<p>My son would like to major in bassoon performance and will go to college in '08. We live in Utah and have no connections to help us with choosing an institution. He has played for 5 years and has been first chair in All-State Band, local Youth Symphony, and at the Rocky Mountain Music Camp in Colorado. He also has the grades and test scores to get accepted to top tier academic schools. We have spent hours on the internet and have read bassdad about applying and Peabody's articles, but still feel overwhelmed. Can you help us narrow our search? He would like to go to school out of state and might want to double major in music and either math or science, so he is interested in hearing about conservatories and universities. He is also interested in improving as a composer, but bassoon performance is his major passion. Thanks!</p>
<p>bassoonmom- Welcome. </p>
<p>Since you've already read some background and done some research, you have an overview, but that won't make it any easier.</p>
<p>One question, does son have a private studio teacher? If yes, then that's the first place to begin to seek suggestions about a college/conservatory mentor. Another source of info is present and former parents and alums of your youth orchestra.</p>
<p>You're looking at '08 entry. If he wants performance, he's going to be hard pressed to pick an instructor, select a few school options, prepare audition rep. It's doable, but you're a bit behind.</p>
<p>There are many university/conservatory combos: Rice/Shepherd, JHopkins/Peabody, Rochester/Eastman, Oberlin, UIndiana & UMichigan, are examples. These have top notch academic programs and highly competitive admissions for the conservatories, but the double major can be daunting, and is very school specific. Bard requires a second major for performance majors, so the options are many.</p>
<p>Small vs large, rural vs urban... all these play a part as well.</p>
<p>The studio instructor has to be a prime concern, but the overall "fit" of the student to the environment is equally important.</p>
<p>If you were to be a bit more specific with some of your potential criteria for selection, it'll help in offering suggestions.</p>
<p>A word of warning, there's a lot to think about. And do. You're going to have to try and move things along.</p>
<p>Depending on just what he wants to do with the bassoon and music (perform for a living, play recreationally, possibly teach) is key to knowing how to direct you.</p>
<p>From a studio instructor at CIM:
<a href="http://www.steesbassoon.com/auditions.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.steesbassoon.com/auditions.html</a></p>
<p>from bassoonist.org <a href="http://www.bassoon.org/players.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.bassoon.org/players.html</a> a link to college/university professors and affiliations</p>
<p>A bit more info, and I'm sure you'll get some help.</p>
<p>A friend with a bassoon kid tells me Rice University is wonderful.</p>
<p>bassonmom- </p>
<p>In addition to the schools I've already named, you might want to look at Lawrence, Temple, DePaul, Depauw, Mercer, possibly Gettysburg. These are LAC's with historically good music schools and might serve both academic strength of your son and the double major aspect as well. </p>
<p>Use the search function and search this forum. There have been numerous discussions on the double major aspect including specific schools mentioned in my first post, as well as others.</p>
<p>Various internet searches incorporating "bassoon" seem to consistently turn up Ball State, Un of Georgia, and Univ Colorado along with Brigham Young.</p>
<p>As a potential safety, don't discount your flagship state u as a last resort.</p>
<p>Have you looked at or posted on the International Double Reed Society's website? Woodwind or bassoon specific publications?</p>
<p>Sorry, but my background is in the string/string chamber area. There are posters on the board that could provide more instrument specific options, but activity has been light, people may be traveling.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Thank you for the suggestions. My son would love to be a professional musician.</p>
<p>bassoonmom- </p>
<p>here's one more set of links from prior threads on the board discussing double degrees and dual majors, some specific schools that offer them, the parameters and potential pitfalls.</p>
<p>The threads often overlap content, but in a thorough reading you'll get a great overview and many insights regarding some fairly detailed aspects of a number of great schools and programs.</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=6280&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=6280&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=304808&highlight=double+major%5C%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=304808&highlight=double+major\</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=325714&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=325714&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=321400&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=321400&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=274118&page=2&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=274118&page=2&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=232450&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=232450&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=180774&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=180774&highlight=double+major</a>
<a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=174858&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=174858&highlight=double+major</a></p>
<p>This last link details some specific concerns of a harpist and you may find parallels there that are closer to bassoon than to violin or flute, which historically have a broader base of students, and therefore potentially a wider source of choices for study. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=146885&highlight=double+major%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=146885&highlight=double+major</a></p>
<p>bassoonmom- Actually there was a very recent thread <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=363507%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=363507</a> from AdvisorMom who also has a son interested in bassoon/math programs. </p>
<p>Perhaps there's info you both can share.</p>
<p>Additionally, one more link with bassoon (and oboe) instructors at the colleges and conservatories.</p>
<p>Hi bassoonmom -</p>
<p>Oberlin has an absolutely fantastic bassoon teacher - George Sakakeeny. Other good programs are USC, University of Michigan, Carnegie Mellon, NEC, CIM, UT-Austin, and I'm sure several others I've forgotten. Northwestern has always been very good, but to my knowledge there's been some uncertainty with regards to bassoon professors in the past couple of years. Rice is an amazing studio (in the past few months, two very recent Rice grads have won jobs in the Houston Symphony and one current student won a job in the Louisiana Philharmonic), but is primarily geared toward grad students. However, Mr. Kamins does occasionally take an undergrad if he feels s/he would be a good fit for the school. Also, Curtis will have two openings for the 2008/2009 school year. Feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>George Sakakeeny is very popular among bassoon students, but he also has one big oboist fan. The week before my D had her oboe audition at Oberlin, the oboe professor died. She almost cancelled her audition, but I pretty much insisted that she should audition anyway. Well, George Sakakeeny heard her audition and they hit it off. She said that if she was a bassoonist, she would DEFINITELY go to Oberlin!</p>
<p>Without the advantage of guidance from a knowledgable teacher who knows your son well and knows the schools well, then I think you need to be looking at a cross section of schools. The musician's version of reach, match, and safety is harder to choose when you throw in the vagaries of an audition.</p>
<p>If you can get some visits and sample lessons in ASAP, it will help narrow your search. Visit a top school - listen to what the teacher has to say - are you over-reaching? Is he/she encouraging? Visit a state school - does the teacher imply you're a fit? Does he/she seem "too eager" (a clue that maybe your S is better than most there?)</p>
<p>I don't have any specific knowledge of bassoon teachers - but as a sample of what I mean, your list might include </p>
<p>top music schools that allow double degrees, like: Oberlin or Indiana.
[Conservatories like Curtis make doubling a bit more challenging, since you have to go to another school for the other degree -- UPenn, in the case of Curtis. Adding a math or science degree is not double majoring; it is double degreeing - which means you have to satisfy course requirements in two different disciplines.]</p>
<p>middle level music schools, like: St. Olaf, UNT</p>
<p>lesser level music schools, like possibly your state U (I have no knowledge there!) or other state Us. </p>
<p>This isn't meant to be insulting in any way to your S. I obviously have no knowledge of his ability or talent or drive. I have two music major kids studying at different levels. Both were All State performers, and both studied many years with quality teachers, and both are talented and serious musicians, but they are not at the same level. I'm happy to know that there is a place for both. (One is at Juilliard, one will be at Miami-Ohio.)</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the good advice. We are in the processing of arranging a couple of evaluations of his playing by the local U and by one other university teacher. We are beginning to get a handle on things and finding our way slowly.</p>
<p>It's impossible to double major between Curtis and Penn. Curtis students are just allowed to take free classes, not for credit, at Penn.</p>
<p>Sorry, I was slightly mistaken - apparently people have attended both Curtis and Penn simultaneously, but there is no specialized program for doing so, a la Harvard/NEC or Columbia/Juilliard.</p>
<p>University of Miami</p>
<p>I take private lessons on bassoon over at university of miami and it is amazing. beautiful campus, amazing teachers, fantastic ensembles. i am only a junior in highschool, but i am on very good relations with professor magnanini, who teaches bassoon at UM. he has between 4-6 soloist albums out and he is simply amazing. their school of music is known as the Frost School of Music, just so ya know. i am in love with this school.</p>