woodwinds

My daughter plans to apply as a performance major on two woodwinds. Not as a double major, but as another poster said, she can fill out two applications, audition on both, and then decide, based on admissions and scholarship offers, which instrument she will major on and which one she will take private lessons on. You are correct that many schools do not offer up this information. They like to say that a student should just concentrate on one or that they cannot do both. Playing two has increased my daughter's chances. She has won more concerto competitions because she gets to audition twice. I think it is more a matter that it is too costly for the conservatory to give one student private lessons on two instruments, not that it isn't possible to do two well. My daughter doesn't need a degree on both, but she will study with top teachers on both instruments. Have your son fill out applications for both violin and composition and see where it takes you.

SpiritManager

One practical note about applying separately for composition and violin - not all the audition dates are the same. Could mean two trips to some of the schools... or having to choose which information sessions to attend if they do happen to be on the same day. Again, cellocompmom probably has real life experience for that.

parentviolinist

Thanks, all. Musicprnt - thanks for the Menuhin competition link - I recognized one of the senior kids from my town. I watched a few, and I think my son pretty much plays at that level, though I certainly hope most of those kids apply to conservatories and not universities, or yikes. The Menuhin competition seems "unfair" in that they have kids in the senior category that are four years apart in age, yet my son's birth year would put him in the youngest side of the senior category there.
Anyway, do get back to double supplements, I'm concerned some UC's seems to have an electronic supp. that you enter a code number that they send you once they receive your general app. marked music major. I'm concerned that once you enter the code number and fill out the electronic supplement with say "composition" audition stuff, that you can't go back in to a second supplement app. with that code number. I'll guess I'll find out in September when they put this suppl. app online, or I may call ahead. Thanks all!

SpiritManager

I would definitely contact UCLA. You didn't used to be allowed to apply to both the School of the Arts and the rest of the college - and, if you were rejected from the School of the Arts you were denied admission at UCLA regardless of your stellar academic qualifications - so they may be very strict about not allowing a student to try multiple applications in the School of Music? Definitely one for the school itself to answer!

musicamusica

And with any large university, anything that CAN go wrong with an electronic application, WILL go wrong with an electronic application. I would echo Spiritmanager's caviat: call them.

parentviolinist

Wondering if any of you visited Lawrence University in Wisconsin? Any thoughts? (did your child consider it?) They seem to have a large composition faculty at their conservatory, and it doesn't seem so impossible for my son to get into like UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, etc. Thanks. Also, I'm looking at St Olaf, but it doesn't seem to have any advantage for composition or violin compared to Lawrence.

stradmom

Don't know about Lawrence's composition program, but we are friendly with both a pianist and a violinist - both very strong musicians - who are studying at Lawrence and have many positive things to say about it.

parentviolinist

Thanks, stradmom, especially glad to hear of a happy violinist at Lawrence. My son is definitely applying there, and we will look out for more info about their composition program.

Compdad

From the composition faculty bios, it appears a large number of those listed in the Composition/Theory department at Lawrence are involved more with theory than composition. It would be worthwhile to determine the "Composition" faculty so that appropriate contacts can be made.

compmom

Some of this thread is kind of apples and oranges if your son wants to go to a college. Many colleges have great music departments but the major is not in composition or in an instrument, but is a general music major, an academic major involving theory, composition, music history, musicology, ethnomusicology and technology etc.

For a college, your son probably won't audition for either violin or composition, though there are exceptions. However, a supplement and letters of recommendation can be submitted, in addition to the common application, and admissions or music faculty will listen to a brief segment.

Schools that have colleges and conservatories on one campus often offer the better music opportunities to conservatory students, though there are some that have a "lower wall" than others.

Anyway, if he is going to apply to colleges, he won't have to choose between violin and composition, at most of them, either when applying or when attending.

I think he should check out the colleges as a whole, including distribution requirements, other majors, class size, location, size, urban versus rural, and vibe. Many of them will have excellent music departments. No worries!

parentviolinist

Hi Compdad,
Thanks for bringing up a good point. Lawrence's website shows to co-chairs for music composition, and they are both "associate professors." I'm concerned what the comp faculty titles mean, because when I click on all of them, none say "Professor"; the highest are the two "associate prof", then there are "assistants" "instructors", "lecturers" and "visiting something associate". What do all these titles mean, and is it a bad sign that they don't have "Professor" of composition/music theory? On a positive note, I clicked on "listen" on their comp. blog for two teachers audio samples (I think it takes you to their personal websites) and found their music wonderful.

SpiritManager

I know a composer who went to Lawrence and had a fine experience. Here is his bio page - which has links to the composers he studied with at Lawrence Conservatory. Bio | Lawton Hall

lake4

Your initial post question made me think of Hartt. They require a performance audition for all composition majors and it might be the perfect school to add to your list. i don't consider them a safety as far as their conservatory quality, they are very selective. I don't have as much experience on here as other posters and I didn't read all of the answers, but definately look into Hartt, maybe SUNY Purchase also.

stradmom

For academic positions, "assistant professor" typically means someone with a terminal degree (DMA, PhD etc) at the beginning of their academic career. This person probably does not have tenure.

"Associate" professors are midcareer folks who have tenure (98% of the time) and several years of experience. "Full" or simply "Professors" are senior scholars. Promotion to both associate and full professorship typically involves careful review by a faculty committee; criteria differ from school to school but may involve quality of teaching, research/performance in the field, service to college/community/profession, and years of service.

"Instructors" and "Lecturers" most likely are people with "only" a Master's degree. In a traditional academic field, this might be a cause for concern, but in music, a performer/applied prof/studio prof might have such a title (e.g. Itzhak Perlman might be listed as an "instructor"). A "visiting" anything might be worth looking into, if only to find out how long the person will likely be on staff.

parentviolinist

Thank you, stradmom for explaining the titles - that was great. Thanks also, Lake4, for suggesting Hartt school. My son needs to find these schools where your composition interview lets you perform on your instrument. Everyone gives great advice, and I'm glad Spiritmanager pointed out for us a young composer from Lawrence.