Getting admitted to a music conservatory

violinparents
Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:21:49 +0000

Hi there,

I posted this in a different forum, but was recommended to post in this one. I’m the father of a girl applying for music conservatories.

She is younger than most other college applicants, but already has a Bachelor’s of Science degree. I will not say her age for confidentiality purposes (this is the web, after all). She has played violin and piano from age five and is auditioning for music conservatories in violin for a BM degree. We have just finished all conservatory applications and recording her prescreening CDs (for the schools that want one) with a professional engineer.

My daughter is incredibly nervous about getting admitted to a conservatory. All her teachers were famous master teachers who thought she had great talent, potential, and learned fast. Her current teacher thinks she is ready to audition for conservatories, and will get in. Even teachers with a reputation for being “harshly” honest thought so as well. (We asked for truthful answers, and received some suggestions for improvement as well.)

Despite the compliments from her past teachers, my daughter is worrying so much about not getting in to any conservatories at all because my wife’s rule was that my daughter must get into a highly regarded conservatory (Indiana U, Juilliard, Eastman, Mannes, Manhattan, Oberlin, etc.); if she did not, she must quit violin. She had always dreamed of a violin career, but studied science instead in hopes of becoming a doctor (her second most-wanted career goal; my wife forbid her from applying to music conservatories until now).

Her teacher thinks her prescreening tape is good enough, with intonation mistakes here and there but no major mistakes. Still, my daughter is completely stressed out over whether she will get in. She has attended Meadowmount’s music camp (not sure of the full name) and is third chair in a highly-regarded youth orchestra (not local). Her teacher thinks it is a “minus” that she is younger than most college applicants, but a “plus” that she already has a BS degree (to help make her stand out from other applicants).

What are her chances of getting in to a good conservatory? We have not applied to any of the “easier” conservatories, and I know it is hard to say without actually hearing her play. Also, what are some things I can do to make my daughter stop stressing out so much?

Thank you!