| Vieuxtemps - I agree with what you are saying in principal. It is possible for SOME students to study musically seriously by the route you are suggesting. The problem is that many of the non-conservatory schools you mention restrict access to the best teachers to those students who are performance majors. If you go to Rice but are not in the Shepard School, you can't take lessons from those teachers. My guess is that it is the same as Northwestern. The only way you are going to get in is if you have a long standing relationship with the teacher, have amazing talent and the teacher agrees to take you on. Even then, with their teaching load at the music school and their own performance schedule, many teachers refuse to teach outside of their regularly assigned studio.
Our flagship state university has several outstanding teachers. Some teachers will occassionally take on an extra student or a student who is not a performance major, but this is not common practice. So for most applicants the best way to access the best teachers is to go the performance route. For students who are at the very top of their game, they can likely take the route you suggest, but for most students it is not going to be possible.
You mention going to Harvard to study with Weilerstein. That's great IF you can get into Harvard and IF Weilerstein will take you. My guess is that if Weilerstein is your goal you might have a better shot trying to audition into his studio at NEC.
Yes, some musicians will find other ways to get to where they want to go without going by way of the conservatory, but I think that you will find that a large majority will still find it the only feasible way to meet their goals. |