<p>Struggling to narrow choices for vocal performance/ soprano and my daughter would like to consider one of the SUNYs, but she is not sure which might be best for vocal performance. The audition for Purchase involves sending a recording so that is something we have to prepare for since I don't think any of the others she is considering requires that. She also has Fredonia on the list. Which is best and are there others that she should consider?</p>
<p>SUNY Stony Brook has a strong music major (non-audition) with a strong voice program. SUNY Potsdam has the Crane School of Music but I believe it is a conservatory.</p>
<p>Thanks Mythmom - Potsdam looks good. Stony Brook only offers a BA if I'm reading the website correctly. Potsdam asks for 5 audition for performance - more than any other school I have seen at this point. They don't require the screening recording - as Purchase does. </p>
<p>How do the campuses at Purchase, Fredonia and Potsdam compare?</p>
<p>BA is music is fine for most purposes. Close friend of D's graduated with BA (soprano) from Stony Brook and was accepted into many Masters voice programs. Is going to DePaul on advice of teacher with substantial scholarship.</p>
<p>SUNY Buffalo is currently offering decent scholarships for music majors, as the department has room to expand. Couldn't hurt to check it out. Great performance opportunities and an interesting mix of vocalists there. The chorus just did a performance in Feb. at the Met in NYC I think of Ennio Morreconi's music, and he was actually at the performance!</p>
<p>We've got classical singers as well as rock and hip hop. Students can focus on any style they like as long as they work at it.</p>
<p>The site is <a href="http://www.music.buffalo.edu%5B/url%5D">http://www.music.buffalo.edu</a> or you can email me at sbailey4 at buffalo.edu if you have questions. I'm a theory PhD student currently.</p>
<p>Lots of great music programs around the system... and lots of differences between the programs, too. Potsdam's Crane School and Purchase's Conservatory are both conservatories, but I believe both have liberal arts options too. Most of the other programs, including all of the university programs, are all liberal arts-based. Stony Brook is probably very similar to Buffalo in terms of the program, I'd think. It's just that the campuses are very different.</p>
<p>What does your daughter want to do with it? Does she strictly want to perform? Then she's better off at a conservatory program. If she wants something a little broader, then you'd want to consider one of the broader programs. Then it comes down to the various campuses... does she want easy access to NYC? Then Stony Brook's a fit. Would she rather a smaller college? Then she might want to consider a Potsdam or a Geneseo.</p>
<p>If there's one thing that's great about the SUNY system, it's all of the options!</p>
<p>-Chris</p>
<p>My daughter spent a month at the Fredonia campus this summer attending NYSSSA, the NY state summer school of the arts, choral studies division, and loved the experience as well as the fredonia campus and facilities. Having been to Crane a number of times, I much prefer Fredonia, and D would agree. Went to an open house there (Fredonia) last fall and everyone, faculty and students, was very warm and welcoming. Same idea at Crane a few weeks later, much cooler reception and feel, campus itself fairly unappealing. </p>
<p>If any one has any info/impressions about Purchase I would appreciate it. We plan on a trip there soon. The web site looks great, but Daughter's emails have gone unanswered and my calls to both admissions/Music Conservatory were frustrating because you never get to talk to an actual person. We are not limiting the search to SUNY, but want to seriously consider these schools if they fit the bill and stack up well reputation wise. Most of the music teachers in our area are from Crane, so It's difficult to get much help/ideas first hand about other places!</p>
<p>Purchase has some wonderful faculty across many instruments and music disciplines, many who have taught/teach at the major NYC conservatories and other well known schools. The music facility/peformance venues are reportedly of high quality. It's about 45 minutes away from NYC in an upscale neighborhood in Westchester County, a short hop from Westchester airport. Busline connects to MetroNorth rail. Whereas Crane is focused more on music ed, the focus at Purchase is performance. Admission is audition focused, and very competitive.</p>
<p>thanks, violadad; pretty much confirms my impressions about Purchase. Guess my concern would be with, from scanning the faculty page, whether or not the profs. are really arond much and whether or not a student would have any access to them other than on their lesson day. It seems so many of them teach other places, I wonder how many are FT voice at Purchase?</p>
<p>musmom2, I'm wondering why you think it may be important for studio teachers to be full-time. I have seen others express this concern, but IMHO, I don't think this is an important factor, but maybe I am missing something. Can anyone enlighten me on why this may be important?</p>
<p>My D's teacher has about 8 students, divided between two schools. He works full-time as a member of a major symphony orchestra. D has lessons once a week (generally), usually at a location outside of school. She is busy during the week with ensembles, practicing, and other coursework, so she rarely needs to see her teacher outside of her lesson and occasional studio classes. He is available by email and phone when necessary. He even told me that I can call him with any concerns. All in all, I don't think my D's experience is lacking because her teacher is not full-time.</p>
<p>Has anyone had problems with having a teacher that is not full-time? Should this be important?</p>
1 Like
<p>rcmama wrote: <musmom2, i'm="" wondering="" why="" you="" think="" it="" may="" be="" important="" for="" studio="" teachers="" to="" full-time.="" i="" have="" seen="" others="" express="" this="" concern,="" but="" imho,="" don't="" is="" an="" factor,="" maybe="" am="" missing="" something.="" can="" anyone="" enlighten="" me="" on="" important?=""></musmom2,></p>
<p>As no one has responded to your question, I'll give you my take: at many schools, there are ample students across many instruments to enable and justify the expense of "x" number of full time highly qualified, in many cases world class instructor/performers. In some instances due to number of and type of instrument, or size of program a full time instructor may not be financially justified, hence a part-time or adjunct instructor on campus (hopefully at least) once or twice a week. </p>
<p>The issues that arise can be rescheduling lessons/schedule conflicts, ability to ask a question and resolve a technical or musical issue quickly because the instructor has limited (or no) office hours. This can also be difficult with full-time faculty who have large studios, or faculty/performers if their performance obligations begin to interfere or conflict with their studio committments (professional conflicts do happen, but a committed instructor will not make a habit of it).</p>
<p>Many students and instructors develop a mentor/student relationship, mutual respect, and lasting friendships. This has to click on both sides, but is normally not easily achievable with limited contact. </p>
<p>I don't see part-time as being an issue, provided the student is getting what he's paying for: high quality instruction at scheduled intervals, the ability to reschedule on occaision, the ability to access and address issues not necessarily studio-related without cutting into studio time.</p>
<p>Just my thoughts.</p>
<p>It becomes more of an issue when things arise concerning vocal health and efficiency. It is very easy for a young singer to get into vocal difficulty, trying to sing through a cold, please a conductor, etc. When the teacher is present, it is much more likely the student can be rescued, and that is frequently what it takes, the insistance by the professional mentor that vocal rest is needed or that certain repertory is inappropriate. To wait a week until the teacher comes to campus again can be very damaging. </p>
<p>The other issue would be when the singer is undergoing a difficult transition, changing repertory, making a technical adjustment, etc., when two half hour lessons a week are much more productive than a full hour. An hour may be too much for a younger singer, and it is a much more appropriate length lesson for a more mature singer who is preparing for a specific performance.</p>
<p>It does help to have the teacher available via e-mail, but it does not solve all these issues.</p>
<p>Thanks all for your thoughts. Just basing my thoughts on FT vs. PT faculty on my son's experience as a piano major. His teacher is FT and I know son can catch up with him between lessons if needed/wanted. They have developed a very friendly relationship, occassionally go for lunch or coffee, son has had piano teacher for theory class and even subs for teacher at teacher's church job. Just would like my daughter to have a similar friendly, supportive, collegial experience!</p>
<p>My students are older, mostly professional singers, and I see them at varying frequencies, some twice a week, some once a week, some bi-weekly. I find that the ongoing e-mail contact is invaluable. We sort out lots of the chit-chat details of competitions, repertory, even general philosophical observations, and there is more time to ponder it all. This works because they are more mature, and we have an established professional vocabulary. I cannot imagine it being as productive with younger students with whom I had daily contact when I was a university professor. For singers, some of the issues are life-style, and catching a glimpse of one's students frequently can be quite revealing...what they are eating, posture issues, even in the olden days those I caught smoking (hell hath no fury!!!!) </p>
<p>I think your instincts for your daughter are good, musmom2. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your responses. I can now see that perhaps for vocalists it may be important for a teacher to be able to make quick physical assessments or to schedule shorter, more frequent lessons for less mature students.</p>
<p>OTOH, my D has developed a very close mentor-student relationship with her part-time teacher. Last year he spent extra time helping her get a new instrument as well as reed-making equipment. When she suspected her new instrument had a crack, they arranged for a quick meeting around one of his performances. When she needs to reschedule a lesson (which is relatively rare), she switches lesson times with another student. I know they emailed each other over the summer. My H and I had a long phone conversation with him last year, and it was clear that he cares about her as a person, as well as a musician.</p>
<p>One other school she seriously considered has a full-time teacher. He has 20 students in his studio. While she may have been able to see this teacher more frequently to chit-chat, I don't think she necessarily would have had more attention as one of twenty students vs. one of eight or nine. The other added benefit of studying with her current teacher is being able to see and hear him perform frequently, although subbing for him is not a possibility (wouldn't that be great? - he's a principal player in the Boston Symphony ;)).</p>
<p>My only point is that the quality of the student-teacher relationship is affected more by the teacher's personal commitment to teaching than whether he or she is full-time or part-time.</p>
<p>rcmama said:</p>
<p><my only="" point="" is="" that="" the="" quality="" of="" student-teacher="" relationship="" affected="" more="" by="" teacher's="" personal="" commitment="" to="" teaching="" than="" whether="" he="" or="" she="" full-time="" part-time.=""></my></p>
<p>I agree completely.</p>
<p>Me too (agree completely). Thanks for your thoughts and experiences everyone!</p>