It has taken me a bit to dig in and figure out how Americans rate the performance level of students, but I now see that for strings there is an A1-A6 rating system. How prevalent is the use of this system?
From what I gather, my student is playing at an A5 level - is this typical for students applying to music performance majors in the US?
If instrument is important, it is cello.
Thank you for your input!
@stringsNkeys24 if this screen name is your real name, I urge you to change it asap. Here is how:
When you first create an account on College Confidential, you have to create a username. By default, if you use your Google or Facebook account, your username will include your first and last name. That is not recommended on CC, so here’s how you can change it:
1. Click on your profile circle in the upper right. Click the little person icon.
2. Click on Preferences.
3. Click the little pencil next to your username.
If you don’t see a pencil, it means you are out of the initial 60 day window to change your username. Send a private message to an admin (like me), or email admin@collegeconfidential.com to request a username change. Be sure to include what you would like it changed to.
4. Enter your new username and click “Change”
Interesting. I’m not a musician and have never heard of this A1-A6 rating system. Both my children played string instruments in middle and high school but I don’t recall either receiving such a rating.
My son is studying for music performance major in college because that’s what he loves the most. I’m a high school teacher (not music). Many of my former students studied or are studying music in college, all because they love it. Some of them were at quite high level of playing (National youth orchestra, NPR from the top, yountarts winners, national competition titles, etc.), some were in all-state orchestra/band or won state level competitions, while some never won any title but just loved music dearly.
We live where the RCM system is used. It makes it easier to know which camps to apply to and such as they are growing up, because it is clearly stated what levels are expected. We’re looking at schools in various places, and although I did find the A1-A6 system, it took a while so that makes me think it isn’t particularly prevalent.
I played the violin since I was 6, and I currently just finished college applications (not for music).
I’ve been a pre-college student at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music for three years, and my teacher never once mentioned that rating system - I’ve asked her a lot about how music college applications work. I’ve also never heard of it.
1 Like
This A1-6 Rating is unfamiliar to me as well. We have a cellist and violinist in the family and husband is a music teacher and bassist.
It can be challenging to determine how competitive your musician would potentially be in applications to music schools. With our kids, their private teachers were able to provide valuable input. But if that input is not available to you, another idea is to research schools that are of interest, and view videos of performances of current students. For example you may be able to find samples of junior or senior cello recitals or chamber concerts that give some insight into the level of musicianship.
Another option is to pull up the audition repertoire list for a school. This can give a good idea of the anticipated level. Know that some schools have a fairly open repertoire list, some are quite specific.
Good luck.
2 Likes
I have heard of this system but my understanding is that it is a music grading system, not necessarily a playing system. ASTA has a 1-6 system for repertoire (mostly used in school orchestras), and Shar rates its music using the A1 to A6 as well. From my experience, absolutely everybody would be expected to be at the highest level of either of these systems.
Generally, kids going to top conservatories here are playing at the RCM or ABRSM top graded levels by the time they enter high school, so by college they should be past graded levels. I’m more familiar with ABRSM than I am with RCM, but most kids here are expected to be equivalent to the top diploma levels. Basically, kids here are expected to be ABOVE all the regular graded systems, if that makes sense.
2 Likes
My D26 is a cellist who is studying in a pre-college conservatory program. They do not use any grading / rating system in her program. Teachers advise students individually about whether they are a good match for a music performance major.
When she was younger, her cello teacher did have the students in the studio participate in ASTA exams, but that may be more applicable to younger or beginning students, I think?
1 Like
We should start finding online videos of students from different schools- great reminder.
The repertoire for most of the schools is familiar and has been played.
1 Like
This is very helpful. My cellist is currently RCM 10 (or also just about past the RCM levels). They will likely be auditioning next year.
Does this sound to you like they are not up to the level of the better conservatories then? Or sort of just barely at the level?
I have seen this for rating the difficulty of a piece of music, not for rating students. But you can figure that everyone getting into performance majors at universities are playing at a high level.
Also never heard of this rating system. I would have your child listen to online performances from students on their instrument from concerts at the schools. Another option is to do a zoom sample lesson with a professor from a school of interest and see what they think. Another option is a summer program.
If you search for livestreams of music schools, you’ll find quite a few. As an example, this link is for Rice Shepherd livestream
https://music.rice.edu/events
1 Like
It’s hard to say where your child is, especially I don’t know the rep for RCM and I couldn’t find the syllabus online. Also, I have seen a lot of students pass levels but not play the repertoire all that polished, if that makes sense, so just being able to play a piece does not equate to playing it well enough to enter a top tier conservatory.
If RCM is roughly equivalent to ABRSM, you likely will be a strong candidate for good schools but not the top tier. Summer program attendance is usually a good barometer to help you figure out where you stand. Early on I also watched a lot of pre-college recitals from places like Juilliard or Colburn to see what the level was coming out of the top pre-college programs. That can be very helpful. Colburn livestreams all their pre-college (Academy) recitals. Juilliard ones are harder to come by (they are usually full individual recitals) but you can usually find some by googling.
I hear you on different levels of skill playing the same music.
Which schools would you classify as “good schools but not the top tier”?
I’m behind the game, but we’re waiting to hear on some summer programs this year with the idea to get a better perspective on which schools to target.
I really like the way this list of schools is organized…
1 Like
The list of potentially affordable schools for us I’ve come up with so far (because of the way they structure aid, not because we could just pay for them without aid). I’m uncomfortable with the level of reach they may be, but also know that being a big fish in a small pond isn’t what we’re looking for. Would be very happy to hear of good programs in other schools that have generous aid.
JHU
Curtis (I know this is very top tier)
Rice Shepherd
Northwestern Bienen
University of Ottawa
Oberlin
Colburn (also very top tier)
St Olaf in MN (not sure this has a high level cello program)
U of Rochester Eastman
Bard (AoH, NY)
I’m aware that besides St Olaf, these might all be considered top tier - is that a good understanding?
I asked my professional musician about this. He had no idea what this meant.
Re: typical for music performance majors? Depends so much on the instrument and what the kid wants to actually do. The music performance majors at my kid’s two programs were outstanding. Undergrad was Boston University which is a conservatory type program within a university. Masters was at University of North Carolina School of the Arts…which flies totally under the radar screen.
The A1-A6 scale is said to be used by the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). I am wholly unfamiliar with it as well, but was hoping it would be a jumping off point. It’s fine if it isn’t.
It sounds like you and your cellist have been doing some good research. Not to make this more complicated, but wanted to add some thoughts to your comment above.
Good programs are sometimes those on the “top music schools” list. And sometimes not. Some programs are better for a certain genre of music, some have certain studios which are much more highly regarded than others. So for example, my kid had a program or two on his list which would be considered top notch for his instrument, but not well known for a vocal performance major.
We were also chasing merit. Absolutely not willing or able to pay full sticker price at any school. When looking for schools with good merit, know that merit money is generally distributed based on how high your cellist ranks in his audition compared to others applying that year. So you will want to include some “safeties” from a music and merit standpoint. I know there is really not a true safety with music auditions, but have a couple of schools on your list where he should be accepted and is strong when compared to the performance level of current students.
Of course also fine to apply to reach schools (Curtis, Colburn) assuming you have looked at the audition repertoire and know it is something he can play very, very well.
If your son is also a very high stats student, also look at university programs which might combine academic and music merit money.
There are threads on CC from prior years which have a listing of accepted students and their merit awards. These might help as well.
But as @thumper1 mentions above, sometimes the program that suits your musician best and is affordable will be one which “flies under the radar”.
Is your son applying next year? If so, depending on his summer program, faculty there might be able to help with suggestions based on his current level.
While this all seemed overwhelming to me when we started the process several years ago, the path becomes more clear. But be prepared for a journey with more unknowns and variables than your typical college student.
3 Likes