Not the exact same, but friend of S is awaiting prescreen results for potential transfer to Curtis.
I went for a run this morning with my group (mostly younger than me now and still doing marathons). It reminded me how this process is a lot like a marathon. You are all hitting 20 miles now…and even though you have traveled a great distance…for some, the hardest 6 miles are coming up as you realize the gas in the tank is low…and things are starting to go wrong (deferrals, messy or strange auditions, a bum accompanist, a cool panel, weather/flight problems…and a looming rejection… which always comes more quickly than acceptances). So buckle up!
For some people, the last 6 miles will be clear sailing with an acceptance in hand. And, most auditions are pleasant to great experiences giving you lots of hope. Still, it can be a stressful period of doubt as you wait for the first acceptance and/or experience a problem.
As I always tell my D, “you’re not special” in your pain and rejection. It is terribly common. You just need to walk through it to get the acceptance. And, if you don’t experience it for UG auditions or even grad auditions, reality will come for you sometime in this business. So it’s best to practice being disappointed…and getting over it. My D posted a review of her year recently. I can’t remember the details…but it was about 32 auditions…for 2 shows and a few projects. So there is a LOT of rejection in music.
Good luck. Push any doubts aside, be disciplined and finish what you started. It will all work out in the end.
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I completely agree that handling rejection is important for success in music in the real world. I’m sure there are the unicorns who never or rarely experience rejection. But for most musicians, particularly as they’re starting out, rejection is common. When my son graduated and started trying to book tours for his group, he estimated he sent about 100 emails for every booking he got. (In most cases, he didn’t even hear back, despite several follow ups.) It’s gotten better as he’s developed more of a track record, but he still gets turned down, or ghosted, by plenty of venues. When I think about what has allowed him to make a living with his music, persistence and resilience are definitely key elements.
Good luck to everyone in the middle of the admissions process this year. Will look forward to checking back in to see where everyone ends up!
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My daughter started at McGill this year - a violinist. They dont offer much in scholarships but the school is cheap compared to US schools. She is in a dorm this year (A hotel room with own bathroom) They only have housing for a year than apartments.You only pay about $800 a month - Montreal is a relatively cheap place to live. We are paying what we pay at UMASS Amherst our state school. This will be our most expensive year - the apartment will be much cheaper. Healthcare is terrible in Montreal - that has been the only issue but loves the school.
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McGill has a really nice atmosphere. It is a hard academic school. Again the only negative has been healthcare so far. As an American a few things are hard to figure out. The strings are amazing. I was blown away by the level of orchestra - I am a musician myself.
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Wait list= we like you but don’t necessarily have room
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Healthcare was one of my concerns; we have Canadian relatives who cross the border to get certain services that shouldn’t be hard to obtain
Best of luck! My son is there for guitar but loves the drum professor!!
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Thanks! Son said it was a fantastic audition. Husband said the day couldn’t have gone any better, and he was very impressed with the music school.
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I happen to know several young people (out of college below 30) who match most of this description with one exception - they didn’t “drop music as soon as they could”; instead, they all hold on to music. Three currently work in the financial field in large cities after graduating from T20 universities. They bought keyboards and played daily. When they visit their parents they play on the piano at home. One is working with friends on a start-up software company after graduating from HYPSM. He continues to play violin with his friends (some are also work partners). Another one is in dental school and also sings regularly in choir. There are more who are still in college, in “useful” majors, and in orchestra. They haven’t “dropped” music yet, and I don’t believe they will drop.
These are kids who reached at least all-state (if not national titles) playing level. They didn’t get that good without loving music. I don’t think one can drop music easily; on the contrary, after having to give up music or at least set it aside, they love it more.
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Totally agree, S24 is at an LAC and he and all of the kids there that went to precollege are choosing to play music almost every day. Most of the other kids he went to precollege with who are at Ivy’s and other T20 and LACs are doing the same. Even my acting kid plays frequently. The kid who did a precollege for reasons other than love of it are few and far between.
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Again I know quite a few BA students at top colleges who did conservatory prep and either majored in music for a BA or continued lessons and performance . - who are pursuing music as a career. I would not paint the conservatory prep population with a broad brush.
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Did the students receive any indication on which part of the process they passed or not? not critical, just curious! it’s such a process!!
nevermind! just heard they don’t know which part passes/doesn’t pass.
Well one of the times my husband had reached out to congratulate a kid on a great audition and the kid let him know they were rejected so at least he could tell them their audition was good. He did try to go to bat for the kid to the academic side at that point but no luck. I have no idea how the student’s grades etc were. I guess for the same reason he wouldn’t want the academic side telling him which students play best he has to accept when they say the student might have a hard time with the academic requirements of the school.
If you have any questions about the school I am happy to answer just pm me!
Thank you, i will
About to fly home after auditions (double bass) at CU Boulder and University of Denver. S especially liked University of Denver. The school was nice (pretty campus, urban which he prefers, good stages, good and plentiful practice rooms), but mostly he really liked the professor there. He was asked to do a trial lesson after his audition, was told the panel of 10(!) string professors liked his playing, and the prof told him that if he doesn’t get enough merit aid to let him know and he’d see what he could do. We took all of this as a really good sign. Fingers crossed!
Flying with the bass was tough, but we made it, and learned a lot. The heavier than expected snow storm was non-optimal!
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Can anyone speak to the merit scholarship process for Frost? My son has been accepted to other schools and they had the scholarship notification right away (which was a nice surprise). Frost is expensive and we are wondering if anyone knows how long it takes for them to update the financials on the portal? Thank you!
2 years ago My son auditioned dec 3, acceptance late January, verbal scholarship talk with guitar professor early Feb but told official is March. Hope this helps
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