Music Supplement for Ivies

compmom
Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:48:12 +0000

I wouldn’t stress too much about the CD. Do you have a music teacher at school? You could consult the music teacher or someone at your church, play the piece, and decide on submitting it. It really won’t make that much difference though, and it can hurt your application if it is not really top notch.

Frankly,I think your resume already tells your story, and is interesting. A narrative somewhere, in your essay, or a supplemental essay, further describing what you have done musically, your lack of resources, and the way you have improvised opportunities, would be the most effective thing. The Ivies do like to admit people who have overcome obstacles. I believe that is one of the top criteria at Harvard, for admission, for instance.

One of our kids submitted a CD of a 15 minute classical composition for strings (she is a composer), to Harvard, but she also enclosed a note saying that if admissions wanted to save time, they could listen to minutes 2-4, something like that. It is good to be aware that admissions is very, very busy and any CD’s submitted should be worth their time, just out of consideration really.

Are you interested in majoring in music? Our daughter was applying with that intention, which was another justification for submitting a CD. If you are submitting a CD just for a hook, rather than because that is your main interest, I would also rethink. Again, admissions can tell a lot about your music-and you- by reading your personal information and essays.

You could also have someone involved in the church’s music program, or the school orchestra director, or both, write recommendations. Extra recommendations are definitely read (that is really what got our daughter in, I think) and are easier for the admissions folks to deal with than a CD. If the church music director wrote about how much you have contributed, your creativity, your work ethic etc. that would be really great.

Then, forget about the CD…

If you love music, then most important here is your progress with music-regardless of where you go to school. If music/violin is important enough to you to be such a big part of your application, then your progress needs to be a priority too. Playing is great, but studying with a private teacher is very, very important. Many conservatories and other music education centers have prep programs that are free for community members, or have substantial financial aid. Also, once you get involved with a teacher, they very often provide opportunities for you that you might not have imagined, without cost. I think it is crucial, if your violin is that important to you, that you find a teacher!

Our daughter found a piano teacher who taught theory and composition (her main interest, although she is also a classical guitarist) who then referred her to a professor of composition at a well-thought of college in our area. He took her under his wing, and gave her opportunities to have her music played, and recorded. The point is, if you can just make a connection to a teacher, they will look out for you as well as teach violin.

You sound like a creative, motivated, committed person. Overall, those qualities are probably more appealing to admissions right now, than a CD would be, although you could demonstrate natural talent that is not yet developed through a teacher.

I encourage you to focus on telling your story most of all. And find a teacher!