| That is absolutely true -- the admissions folks will probably know nothing, assuming you can even contact them. The UC's get thousands of applications (UCLA had 42,000 or so last year) and they farm them out for review. On the other hand, the music departments are fairly small, the programs want to have the best orchestras possible, and many are surprisingly good. (I heard the UC Symphony play Beethoven 7 a couple of weeks ago -- the conductor, David Milnes, is also a former Asst. conductor at the SF Symphony who was a longtime conductor, too, of their wonderful youth orchestra) -- it was quite a good performance -- standing ovation for an exhausted and exuberant orchestra. I have not heard the Davis orchestra but know several students who have participated, who were talented musicians, and the Davis music department is quite good. UCSB is small, friendly -- a very nice secretary who is good at communicating with interested students. |