ksstringdad

I just wanted to move this thread away from the acceptance list. aaviolinist - My D auditioned onsite at Blair in January. I've heard that you needed to audition in person for merit scholarships, but that may have been for vocal majors. I have to say they ran the friendliest, most relaxed audition weekend we've experienced. They held a reception and dinner for applicants and their families. They gave tours of the music school and the campus. It was a great way to start the audition process. Just great southern hospitality all the way around.

aaviolinist

That is great. Glad you enjoyed. We have been to the campus several times. My sister graduated from med school there and I have two other relatives there currently. Great academics and of course great music school. D is hoping to study with Connie Heard if she gets in. Keep me posted.

team_mom

Does anyone know anything about Leslie Norton, horn teacher at Blair? Her sound, her teaching style, her studio? We haven't heard too much, but are curious.

Please feel free to PM me if you would like.

fiddlefrog

I had the same experience three years ago when auditioning. It's a really warm atmosphere, and the audition and surrounding activities were both the best organized and the pleasantest of all the schools I went to.

aaviolinist

Fiddlefrog, did you end up going to Vanderbilt or not?

MomofWildChild

Vanderbilt is awesome and if anyone comes to Vandy and needs anything, let me know. I'll be glad to help. My daughter (Rice grad- vocal performance) is starting Divinity School at Vandy in the fall and her fiance will be doing his medical school residency there (hopefully). I love Nashville and everything about Vanderbilt.

fiddlefrog

aaviolinist, I was accepted with scholarship, but ended up enrolling elsewhere.
I go to Boston University, a very different place from Vanderbilt, but for my needs the better fit. I sometimes regret giving up the chance to spend a few years in the contained and friendly world of Blair and the exciting intellectual climate of Vanderbilt as a whole.

Borntoplay

I am so encouraged to read the nice things you have to say about Blair and Vandy. My s has his very first lesson/tour in a few weeks. He loves the idea of double majoring in music and pre-med, going to a school with great sports, but a not super hyper marching band (which he wants to be a part of), a friendly atmosphere with a fierce academic program and an urban self-contained campus. I heard that there was a 40% increase in applications - it's no wonder. We also taking a trip to also visit Oberlin, Northwestern, Miami of Ohio, and CM during his spring break. I've been reading about what so many of you have gone through to get to the part of your journey where you're waiting for the big envelope, and I've been inspired, terrified, and vastly impressed with everyone's commitment to their passion for music. We're just starting. Nothing to do but take a deep breath and follow the yellow brick road...

stringfollies

Borntoplay -

I wish you and your son the best of luck on your journey. Have a good time while you're at it. We certainly have!

ImperialZeppelin

Borntoplay:

Little tidbit for your son. As unfortunate as it may sound, most music schools really dissuade their performance majors from being in the marching band. Can't comment directly on Blair, but at Northwestern and Indiana, the marching band is for "Music Ed majors." Band members at schools with conservatories are usually viewed as a lesser species, sad to say.

I'd suggest that he keep any marching band aspirations under his hat at initial visits and try to get information on the band in a clandestine manner.

Borntoplay

Thanks for the advice, especially since he does want to be a performance major. Gosh, this is all so nerve racking. At one of the honor band performances, the guest conductor talked about how important it is to be a part of the marching band. Does anyone out there have any information about Vanderbilt/Blair's view on this?

RedHerring

My DD is a freshman viola performance/political science double major at Blair. Vanderbilt is a world class university, and Blair is a rising music school. Indeed the Southern hospitality is pervasive and genuine. (On move in day in August a Nashville family we had never set eyes on before offered their phone numbers and any assistance our DD might need during the year. Amazing.)

As for the marching band, Borntoplay, it has been my experience that every music teacher has biases, shall we say. One simply has to figure out a way to determine what they are, and whether or not those biases fit with your child's goals. The marching band director at Blair is also the Dean of Blair Admissions. I found him to be very, very approachable.

ksstringdad

Borntoplay - Blair was very supportive of double majoring. They said it wasn't easy, but they provided guidance if that's what a student wanted. We also met several double majors while we were there. They did say it was challenging, but not impossible, to schedule some of the science lab courses as the times often overlap with orchestra/band rehearsals. This was in contrast to some of the schools which strongly discouraged double majors.

team_mom

Almost 3 years ago when we visited Blair, the director of admissions told my D if she wanted to study music along with something else, this was the place to be. When D said she only wanted to study music performance, was Blair the place for her, the woman sort of hemmed and hawed and said yes, but this was a great place for people that wanted to study MORE than just music.

Perhaps that is what you are hearing when you hear that they encourage double majors?

Borntoplay

I'm actually not sure yet, if they encourage double majors, but I know that it is a school where you can. I think that's why Vandy is one of the top schools on my s's list. He is a serious musician and can't imagine his life without learning and performing music, but he wants more. I am happy to ready your comment team-mom!