<p>Hello</p>
<p>I was accepted to do auditions, but I had all my flight tickets and hotels set up. I'm going to Do auditions in UNT and Boston conservatory (in March I'm going to Mannes). I sondar what can you tell me about this school. I can buy a ticket (but it's a little expensive) to go there. Can you help me? I'm from Portugal.</p>
<p>My D went there for her undergrad. She is auditioning for her DMA in February. PM me for specific questions.</p>
<p>Hi Miguelsousa, My S is in his sophomore year at UM as a dual degree cello performance and math major. It is a great school. The music school is a conservatory style school of music and it is very high level and has a great reputation. My S is very happy and is playing and performing constantly. He has played in lots of different types of groups, solo recital, playing in chamber pieces for other students recitals, playing in Orchestra for a graduate conducting recital, playing original pieces for composing students, chamber performances and as a member of one of the music school’s orchestras. If you have specific questions about UM I would be happy to try to answer them as well as I know there are other people who post here who know about UM.</p>
<p>Thanks for your help. Do you think I can get a job as an accompanist there? And what about outside of the school? Is it a place with cultural activity?</p>
<p>By the way, can you tell me hotels to stay during the night?</p>
<p>I don’t know how easy it is for a music student to get accompanist jobs at UM. Ann Arbor is a hugely cultural city, there is so much going on both in the School of Music and in the city. There are so many music performances going on all the time in the city at all sorts of different venues.
[Ann</a> Arbor Area CVB | Ann Arbor Hotels and Accommodations](<a href=“http://www.visitannarbor.org/accommodations/]Ann”>http://www.visitannarbor.org/accommodations/)<br>
the above link is from the School’s website for visiting. The Hampton Inn North, the Holiday Inn on Plymouth Rd., the Microtel Inn and Suites on Plymouth and the Red Roof Inn University North are the closest to the School of Music on North Campus, however I don’t know how easy it is to get from these to the Music School if you don’t have a car, they are not really within walking distance. We live close enough that we were able to drive to the audition and didn’t have to stay overnight. Maybe someone else has experience with this?</p>
<p>We used Hotwire to get a hotel for the auditions - having read on here that it was almost always the Holiday Inn near North campus. We did not have a car and used the hotel shuttle which took us right to the music building. Not a problem at all not to have a car. I think some of the other hotels, as well, offer the shuttle service.</p>
<p>I love Hawthorne Suites (next too Holiday Inn) near North campus, stayed there several times. Hawthorne and Holiday Inn (maybe some other hotels too) used to have shuttle to take their customers to North camps upon request. I don’t know if they still do. You may call to inquire. Hawthorne Suite may seem cost more but it includes a wonderful breakfast buffet and free food and drink during happy hours Monday thru Thursday evening. Disclaimer: this was about 5 years ago. D moved out of the dorm in sophomore year and I managed to stay in her apartment during my visits.</p>
<p>D was a double performance major (piano and one other instrument) at UM. She did get some accompanying work from fellow students but not enough to pay for anything. Because of double performance majors, she did not look for work opportunities. People sought her out. Your situation may be different if you aggressively advertise yourself. She did accompany a few students on their degree recitals. She got paid by the accompanying department for some (not all) for rehearsal and performance time. It depends on when the department run out of money. The department provides staff accompanists for all students’ recital therefore it is extra money the department has to pay if a student prefers an accompanist other than the professional staff.</p>
<p>You also asked about NYC in other forum. D is studying accompanying in NYC. I will try to PM you later.</p>
<p>Miguel, have you contacted the dean of admissions to let them know that you’re already going to be in the U.S. on different dates – and asked if it would be possible to schedule your audition to coincide with those dates? </p>
<p>It can’t hurt to ask!</p>
<p>If you’re able to line up the audition schedule, you can fly fairly cheaply from Boston or NYC to Detroit Metro, which has a shuttle you can catch to get to campus. You might enjoy staying on campus at the League or Bell Tower to get a full feel for the UMich “experience.” It’s not too hard to get a shuttle bus up to the music school from there.</p>
<p>With respect to work as an accompanist: Ann Arbor has a robust cultural/entertainment/activity schedule overall, with literally hundreds of performances each year, but it also has many accomplished pianists, so its hard to say for certain what kind of livelihood you could eek out. </p>
<p>There are also usually student jobs available at the music library, performance venues, etc. that might interest someone with a musical background.</p>
<p>Lastly, did you mean that the school was expensive (it is for international and out of state students unless you were given a fellowship) or were you referring to a second flight. Because I think the other schools are equally expensive, at least, I believe Boston College is.</p>
<p>Best wishes. My son lives in Ann Arbor and is a senior at the school of music in music tech. Let me know if you need assistance and I can put you in touch with him.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help. If you don’t mind, can you provide me your son’s contact? Thanks</p>
<p>Miguel, please pm me your email address and any questions and then I’ll send them to my son. Thanks!</p>