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then why did you ask me what the prereqs were? I am getting dizzy from this merry-go-round ride.</p>
<p>BTW, if you, no strike that, if HE plans to pursue training at a conservatory, why aren’t you posting/reading/querying in THIS forum? [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums)</p>
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<p>The schools have the required and recommended high school preparation listed on their web sites.</p>
<p>IP, I’m not Asian, but I’m going to jump in and address the reasons your son needs to have a plan B. A good friend of my oldest son’s lived for music his entire life. He won awards and competitions, was first chair several times in our all state orchestra, and his heart’s desire was to play professionally. He was accepted at one of the top conservatories in the nation, where he attended for one year. He absolutely HATED it, for a number of reasons. Fortunately, he had also taken the highest level academic classes in high school, and had done well in them. He was able to transfer to a different university, where he is now a very happy English major, playing music in various campus orchestras and bands, on the side.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, I just saw Sir Paul McCartney at Wrigley Field on Monday night (an incredible show, the guy is still rocking at age 69 – 3 hours straight with no break and 37 songs) – he seems to have done OK as a professional musician without conservatory training and indeed without even being able to read music.</p>
<p>ECC, I will of course not impede my son’s path if he wants to go the college route. But I can’t myself excited about it. So he will do what he will do.</p>
<p>JYM, I asked you about pre-reqs because you mentioned pre-reqs and I was curious. Thank you for the music major forum reference. I will make good use of it.</p>
<p>HImom, you can’t make a music prodigy. You either have it or you don’t. You can become a music protege of a teacher, of course, and for that you have to do what the teacher asks you to do. However, I don’t think either actually addresses your question. To be a decent piano player - not great, but just decent, you have to practice, practice, and practice. I know of many kids who do this 6 hours a day. </p>
<p>But to be a great piano player you need to do the practicing of course, but you also need to think, feel, interpret and express. That’s a very intellectual process.</p>
<p>The problem is that even if one is a music prodigy, it still does not guarantee ‘long term success’, whatever that may be.</p>
<p>DD1’s piano teacher is a world class musician (as in, has several performances a year in Europe and many more in the US). Also has a PhD in music and teaches at a local college and at a local music school. Definitely not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, and we’re the same age (50). </p>
<p>So, the obvious question is, if this person could not ‘make it big’ in terms of financial or life security rewards, and the average ‘good’ musician ends up doing 1/2 hour classes for the rest of his or her life (or latch up with a K-12 if he/she’s lucky), why bother? At what point does love of a particular ‘art’ distorts reality for the long term?</p>
<p>Whatever happened to chasing your dream?</p>
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<p>At some point, dreams have to feed the stomach, and provide shelter, and clothing, etc.</p>
<p>That’s why god created trust funds.</p>
<p>^^OH… well, in that case, why are you even asking advice of us lowly working class parents? Your kid will[ apparently] be set for life, regardless of whether or not his[ or your] musical dreams pan out.
Dream on… but don’t expect much sympathy from non-trust fund parents if those dreams don’t come true…</p>
<p>My goodness!</p>
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Apologies to the folks in the music major forum.</p>
<p>eastcoastochse-
Hope you haven’t been run off of your own thread. Please come back and see if you can get it back on track with your general discussion, and not about the specific choices of one poster dominating your thread.</p>
<p>jym, your post #155: where’s the Like button? Thanks for my chuckle of the day…</p>
<p>No one will give two hoots about his wonderful math/science skills or ability to play squash (or any other sport for that matter) if he auditions for a spot at a top conservatory. It will be ALL about his audition relative to the others who audition on the same instrument. He’ll have to be the best of the best of those who audition…SAT scores won’t matter…and neither will his grades (so long as he’s not failing). It’s all about the audition…period.</p>
<p>I agree. That’s why hours and hours of practice is so important thumper.</p>
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<p>ONLY if this is driven by the STUDENT. If the parents are sitting there monitoring the music practice…sorry…that does not show that the student is passionate about their music. It shows that they PRACTICE a lot and technically could be very good…but that is NOT enough for a musician…sorry…technical expertise is a third of the equation…one third is passion for the study of the instrument…and the third part if self drive…gotta have that to succeed as a musician.</p>