oh thanks for this info about your day at Eastman! What would you say about timing for getting away in the afternoon? The best flight time for us would require leaving by 4:30 or 5 at the absolute latest. the general info seems to say plan to be there til 5 but how critical would you say that is based on your day there??
Anybody have any experience applying/auditioning to two music/arts programs at temple? I’m applying for both Music Tech and Jazz studies there and wonder if anybody had any experiences? Would mainly like to know how the admission process works
How long your day is will depend on your audition time. One of the vocal performance students had an audition booked for 6:30PM.
For us, leaving would have been possible at 5, as my son’s audition was around noon. We missed some of the seminars that were going on in the middle of the day for his warm up, audition, and lunch. Those with later auditions could likely attend all seminars if they wanted to.
Hi! We found a couple of programs, UMD and CCM had majors designed specifically to do both performance and Ed. 4 1/1 - 5 years to do this. We really liked those and great trombone studios. Some other programs like IU/Jacobs weren’t very encouraging to do both as their Music Ed program is very rigorous and difficult to focus on performance side. Michigan State trombone professors also didn’t encourage doing both but they have a new prof now so that may change. West Chester University is local to us and also has a great Music Ed program and strong trombone studio. Temple would also be another option.
Most conservatories do not have an Ed option. That’s why he liked Eastman. He can focus on performance and have Ed as his “back up”. It is more of an instrumental Ed based program. It is 4 1/2 years but the extra semester for student teaching is tuition free through their Forte program. He entered as a performance major, then applied to Ed and added it before the Fall semester. His trombone prof encouraged this combo and helped him apply.
Many states have reciprocal agreements for Music Ed certifications so I don’t think its as important to get it in the state you want to teach. Plus most Performance majors have to go on to get a Masters degree and hard to say where you will end up when done. Hope this is helpful! Please let me know if you have more questions and best of luck in future years!
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Do most performance majors get Master’s Degrees? I am very new to this and wondering about that and if we need to be thinking of that now. Thanks!
Anyone who wants to do Music Ed most likely needs a masters degree (public school etc.). Instrumentalists who wish to play in a big symphony often get them just to bide time as they are auditioning for jobs.
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That makes sense. Thank you!
Yes, I think it’s pretty much expected that most will go on to a Masters.
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Often they do to be able to study with someone else and refine their technique even more. It’s extremely rare to get an orchestra job right out of undergrad.
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My son graduated a year ago in music ed, and attended an out of state school and came back to our state to teach. He graduated in December ‘23, subbed, networked, and applied in the spring semester, and had a job for fall. Here’s some observations:
It did help him to have a degree from a recognizable school (UNT) and in a state known for music education.
It probably hurts to not student teach in the state where you intend to teach. You lose that bit of networking in the district where you student teach, and the help that comes from your professors knowing a lot of people involved in hiring. That said, he already had quite a network, just from going through the music programs in our state (all state and regional ensembles, youth ensembles outside of school, etc)—his name was familiar to a lot of people, and he had some beloved teachers as advocates, and that was enough for him. The music ed community within a state is a bit of everybody knows everybody, and they all talk.
You do need to research education and licensure requirements in the state where you intend to teach. In our state there was reciprocity with Texas and once he had his Texas teaching certificate, getting one in our home state was easy-just an application, and one additional requirement (state constitution class) that he has three years to complete. Some states require a masters degree to teach. In our state and in Texas, it seems most teachers work for a few years and then go back to school for a master’s degree, rather than pursuing the master’s right out of undergrad.
Getting a performance and a music ed degree within four years is going to be a challenge. If he turns out to be serious about that, check liberal arts colleges with both degrees (Luther college?). My son’s music ed program was a five year degree, which could be completed in four if you had some AP or dual enrollment credit and took classes over summers. It included nearly all the requirements of a performance degree, but this can vary quite a bit from school to school-you’ll have to look at degree plans in detail.
Teaching music is its own thing. I wouldn’t encourage it as a backup plan to performing. A performance degree is a college degree. It’s not worth getting a music ed double degree unless the person really wants to teach.
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Curious if those who have been accepted at Jacobs (IU) have heard about scholarship awards yet?
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I have had 3 kids attend IU Jacobs–one is a current freshman and went through this process last year. Scholarship awards for all of them were announced right around April 1st. Their website says “by April 1st”, and we have found that they stick pretty close to that. Here is the most recent info I can find concerning Jacobs scholarships:
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And guessing by your post that your kid was recently accepted? Congrats! What major?
Ah, ok, thank you! April 1st is late with regard to making some tough choices - but we will figure it out…She found out last week, yes! Thank you! She was accepted into the new Creation & Production program…
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Congrats! My son went there for his MM, he really enjoyed being there, and the orchestra program is first rate.
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It is very common, along with certificate programs and other post grad things. Basically the competition is intense and the playing levels get higher and higher, and lot of kids feel like they need the extra time to get to that next level. It also as others have pointed out is a place to refine their playing while looking for what they are trying to do. I have been told (but have no expertise in the area, so just relaying) that with voice, because the voice develops late, grad and post grad education has pretty much become a must, or some kind of post undergrad training. Again, just relaying what I have heard.
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Congratulations! I’ve been hearing about that new program. Sounds pretty amazing. I will say that Jacobs would be a great place for it. So many talented kids in a wide variety of music majors to collaborate with and network through. Best of luck to your daughter on the decision making process. If any questions pop up about Jacobs, IU, or the Bloomington area, feel free to message me!
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I know quite a few who got a DMA, in a program that funds both the master’s and doctorate levels. Also good way to get teaching experience. Funded master’s are hard to find but doctoral programs with master’s along the way are often funded for the whole time.
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Hi, all! I come to you with a recent story that serves as a reminder that the audition begins the second you arrive on location and doesn’t end until you are back home (as relayed to me by my husband). A student was on campus for audition day and attended several activities, including a studio performance. Later that afternoon the student got onto a bus which transports students to and from the airport. (So many large campuses have this and it’s amazing!) After getting on the bus, the student made a phone call to friends talking about the audition and how terrible the studio was. The student mentioned wanting to study with a particular professor within the studio, but went on and on about how much better they were than all of the other current students- yet this school was still their number one choice! As you may have guessed, there were current students on this bus from another studio who overheard the whole conversation. They, of course, reported to their friends who are in the studio for which this student auditioned. Unfortunately for this student, word has made its way back to the entire studio. Everyone. Profs and students. Definitely not a good look. Unprofessional at best, and possibly adversely affecting acceptance and any merit or grant money at worst. Big yikes on this situation! Just because you’re done playing doesn’t mean the audition is over!
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Also, if you’re that amazing, you usually don’t have to say so. 
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