Could I get into a Conservatory for Piano...?

College Majors Music Majors
1

<p>Long story that was attempted [and failed] to be made short:
My parents know nothing about music. They know nothing about modern college admissions, and we have somewhat limited finances. Therefore, I had to beg for piano lessons as a child [I taught myself notes, basic dynamics, theory, etc. from workbooks], and finally got them when I was 10.</p>

<p>Teacher was relatively casual, but gave me formal training. I played in a few low-key competitions [got blue ribbons in all of them] and performed at nursing homes for community service.</p>

<p>I also have one of those crazy, messed-up families, and I was diagnosed with depression from when I was 12 until I was 16. Thus, I had to grow up fast, and re-discover myself many times.</p>

<p>Through this bout of depression, I somehow clawed my way to the light with piano. Although I wanted to switch teachers at an earlier age [because I knew my teacher was not competitive], I probably would have quit if I did [my mother says] because we had so many problems at home, and I was not in a good place at age 14-15. </p>

<p>However, this February, she allowed me to take lessons from the Music Institute of Chicago with a very prominent piano teacher [whom I love!] Now I can say that I am truly happy from piano, and I have been spending my summer practicing anywhere from 4-8 hours a day [I have SAT/ACT classes some days].</p>

<p>I will be a junior in high school next year. I am preparing for a 70-80 minute recital at the end of the summer. I will be playing pieces such as:</p>

<p>Chopin Ballade No. 1
Chopin Etudes: Op. 25 No.1, Op. 25 No. 12, Op. 10 No. 4, Op. 10 No. 12
Beethoven Appassionata
Bach Prelude and Fugue in G sharp minor [WTC Book 1] [3-voice prelude and 4-voice fugue]
Mozart Concerto No. 20 in D minor</p>

<p>Since I have little contest/performance experience in my youth… I feel somewhat discouraged that I would be able to enter a conservatory [I suppose my lack of confidence makes me work harder ! hahaha] … </p>

<p>Also, I have read bassdad’s so you want to be a music major post… since everyone seems to recommend that before answering music admissions questions :D</p>

2

<p>anniemac: </p>

<p>if you look on the websites of conservatories under audition requirements for piano, you can discover the repertoire that is expected from applicants. What you list as on your solo recital program is certainly on track and as you clearly are very passionate and committed and putting in long hours, it seems reasonable for you to prepare to audition for conservatories. </p>

<p>Your current Music Institute teacher is probably your best advisor as to potential teachers and programs; please listen carefully to their recommendations about where you could consider applying. As family support is erratic for you, careful targeting of schools and teachers will be very important for you. And don’t be discouraged! It’s true that many piano applicants were prodigious and have impressive resumes, however, it should be possible for you to find a teacher who is interested in teaching you and will make space for you in their studio. In fact, you should be very proud of overcoming the challenges you faced and achieving what you have done on piano, despite many obstacles.</p>

3

<p>You sound like a wonderful person. What you have accomplished is amazing. </p>

<p>You have done everything you have done on your own steam, and autonomous motivation is important.</p>

<p>A music teacher at our school told the students about a study of orchestral musicians. They did not test super high in aptitude, but motivation was off the charts. In other words, hard work is what got them there, more than original talent. Not that you aren’t talented: the point is that your hard work may get you far. (And prodigies sometimes quit in late teens)</p>

<p>My only warning is that many conservatories do not always give a lot of financial aid. Some do, however. Just make sure you include that consideration as you get your hopes up, if finances are an issue.</p>

4

<p>Good luck to you … please keep us posted.</p>

5

<p>This is very inspirational. I’m so inspired by what you have done, and what you want to do.</p>

<p>Good luck and please, do keep us all posted.</p>

6

<p>Quotes:
I had to beg for piano lessons as a child [I taught myself notes, basic dynamics, theory, etc. from workbooks], and finally got them when I was 10.</p>

<p>I played in a few low-key competitions [got blue ribbons in all of them] and performed at nursing homes for community service.</p>

<p>I somehow clawed my way to the light with piano.</p>

<p>I am truly happy from piano, and I have been spending my summer practicing anywhere from 4-8 hours a day. </p>

<p>Anniemac, the passion and dedication you have comes through so clearly in your post–you can show that in your application essays. I can imagine the expressiveness with which you play. You are an inspiration, and I have no doubt that you will reach your goals. If I have to be in a nursing home, can I be in the ones where you will come and play? </p>

<p>So that you will get the best possible scholarship/aid offers, you might want to cast a relatively wide net with your applications. Hopefully, your piano teacher can help you with this. You will qualify for application fee waivers, so make sure to take advantage of that.</p>

<p>Keep us posted-- best wishes and a virtual hug to you!</p>

7

<p>anniemac, I reiterate the sentiments of those who posted before me. Feel free to pick the collective brain here. </p>

<p>An overview of last year’s admission cycle <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/901390-2010-collective-experience.html?highlight=2010[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/901390-2010-collective-experience.html?highlight=2010&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Hello everyone!</p>

<p>Thank you so much for your warm responses!!!
No one has ever called me an “inspiration” before !!
That just inspired ME. Hahaha. “One candle can light one thousand other candles” so to speak.</p>

<p>You have totally made me feel better about my decision to try and audition! I was expecting response to be more of like “Eh. You didn’t do much as a kid. You have no chance. Life is tough”… And I was totally prepared to accept that, since it can be the reality…</p>

<p>This is my first time thinking about this seriously, so that’s why I had little confidence.
My friends are all aiming for more “traditional” jobs [doctor, lawyer, engineer, etc.] and disapproved of me even thinking of majoring in music… since one of the girls in our group of friends has already toured in New York and played with Lang Lang when she was 14. And they all assumed I was trying to be a performer. They kept saying that I haven’t competed enough…</p>

<p>But I think my piano teacher is confident that I can get in somewhere if I work hard. I think I would be perfectly happy with most music related careers as long as it involved piano. </p>

<p>Few questions: Do conservatories “like” prodigy-type kids? Or a big list of repetoire? Or many awards, etc.? Or is it mainly auditions? I e-mailed Oberlin conservatory admissions officer, and he said that all they cared about is artistry, personality, performance, etc. and only cared about awards, list of repetoire etc. if it helped achieve the former qualities. Is that generally the same with all conservatories? </p>

<p>Once again, thank you all! I was really touched! All I want in life is to be happy :slight_smile: Of course, happiness takes work… hahaha!</p>

9

<p>I don’t think it’s a problem not to have awards, as long as you’re competitive compared to people who do. Also, some schools put a word limit (I think it was NEC) or a case limit (I think it was Juilliard) to the repertoire list anyway. If I remember well, I left the award question blank or put one stuff and I just put the most representative things for the repertoire (like a couple concerti, two-three sonatas, a few studies and I wasn’t sure if I should put the orchestral excerpts so I don’t think I did).</p>

<p>I think all of this does not matter as much as you playing well at the audition. I think (but could be wrong) they are interested with your current level, attitude and your potential much more than what you were doing 5 years ago.</p>

<p>The whole application thing is so exciting/thrilling/rewarding ! Best of luck.</p>

10

<p>You repertoire’s difficulty is appropriate for someone who has just finished their sophomore year and wishes to enter a conservatory. Don’t worry about your lack of competition experience or triumphs; that is insignificant in comparison to how well you play. </p>

<p>Ultimately, what will determine your admission is the quality of your playing at your audition. Thousands of young high school pianists play the type of repertoire you play. To gain admission to the best conservatories, you must play it very, very well. </p>

<p>As others, have mentioned, your private teacher is in the best position to give you guidance and answer questions about your chances of admission. If you aren’t getting adequate answers, then consider taking some trial lessons at schools to which you might potentially apply. At these lessons, you can ask the teachers what your chances are for admission to their schools. Some teachers will also venture opinions on your chances at other schools. Northwestern is an obvious choice in Chicago and there are many other fine schools within less than half a day’s drive of Chicago.</p>

<p>You sound like you have a lot going for you. Best of luck!</p>

11

<p>Ditto all the other comments and best wishes for reaching your dream. This is just a financial note. While many conservatories/ schools of music do award merit scholarship for students, they alone rarely meet the full need, or even half of the need, of students whose families have not saved for college. Fortunately, there are additional options beyond a talent/merit award. For this reason, since it sounds like your family may not be in a position to offer you financial support, I encourage you to carefully research and audition at Schools of Music where the universities claim they meet “100% of demonstrated student need” in addition to straight conservatories or other programs, so that you will have more options from which to choose when the time comes, including a FINANCIAL safety. That said, do not take any auditions OFF your list just because they don’t meet full need, because sometimes schools will surprise you. (Eg. University of Michigan does not meet full need of out of state students, but I know students who’ve received FULL ride packages…it’s hit and miss.)</p>

<p>For example, Oberlin and Northwestern University are two that “meet full demonstrated need.” I believe that is also the case for USC (University of Southern California.) I do not personally know about Eastman (Rochester) Peabody or NEC, but other posters might.</p>

<p>I should also warn you that “meets full demonstrated need” does not necessarily mean that the funds are loan-free, or that they meet the total cost of attendance. How it works is that you will need to fill out the FAFSA (for federal aid). If Your “EFC” (expected family contribution) is ZERO, then in theory you are eligible for full assistance. However, some schools also require additional info on a form called CSS, and that will include info such as the value of your parent’s home, how much the mortgage is, info if they own their own business, the amount of money in mutual funds, etc. So even if they’re not earning much, they <em>could</em> be expected to contribute a portion of the value of equity in their home or other assets.</p>

<p>So it is a good plan to begin discussing with your family the full details or mechanics of financial aid, and running a test “EFC” calculation NOW, which you can do over at [FinAid</a>! Financial Aid, College Scholarships and Student Loans](<a href=“http://www.finaid.org%5DFinAid”>http://www.finaid.org), for example. That way you will be in an excellent position to make the most of your application research and the opportunity that is before you.</p>

<p>I hope this assists you. Do not be overwhelmed by all these details and certainly do focus on your music, but a little bit of application savvy and research could make a big difference in what opportunities become available to you. There are threads on this board that more fully explain financial aid issues. It’s worth knowing.
Cheers,
K</p>

12

<p>Thank you so much once again :D</p>

<p>I checked with my piano teacher again… Her alma mater is Northwestern University (for her BM, MM and, PhD!), and she wants me to consider it. It is very close to my home, which is a plus and a minus… but it is also closer to the city [meaning closer to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra!!]. And it’s about 55k a year @_@</p>

<p>But when my teacher was in her masters program, I think she got a full ride on a combination of merit/need. I think we could afford it if we got to pay half the tuition, which is why it’s pretty appealing. </p>

<p>Problem is, with all these family issues, my grades haven’t been awesome. I am in all accelerated honors (my school has regular, honors and accelerated honors level classes)… I will most likely have a 3.5-3.6 UW and 4.7-4.8 W GPA at the end of my junior year if I perform at my usual level in academics next year…</p>

<p>Are the academic requirements for large university music programs slightly lower than the other departments? Because I saw that the average rejected GPA at Northwestern is a 3.56… which is most likely what I’ll have…I asked a college counselor, and she said that there is a section on the application in which I’ll be able to explain my family issues.</p>

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<p>for music, audition matters the most.</p>

14

<p>You can explain, but I think it’s better not to and maybe have teachers who are aware of these issues mention something about these in the recommendations. Anyway isn’t 4.7 great ? 3.5 sounds decent to me too. Besides your senior grades will be considered too, and I think an upward trend and top grades in senior and junior year can certainly make up for lower grades in freshman year. Specially if you take rigorous classes and have a good rank in your class.
Having a good GPA matters more for the merit scholarships than for admission into the music school I think (unless applying to double-degree program or a BA).</p>

15

<p>

. </p>

<p>True for the most parts, but a number of programs, Northwestern included also require a student to attain the academic bar. There MAY be some pull here or there, but while the audition is the driving force, the academics can an do become a deciding factor.</p>

<p>Plenty of past discussions available by searching. Here’s one <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/656219-northwestern-flute-audition-unfair.html?highlight=Northwestern[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/656219-northwestern-flute-audition-unfair.html?highlight=Northwestern&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

16

<p>Anniemac, a friend of my son’s is attending NU with full need funding (some of which was academic merit as he is a very high academic performer), so I know directly that they really can meet full need. Since you live close, why not ask your teacher the name of a faculty member you could contact for a sample lesson and discussion about fit for the program, and then do the ‘campus tour’ this summer and talk to an academic/admissions counselor with respect to your academic performance. I have found them to be very accommodating.
They will be able to give you tips, and you’re early enough in your planning to, if need be, kick up the unweighted GPA a little if need be.
Did you write the PSAT, and if so, was yours a strong score? </p>

<p>Also note that at this point it isn’t an “either/or” proposition. You will want to apply and audition at a full range of schools (eg. lower, mid and reach tier, since auditions are a crap shoot) in order to get the best fit and package. But that said, NU sounds like an obvious selection so I’d trust your teacher and pursue that option further. It never hurts to plan early. That was how my son got into his dream program with generous scholarship – he visited the school a few times starting in grade 11 and sat in on classes and then ALSO raised his GPA considerably (since it was a reach). Because he’d done the early research, he also took a special private summer program in his field that helped improve his portfolio when it came time to apply, and he was careful to receive (and earn) stellar letters of recommendation. Like you, he hadn’t had a lot of regional awards under his belt back in gr. 10, or the full depth of experience he’d desired, nor had he the long background that many in the audition/applicant pool did. He made up for that starting gr. 11, went to summer programs, entered some competitions, had some brutal assessments and sample lessons, won some awards, etc.</p>

<p>You are ahead of the curve right now, and trust me, that will pay dividends! So keep up the good work!</p>

17

<p>Anniemac, be aware that Northwestern U has a much higher academic bar than most music schools because it is a liberal arts school. Your GPA would be considered an application strength at many other fine music schools (of the “conservatory” type) where the focus is more on performance and less on academics. As kmccrindle advises, apply to (or at least research and consider) a variety of schools which you believe would be good fits.</p>