My son had lessons from a grad student on a secondary instrument (she was fantastic) but all his lessons on his primary instrument were with his studio professor
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It was someone recalling their days when they were DMA candidate. I’m quite ignorant regarding how music education goes. I only heard them saying they taught lessons and coached chambers. I have no idea at what level or to what student population though. My impression was that this was a common practice. It could be my misunderstanding.
It could have been non-BM students. I’ve heard of BA students having grad students for lessons. Again they should know this before accepting at the school…and schools are upfront about this.
My D had a friend that was a grad student studying conducting. His curriculum had some conducting assignments with choirs. Again it made pretty clear when a grad student would be leading any groups.
And your comment came at a good time as I still think that there can be “rumors” of UG students being “ignored” or taught primarily by grad students at schools with grad students. Based on my D’s experience and friends’ experiences at other large schools that is NOT true in most cases (can’t speak for all schools of course). I was surprised at the fact that attendance was taken in my D’s music classes and if you skipped a class it would impact your grade (she needed a doctor’s note when she was sick!). I would say my D got more attn than she ever expected.
Still there can be good reasons to go to school without grad students for a particular student. Everyone is different and may excel in different environments. But the old trope of “you can get ignored” at a big school is certainly not true at many programs. It assumes a level of incompetence at big schools that wouldn’t fly year after year after year. My D would have loved a bit more time to breathe (and maybe be ignored just a little)…but I think that’s true at most music schools.
Good luck as you wait through the final week!
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And to riff off @old_music_prnt 's excellent comments:
1.) I always think of myself as an ocean buoy with light on top. My kid is swimming around in the ocean and I try to keep my light on her…even though I can’t reach out to her. Sometimes the ocean is calm and other times it’s a raging storm. I just keep shining my light…assuring her that I’m there and to have faith that she can weather the storm. That’s all I can do…just try to be a bright, reassuring presence and not add to the storm.
2.) Never hold too tight to what you think but don’t know. These are very young musicians. There are no golden tickets. And, be aware at this point, the goals are pretty uniform (the top). There are many ways to be involved in music which will be more apparent in college. So, you need to make space for a variety of path (even if your kid, family and frenemies seem to know only one goal and path…and bring it up endlessly). Things will move around…and getting a rejection may be what they need to get to the right path. I started taking the attitude of…I don’t know what she going to do…but I know she’ll figure out something.
3.) And, what’s the worst that could happen if they don’t make it in music…a full time job with benefits in another area!!! Maybe that’s OK too! Made me wonder why I was worried…
I hope that this helps!
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Totally agree - time seems to have super slowed down. We’re waiting only on one financial package now, for his (most-likely) first choice school, which was the first one that accepted him! I think that early notification made us feel like we were nearly done, and now it’s 2 months later :).
To make the time pass, here’s a question for everyone. Do you as parents play an instrument or sing (and if you’re the student, do your parents)? Is it your profession or a hobby? I’m always intrigued by musical kids whose parents aren’t!
I play the cello, and my husband plays the viola, but not professionally. We both work in the computer industry, but play in a string quartet for fun. It’s how we got to know each other! We took a 15-year hiatus when we got married and had kids (also 2nd violinist moved away and we didn’t have time/energy to replace her) but we’ve been playing again with 2 new violinists for the past 10 years.
Can’t wait to read all these answers:). I played violin through college (not as a music major) and then in our local sinfonietta for a few years beyond that. My husband plays electric bass and sings. He has been part of several different bands throughout the years–some including our son on guitar. 3 of our 4 kids were/are music majors. But even the 4th has a music minor…
I majored in elementary ed and my husband in civil engineering. We now own an ag equipment business and a restaurant. Talk about life taking you in weird directions–haha!
My wife and I are not musicians or sing all that well either. Not sure how my daughter became so involved with classical music. Has always loved to sing, act and has an extraordinary gift for language and diction. May have got the talent from my grandfather who sang very well and played the French horn. My kids love to see old pics from the late 20’s and 30’s of him in glee club. He joined the Army band after highschool before the war. Once war broke out he volunteered for the 1st Army Infantry division and saw combat in North Africa, Italy and landed on Omaha beach. Unfortunately his hearing was damaged and was not able to take up the French horn after the war.
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I love your #1 analogy!!!
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My husband and I love music, but neither of us play an instrument- nor can we carry a tune. (That doesn’t stop me from trying!) There are also no musicians in the extended family, that we know of, other than my nephew who is also a jazz pianist. His journey is pretty interesting actually. He took piano lessons casually for years, but never did any extra camps, competitions, etc., went to Boston College for UG as a communications major, joined the jazz ensemble for fun, and just blossomed. Now he is getting his MM at NEC. He didn’t have the pedigree, but had the passion and drive and made it happen. He is the only one in his cohort there without a BM from a top tier music school.
This is just to echo previous posts about how our kids will eventually end up where they are meant to be. I try to keep this in mind all the time, but it’s SO HARD.
I was extremely native to this whole process because of our lack of music background. I wish I had come across this thread years ago.
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Eastman is up. My DD got in!!
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Congrats!!! Where did you see it? We don’t see an update in the portal.
We received an email few minutes ago.
Congrats!! What instrument? There is nothing in our portal either
Tenor Trombone.
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Congratulations!! Trombone right?
I played an instrument in grade/middle high school but I wouldn’t call myself musical, and my wife is non musical as well. So we basically has very little to no understanding or knowledge of how high level music worked or any of it…our S when he was younger occassionally would sigh and say “to have musical parents” lol.
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So wonderful! So many of us are still waiting! Did the email contain financial info?
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I’ll take up the question - I play the piano and used to sing and my husband can pick up almost any instrument and play it a little.. neither of us ever played or hoped to play professionally, though. I actually never went to any orchestra performance that I can remember growing up (I went to small religious schools that didn’t offer music groups) - my family was kind of blue-collar, so I didn’t even realize all these groups and instruments exist as it wasn’t an option for me.
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Yes. My DD is very excited.
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Yes, it came with the financial info.
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