<p>Okay, I think the answer to this question is fairly obvious, but I must ask!</p>
<p>Some background...
I am currently in my sophomore year as BA-Mus. at the flagship university of my state. Considering auditioning for the BM program, but I actually do like the wider variety of courses I can take as a BA, and since our department is small I am able to study with the main professor for my instrument (cello) and there are a great many performance opportunities available, despite pursuing a "lesser" degree (I kid, I kid...)</p>
<p>Ahem. I will say that my choice to become a BA was primarily based in the fact that I have been playing cello for coming on 6 years, with a few of those spent goofing off. I do want to make this a career and I am more than aware of the competition and my late bloomer status, it is true...that is not why I'm posting this. I had opportunities in the past to play for some conservatory professors and other professional cellists who were very positive about my ability, and I have since progressed quite a bit in the year I've been at this university, thanks to my wonderful teacher.</p>
<p>I very much want to go to a conservatory or "big name" school for Grad, since my university's music department, though fine and loaded with talent, is not on the map per se. One of the schools I would very much like to apply to is the Yale SOM for my MM in Performance. Even though I am nowhere near the level where I can think about this realistically, I will likely be taking time off between grad school auditions and the ending of my undergrad in order to focus more on developing my chops, attending competitions, festivals and the like...so why not attempt to apply to Yale as well, as much of a dream as it probably is.</p>
<p>Finally, the question -- this being, well you know...YALE...I'm figuring GPA has a big role to play for potential applicants to the Grad performance program, right? Does one's academic skill factor into the decision as much as playing ability? I was Salutatorian of my high school class, and I currently have a 3.5-something GPA which will hopefully improve by the time I graduate. I'm also receiving a partial music performance-based scholarship that was auditioned for. So, not bad but not exactly Ivy quality, I'm guessing. Am I right?</p>
<p>From what I know Yale SOM is no different then any other upper level grad program, most or all of getting in there is going to be your audition and how well you play (I am talking performance here, I suspect if going for an academic music degree like music history would be different). If it in fact is like other programs, academics may only count in a negative sense in that if you had totally screwed up your UG GPA it could work against you (not talking about a 3.5 here, like, under 3.0). In UG people have said that GPA can help with merit financial awards, I suspect that wouldn’t apply to grad schools at all…</p>
<p>Yale graduate SOM is a great program, but I wanted to also give the standard caveat about grad programs (or undergrad), that the name itself doesn’t get you much if you want to go into performing, it is the quality of the program, and the same applies to Juilliard, NEC, Curtis, etc, etc, it is about the teachers and also opportunities to perform, to be around music, and to a certain extent it also can be about networking. Especially because Yale is an Ivy, that have so much mystique, I wanted to reinforce the idea that that alone will do little for you if you choose to go into performance, any more then the name Juilliard, Curtiss, etc will do for you by itself. The key when you look for a grad program is going to be finding a teacher that you can work with and a program that challenges you and provides performance opportunities, because beyond the exit door it is all going to be about how good a musician you are:)</p>
<p>Thank you immensely for your reply. I was curious if being an Ivy would mean they took grades into greater account for a potential grad student in performance. I do have my weak spots, academically. I am actually very interested in studying with Ole Akahoshi, and of course the fact that it is free is also enticing. But rest assured, it is far from the only school on “ze list” ( more of like a ‘why the heck not apply here too’), and all potential schools and teachers will be thoroughly investigated beforehand. I know that teacher fit is the most important factor.</p>
<p>I am actually going to be on the east coast in a couple months and will soon arrange appointments to look at some of these other potential schools (NEC, MSM) while I’m up there, since as a west coast-inhabitant this is a rare occurrence for me. </p>
<p>Which brings me to my next question – is touring conservatories as a potential grad student just as common as touring them as an undergrad? Would the Yale SOM’s policy on this (or should I just email and ask?)</p>
<p>From my perspective, I think you should tour the various schools, perhaps even try to arrange an evaluation/sample lesson with some of the teachers, or at least that is what I would advice my own S when his time eventually comes. You might look at the school a little differently as a grad student then an UG, you already know what it is like to be on a college campus, and quite frankly, as a grad student your needs out of the school may be different, since the maturity level is higher and plus the focus may be different (for one thing, I would assume that a lot more UG music students come in still not entirely certain they want to go into music, whereas I would assume most going into grad school have already gotten over that). I think it is important to see the environment, to see the facilities, to see if at all possible how grad students fit into the landscape in terms of ensembles and such, and in general what life is like at that school for grad students.</p>
<p>By all means, if you have a list of schools you want to visit on your grand tour, e-mail the schools grad admissions department and ask,if they are anything like the UG people they are more then happy to help, make recommendations, etc. If for anything, someone carefully researching where they want to go means getting candidates who are motivated and already have an idea of what it is like, which makes their job easier;)</p>
<p>You are several years away from grad school. Do not rush out now and have sample lessons. You want them to hear you when you have honed yoiur skills more. Time enough to do that the year before applicastions are submitted.</p>
<p>Singersmom07 – oh rest assured, I will not be bringing my cello with me on this endeavour! Oh dear mother of all that is holy, no no no. I am simply taking advantage of the opportunity…I’m decently poor and this will actually be my first time on that side of the country. The trip will be undertaken by the grace of a generously spontaneous gift of some mostly free plane tickets. I simply do not know when such an opportunity will occur again, so I figured that this is as good a time as ever to see a few of these places in the flesh and strike up a line of communication.</p>
<p>Thank you all for continuing to put up with my silly questions. This thread has been helpful.</p>
<p>Singersmom is correct, I hadn’t noticed you are a sophomore. It obviously can’t hurt to get a look at the schools if you are travelling to the east coast, and by all means contact the schools to see if you can get some sort of tour since you will be in the area…When the time comes after you graduate and decide you have worked enough to be ready to audition, is the time to schedule sample lessons and such if you can afford to do it. Maybe if you visit now you can figure out where you would like to apply when the time is right, saving you time and effort:)</p>
<p>For performance, I’ve definitely known people who are, ahem, of questionable book-smart credentials, who have been admitted to the master’s program at Yale It really is all about the audition, for better or for worse.</p>
<p>Of course, for more scholarly fields (musicology, ethnomusicology, theory, even composition) or for PhD/DMA programs, that’s a different story.</p>
<p>musicprnt – Right you are, old bean! When asked as I probably will be, I will tell them the truth about me still being a few years out, and the fact that I live quite a ways away. Doing this so far out in advance is probably a little ridiculous, but as you said, when the time rolls around I will already have visited these schools and will be saved some stress in deciding where to apply and who to set up lessons with. Hopefully I may meet some teachers at future festivals as well. </p>
<p>oldccuser - yeah, I figured as much about the musical pursuits of a more scholarly nature. I am solely interested in a performing degree, and am pursuing it since I definitely require the advanced training and networking it will provide. Although, I will continue to work on further raising the GPA. I am by no means a perfect student, academically in the non-music related areas (it is rather obvious upon looking at my transcripts just where my strengths and weaknesses lie). First and foremost! In these ensuing years I must become a cello beast and try not to kill myself with stress :)</p>
<p>Good to hear you are not planning lessons yet. By all means visit. Attend recitals or concerts if any are scheduled. Communicate with professors to see if you can sit in studio classes. The more you can soak up the better informed you will when time to make decisions or schedule those lessons.</p>
<p>You should also investigate summer music programs and festivals. Attend if you can. It is a great way to get exposure to different teachers and have lessons with a variety of people. My son is a cellist. He took a year off between undergrad and grad. During that year he studied with a man he had worked with over the summer after his junior year. He also had time then to visit various grad programs and have lessons with different people. It really helped hone is grad school applications. He graduated with an MM in cello performance from Mannes in 2009.</p>
<p>Great to hear about your son. I wish him a long and fruitful career.</p>
<p>I have two “festivals” under my belt, but neither are particularly…I don’t know, is prestigious the right word? Darn fun though. A local youth orchestra camp, and the National Cello Institute on the Pomona campus one year. I remember those weeks fondly.</p>
<p>I am currently polishing some pieces for a recording I plan on sending off to some more festival-y festivals for this summer. I am very limited in what I can afford, so the programs are those which may offer a nice scholarship package. Which of course, = extremely competitive. I don’t know what will happen this summer in particular, but I will make the best of it…and continue applying to festivals and competitions every year of my undergrad, come what may. Like your son, it is strongly looking like I will take a year off before applying to grad schools, which I will devote to the same.</p>
<p>Even with merit scholarships, our family found some conservatories out of range financially. I can understand why you might be considering Yale SOM, since it does not charge tuition. Curtis is also tuition-free, but, of course, very selective and small.</p>
<p>When you visit, try not to make superficial judgments. For instance, some are underwhelmed by NEC’s physical plant, but it has an amazing strings program. The usual tour won’t tell you much, unless you attend some concerts and sit down to talk with someone. Look at websites beforehand (which you have probably already done.)</p>
<p>One question not related to the OP: Someone said that for composition, grades might be important for admissions. On the undergrad level, the portfolio is the main thing, just as the instrumental audition is the main thing. For whomever said this, are you just supposing or this something you know for sure? I would think, again, that the music is the thing.</p>
<p>I know online free master class at NEC has started recently.
Very well known cello teacher gave master classes and you can have a good experience from them.</p>
<p>Before you get hooked on the Yale SOM, check out the required repertoire for cellists. It’s not a typical graduate student audition:</p>
<p>Prescreen:
The second movement of the Prokofiev Sinfonia Concertante (required)
ONE of the following pieces:
• The first movement of the Haydn D Major Concerto
• The last movement of the Haydn C Major Concerto
• The first movement of the Shostakovich Concerto No. 1</p>
<p>Live Audition Guidelines:
Prepare all four of the selections listed above.</p>
<p>Oh, I am well aware that the requirements for the SOM prescreen and audition will likely mean I have to prepare more audition repertoire than what is usually called for. Not a problem…I have lots of time yet to even decide if the professor and I will work well together and lots of other factors over the coming years.</p>
<p>I am also aware that NEC is not exactly…well, pretty. But that is inconsequential. Atmosphere, teacher, opportunities are all that really matter. Oh, and money. Hum!</p>
It really is all about the audition, for better or for worse.</p>