@BenniesMom1 Yes. Getting OUT of Chicago is worrisome at this point. We live in Philly, so she is thinking of leaving ASAP, coming home, then we can drive her on Sat morning (or she can take Amtrak to New Carrolton). She is auditioning for U Md Opera Studio Program, which is at UMdCP. Tuition free, guaranteed two full roles for all MM students,… AND there is a teacher there she really likes.
@songbirdmama That sounds like a good plan. It’s supposed to be all rain in NJ and south this weekend, but Chicago…
Yeah. Chicago. Predicted to start snowing tonight and end on Saturday. That alone would be OK, but the temperature is supposed to hover around 35, so it will be mixed with freezing rain (much worse for flying). But, to quote Doris Day, “What will be will be”. We can’t control the weather!
OMG…you’re right !! I keep forgetting that treasure right down the street. Not on my son’s radar cause he’s anti-conservatory for some reason, but my AWESOME choir director who got her Masters in Organ or something graduated from there. That woman is freakin’ amazing on the organ… got her undergrad from Yale. We went to a couple of her recitals before she graduated. I LOVED the place. (parking was a nightmare, but the conservatory itself… LOVED ! old) Bennie, not so much. Said it “reeked of Conservatorism” 
… whatever that means. And this was when he was just a freshman. Dana must have done something with Vocal Performance there as well as she’s an awesome soprano and choral director. I’ll ask her tomorrow about . If anybody is headed that way and needs some 411, I got just the person to find out the dets from. She’s still involved there somehow.
@SweetStrings I totally get it. I was more nervous than my son. Good luck.
@songbirdmama - Maryland sounds like an amazing opportunity! I hope your D has her best audition ever! Crossing fingers and toes that ORD is ready for the weather. Keep us posted.
Flying from Chicago Midway to Dallas Friday for UNT. Fingers crossed!
O I C. Good plan then to have her come home and drive or take the train. From Philly, she can take SEPTA to Perryville (might even go further to BWI) , I believe, then catch the MARC into Union Station and take the Green line, I think, right to the campus. Waaaaaaaay cheaper than Amtrak 
Just offering alternatives if you don’t want to drive. We are up and down on the SEPTA (I live in DE) , the NJT if headed to NYC and the MARC for DC. HATE traffic in and around DC so I’m all for the trains !! BAL to your daughter. Didn’t know UMdCP offered an Opera Studio Program. I used to sing there many many many many moons ago when I lived in Greenbelt and then Silver Spring.
Tuition Free AND guaranteed roles AND likes the teacher ?? I would sooooo be jumping all over that t’were it I Sounds like a winner to me
@BenniesMom1 D was not able to arrange escape from Chicago any earlier than originally planned. Will keep the route suggestions in mind in case she is accepted, though I suspect she would need a car as a grad student and end up driving home. UMd Opera Studio is often not on the radar, though it is a rigorous program. Scubachick has a D who is just finishing the MM program and has had a very fine experience!
D did her Michigan audition today. It was very basic. We signed in, went to the practice room for awhile then did a 10 minute audition. Just a heads up, the practice rooms are like 80 degrees. Also, be prepared to search a good 10-15 minutes for an available room. We were both feeling nervous the whole time and we’re looking forward to being less nervous at our next stop, Vanderbilt on Saturday.
Hello Helpful Music People 
I have a question on a totally different subject (didn’t find a concise answer poking around)which could be considered part of the journey, I suppose, so thought I’d pick your brains.
For folks going through the audition process, are you/your kids planning anything “musical” for the Summer - music camps, intensives, etc or you’re just going to let the kids “chill” over their last Summer before being immersed in the Music Program at whatever college they end up at? I’m kinda torn on this. My son has played for a local Community Orchestra, which is made up of members of various professional and semi-professional orchestras in the area, for a Holiday concert (which I’m part of the choir, so we get some time together) for the last four years (he’s the orchestra baby!! ) and he loved doing that, so imagine he’ll do that again this Summer… not a really big commitment, but he gets to play with professionals. He’s also played in the University’s Summer Musical pit orchestra, which he enjoyed, so will probably do again for his last year. Also not a big commitment , but fun for him.
During every Summer during high school, he’s spent part of it at some music festival, band camp, clarinet academy at various universities, auditioned for Interlochen but couldn’t afford so didn’t go ( he was just excited he got in when they had regional auditions)etc etc. Anyhoo, he’s been focused on getting into college and was just thinking that most of the deadlines for these Summer intensives have already passed, though there are plenty still open. The old me would be stressing that I’ve missed deadlines but the new me is channeling Anna from Frozen and Letting it Go !. I thought…meh… so what! Let the kid enjoy his last Summer at home before going to college. He’ll probably work a bit, go to some video gaming conventions, go to the beach… You know, FUN stuff with no learning P? Private lessons will (and probably should? )continue throughout the Summer, I think. Your thoughts? He technically will be taking a Gap Summer, so to speak ? Good idea? Bad idea? Appreciate your feedback.
Don’t think it is essential for a resume purposes to participate in a program the summer before college as long as he keeps up private lessons and practice and isn’t bored to tears. Plus those tuition bills are big and it will be more important to have flexibility to put toward summer festivals once he is in college (airfare, meals) Whatever you decide, it should be fun.
@BenniesMom1 I think it’s fine to let him stay home with ONE caveat…my son stayed home the summer after high school and worked full time, very long days, at a local summer camp. He basically didn’t practice more than once or twice a week the whole summer. He was letting off steam from the audition season, all the pressure, and all the final concerts that spring (he did vocal, jazz, and classical in high school), so I let him be.
When he got to college, the environment was much more intense, and he was several months behind where he should have been. It was really hard to catch up, and the situation caused him a huge amount of anxiety during the first term. He did manage to work through it, and when he came home for Christmas he practiced religiously. He said he never wants to feel that bad about his playing again.
So if I had to do it over, I would let him work part-time, but insist he keep up the practice and, definitely the lessons. In fact, this summer, he’s looking for a less demanding job so he can take lessons and keep up the “shedding” as well as gigging locally during his time at home.
Great weather here in New York this Friday! Who’s traveling for auditions this weekend? Sending luck and good weather vibes!
We gave kid the summer off - although he did play in a musical (because it was West Side Story - a percussionists dream score). We traveled and let him just hang out with his friends as they were all scattering around to different cities/colleges. We knew it was going to be very intensive once he started college, so having a break seemed the best option.
That being said, many of his music friends went off to BUTI, Interlochen etc…so no one size fits all.
My kid’s a senior, too. Last summer he did Oberlin Vocal Academy and BUTI, but the summer before that (between his sophomore and junior year) he went and stayed with my parents in the country (Northern California). While he had a great time, and I am so happy he got to bond with my parents (especially now that my mom has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s), he did return to school having lost some of his musicianship and with his voice weaker than it was before the summer. Like @akapiratequeen’s kid, mine had to play catch up and (because he goes to a performing arts high school) was publicly embarrassed a few times about his lack of progress. This year, I just asked him what he wanted to do this summer. He didn’t hesitate with an answer: He’s going back to BUTI for a second summer. If he had said “just hang out and maybe work part time,” I would have been okay with that, as well, with the caveat that he would need to take weekly lessons and practice each day. Summer slide is real!
Hi - new member here! Interesting discussion about summer. My son works as a staff member at an overnight camp as a music specialist - he’s drummer - so he does get to play but he does a lot more cajon, etc. than drumset. I will definitely look into some private lesson stuff up there and drive the point home that he needs to be practicing all summer long! We are in Chicago too - driving today to Western Michigan for first audition tomorrow - weather is yuck.
So excited for all of you who get to take the show on the road this weekend! Sending heaps of positive vibes for great auditions and cooperative weather! Good luck, friends!
We are headed to the airport for the USC audition. Looking forward to some good food and sun today before the stress of tomorrow. Good luck to everyone auditioning this weekend!
@BenniesMom1 We’ve already told our kid that he has to up the hours at his current job (he’s a server, works 10-15 hours/week); the rest of his time is his to do as he pleases figuring it’s on him now to figure out how to prioritize his things and prep for imminent fledging . . . . .