<p>I’m very late to this thread; I don’t visit CC much any more.</p>
<p>I consider my percussion to be my primary instrument, but when auditioning for conservatories (as a composition applicant), I auditioned on both percussion and piano. I applied to 4 conservatories: 2 required instrumental auditions, and one required percussion prescreening. I didn’t pass percussion pre-screening and didn’t really get in on percussion where I had an audition (though I never got a clear answer), but my not-at-all-performance-major-level piano was considered enough to get in for composition - I forgot the middle of a Bach fugue and had to restart 5 times in one audition and still got in.</p>
<p>Different schools have different expectations for ensemble performance. Some expect composers to be in a chorus, some let composers be in a gamelan or other world music ensemble, and I think all at least let composers audition for orchestras (though they wouldn’t exactly be likely to get in).</p>
<p>The Lawrence admissions process for composition is very bizarre. Strictly speaking, you have to apply for instrumental performance and then you transfer to composition at some point once you’re there, but there’s a scholarship program that lets you start taking composition classes/lessons first year. Or something like that. (I didn’t end up applying because I got into UChicago non-binding before the Lawrence deadline. I was one of those odd music school/top university with no music school cross-admits.) But it seemed like one of the few places where one could do a double degree and maintain full sanity.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it’s too late to apply for most full-length summer composition programs that I know of. CIM has a very good 1-week program (<a href=“Young Composers Program”>https://www.cim.edu/preparatory/summer/youngcomposers.php</a>), but it’s only one week and it tends to be for somewhat younger students.</p>