<ol>
<li><p>Can an outstanding music supplement give an admissions boost, even if the style of music is pretty much useless to the Yale music department when the student is at the school? (in my case, a world music tradition)</p></li>
<li><p>If I'm a singer, can I showcase two styles of music in my supplementary submission? I am trained in a style of music from a different culture, but I also sing jazz at a high level - so would I be able to submit four recordings from my cultural tradition, and send a jazz song as the fifth?</p></li>
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<p>If you submit a style of music that is not taught at Yale, the best feedback the music department could offer Admissions is: “it’s nice, but we don’t teach that here.” In which case, the supplement has been a waste of everyone’s time and might work against you. See: [Yale</a> Department of Music > Undergraduate Program > Supplementary Materials](<a href=“Welcome | Department of Music”>Welcome | Department of Music)</p>
<p>“Music faculty members will review selected audio recordings or scores from advanced musicians, whether or not they wish to major in music as undergraduates. Please consider sending musical materials only if your accomplishments are truly outstanding for a high school musician and if your playing or composing is a strong and important part of your application. Submissions that demonstrate an average or merely competent level of ability for a high school musician will not help your application.”</p>
<p>“1. Submissions from instrumentalists and vocalists should consist of two or three pieces of contrasting styles ( e.g. Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Modern, etc.) which demonstrate abilities in the areas of tone, technique, and interpretation. Singers should submit at least one piece in a foreign language. Do not present selections from method books. Whole pieces or movements (as opposed to excerpts) are preferred.”</p>
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<li>Submissions of recordings or scores of popular music or jazz at a high level are welcome.</li>
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<p>So would you suggest that I just send in all jazz/pop recordings? My resume almost entirely consists of awards from this world music tradition, but I could still send in a good supplement with pieces that will actually be useful to the Yale music department. Let me know what you think. Thanks!</p>
<p>Following Yale’s directions, each supplement should have 2 to 3 pieces of contrasting styles. </p>
<p>So, you could submit a vocal supplement that consists of one Jazz recording, one recording from World Music Culture (which will be in another language), and one other contrasting piece, which could be pop, modern, opera – whatever you do best.</p>
<p>In terms of an instrumental supplement, you could do one selection from world music tradition, but you would need to also submit one to two other contrasting styles as well. The supplement should not be all world music tradition. Do you play another instrument? Or, can you play music in another style with the same instrument?</p>
<p>The first option sounds really good, actually. I’m vocally trained so performing in 3 completely different singing styles is ideal. Thanks for the idea!</p>