher.html?highlight=teacher</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/390796-does-phenomenal-applied-teacher-really-trump-everything.html?highlight=teacher[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/390796-does-phenomenal-applied-teacher-really-trump-everything.html?highlight=teacher</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=sample+lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/64609-arranging-sample-faculty-lessons-music-performance-majors.html?highlight=sample+lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/479268-sample-lessons-multiple-teachers-same-school.html?highlight=sample+lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/479268-sample-lessons-multiple-teachers-same-school.html?highlight=sample+lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/367900-what-expect-sample-lessons.html?highlight=sample+lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/367900-what-expect-sample-lessons.html?highlight=sample+lessons</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/317185-road-trip-sample-lessons.html?highlight=sample+lessons[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/317185-road-trip-sample-lessons.html?highlight=sample+lessons</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/524736-trombone-performance-school.html?highlight=trombone[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/524736-trombone-performance-school.html?highlight=trombone</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/313473-trombone-performance.html?highlight=trombone[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/313473-trombone-performance.html?highlight=trombone</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/668806-college-visits-summer.html?highlight=summer[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/668806-college-visits-summer.html?highlight=summer</a></p>
<p>As we found this board very late in the process my son (bass trombone classical) took all of his trial lessons in his senior year, the night before the audition at the distant colleges and a couple of months ahead for the closer ones. The only college he did not manage a lesson beforehand was Indiana University as the professor had a personal emergency the day we arrived and we are going to Indiana U for that lesson next week. They were all very approachable and willing to give trail lessons. </p>
<p>I thnk the key is to have the lesson at some point and not worry too much about when in the process it is. The trial lesson will give you a good idea of whether you can picture yourself with that professor for four years or not. Also, my son found having spoken to the professor for an hour or so and playing for them beforehand made him much less nervy, at the Indiana audition he was very nervous and had to start a couple of pieces twice before getting through them. For the lessons he had a couple of months before hand he tried to work on the areas the professor had pointed out. He also attended three one week music camps at colleges last summer and met a lot of good professors that way and found chatting with the other campers gave him lots of ideas of the “good” schools out there to apply to. Just like chatting on this board will give you good ideas. As a starting point if you live in the North East and don’t want the full conservatory experience I would look at the list of my son’s acceptances on that thread. Also, look at your top local professional orchestra’s and see where the trombone player’s teach. Most of them teach at two colleges and are generally excellent at teaching the classical side as that is their daily job. Overall, we did not meet a trombone professor that my son would not be happy to study with for four years. PM me if you have specific questions on any of the colleges he applied to.</p>
<p>As an initial screening for undergrad, S found attendance at or participation in master classes to be quite helpful. Not all college profs give master classes, but some do. They’re a good way of experiencing firsthand how a teacher addresses certain facets of technique as well as the flavor of student/teacher interactions. </p>
<p>Violadad’s suggestion of tapping other students’ experiences is a good one, as is attending summer festivals, etc. </p>
<p>Most of S’s undergrad auditions were followed by a trial lesson/interview, sometimes right after, other times later in the day. </p>
<p>An important factor for S was the size of trombone studio(s). He did not want to be “one of the masses” fighting for two/three seats in the orchestra. He also wanted a teacher who was invested in teaching and who would be available to him. He’d heard of some talented teachers who, because of their outside commitments, were not always available for small ensemble coachings or not flexible in terms of rescheduling lessons, etc. </p>
<p>One can assume that someone teaching an instrument at the college level has to be “good”. What you’re looking for the person who can best help you attain your goals. As others have stated time and time again on these boards, it’s all about finding the right match. </p>
<p>Hope this is helpful. Feel free to PM me if you need/want more info.</p>
<p>RunningtheBasses, I apologize. I just realized I massacred your username in my post above.</p>
<p>Twas not a pun, just an innocent typo.</p>
<p>My transcription would serve as an appropriate Native American moniker for my mother in describing her culinary skills in preparing anything piscine.</p>
<p>And violadad’s moniker would be PunningtheBasses.</p>
<p>That’s okay, violabad. ; )</p>