<p>Are there any other ways to show colleges how musically talented you are other than being first chair in your schools music ensemble(s)? For example, I’m not sure if they do this in every state but in Delaware they have All-State band, All-State jazz band, All-State chorus, etc. and have state-wide music awards. Is there stuff like this in NH, if so what?</p>
<p>Burn a CD with a 2 minute sample of a solo performance and send it in.</p>
<p>It’s the audition that matters and that’s how you show your talent.</p>
<p>If you’re not planning on majoring in music in college, I don’t know that they would care other than knowing that you are well rounded. There will be plenty of trombone (or whatever) players from the music department to fill in the ensembles so I don’t know that it would be much of a hook. Of course, this depends on the college. If it’s a small liberal arts college without an independent college of music, or a very weak one, they may need non-music majors to fill out the ensembles.</p>
<p>So, if you’re looking to apply to a university with a respectable college of music but not be a part of that college, I don’t think you’d need to send anything because you won’t need to “prove” your talent since you probably won’t be playing for them. The best players will more than likely be the music majors (and grad students). If you do want to play in an ensemble in college (even if you don’t major in music), you would more than likely simply be asked to audition for your spot.</p>
<p>And in addition to what neato says, yes, some boarding schools participate in Massachusetts’ district and all state choral groups and orchestras. St. Mark’s for one just sent a few students to district chorus.</p>
<p>Schools’ participation varies. It comes down to scheduling. In order to participate in the statewide groups, students must audition and be able to attend rehearsals, if they’re chosen. As boarders, they also need transportation. That means the school must not schedule required events for the district ensemble days, or excuse the musicians from the school events. In my opinion, the best way to ascertain if a school supports their musicians participating in out-of-school groups is to ask them if their students join these groups on a regular basis. Then, try to make contact with the parents of those students–the admissions office should be able to give you their names–and ask them for their opinion. </p>
<p>Our children play instruments and sing, but we’re not on the intense fringe of music families, so this is garnered from conversations with parents who are. IF you are set upon regional groups, be aware that it can be difficult to reconcile the time demands with the everyday boarding school schedule and academics.</p>
<p>For the Ivies, I believe that amazing singing voices can be a hook, in great part because the a cappella groups are such a part of school life. All the schools we looked at had choirs and a cappella groups. I noticed a difference in schools’ approaches to music, though. All the boarding schools we looked at had opportunities for students to perform, and to take part in private music lessons. There was a difference, though, in the academic structure. Some schools offer AP Music Theory, and some don’t. Some have classes in composition, but the depth of the courses seemed to vary, to judge from course descriptions.</p>
<p>Many schools have posted recordings of student performances on their websites, which is very nice.</p>
<p>I don’t know how college admissions offices judge all this, and I think Neatoburrito is probably right. I would think that how you spend your summers would be important. There are some summer music camps and programs which are very competitive. A quick search turned up this list of summer music camps: [Summer</a> Music Camps](<a href=“http://www.mcyo.org/summer.htm]Summer”>http://www.mcyo.org/summer.htm) . Some seem very prestigious, and some are great for all levels. It’s probably best to ask your instructor which camps are best for your instrument and performance level.</p>
<p>ok thanks everyone</p>