S26 is hoping for a BM in Music Therapy, probably with bass as his instrument. He plays multiple instruments and multiple types of music, which seems perfect for music therapy. But he isn’t as skilled in anyone area as someone who specializes
He has been offered a job teaching music at a sleepaway camp for disabled children, which he was excited for and seems like a great way for him to develop his skills and make sure this is what he loves.
But of course it means stopping lessons for the summer and limited practice time.
I’d love to hear thoughts on this. I am unclear as to how much weight is given to the audition vs the interview for music therapy.
I’d say do it! His teacher can give him things to work on while he’s away and he will gain valuable experience and have a much better idea at the end of the summer if this is truly something he wants to pursue.
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What a great opportunity for your son. I think it is a great way to explore his interest. In general, the allied health professions weigh heavily an applicant’s experience in the field.
I absolutely think this is a great way for him to spend his summer, especially since he is so excited about it.
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I want him to go, he is just concerned that his audition will be measured against students who spent the whole summer taking lessons and practicing.
Does he know any current music therapists who would be able to listen to him play a mock audition and give him feedback?
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The two music therapists he knows both have performance undergrad degrees so they haven’t been through an undergraduate audition.
They both agree he has the beginnings of the kind of skills that will serve him well as a music therapist, both musical and interpersonal skills. I imagine he will do well in the interview portion of the application.
But he will audition on an instrument he probably won’t use often as a therapist, and it looks like it’s the same audition the potential performance majors do.
Didn’t they have to do auditions for their undergrad performance degrees?
Yes. But if he was auditioning for a performance degree then spending the summer at summer camp with no lessons and possibly no practice would be obviously the wrong choice the summer before auditions.
At least I think that’s true.
I would have him check…even at a summer camp, the staff gets a day off each week.
He’s reached out to the camp about the logistics. Time is an issue but so is having safe storage and a place to practice. And best it will still be much less practice than kids doing summer orchestra type programs.
What level is he at now on his primary instrument? A friend’s kid in a music therapy program, auditioned in on a brass instrument. This kid was very competent on that instrument for sure, but in the music therapy program itself, is using guitar and other instruments. Kid has also played in marching band and jazz band in college. I really don’t think the expected level of playing at the audition will be the same as a performance major, and the interview will be very important. The experience gained at the summer camp will be valuable. If he’s already playing at an acceptable level for music school auditions and can perform the expected repertoire, I don’t think there’s much to worry about.
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I don’t think so either. However would not want to give my opinion, because I do not know the benchmark for playing level nor the level of your applicant. The only Music Therapists I know started in Music Education and switched.
Wondering if there is some way to get input from current MT students or faculty or recent grads. It is a bit of a niche area.
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I think this is where it gets tricky. He’s good but not great. His private bass teacher says that if was applying to the same schools for performance, he’d have a shot if he worked really hard on his auditions.
Part of the reason he’s not further along is because his music experience is really varied. He sings a lot. He’s in 2 choirs and an a capella group at school, and he sings at the local memory care facility, and uses a lot of music with the little kids he coaches through Special Olympics. The last three summers he’s done musical theater. Plus he’s spent a lot of time the past couple years teaching himself to play the guitar so he can accompany himself.
And all of that is great for an eventual job as a music therapist, because MT’s usually spend a lot of time singing and playing the guitar, and very little time playing the double bass. And MT’s should be singing and playing the music their clients like, so having varied experiences is great.
But it also means that if is competing in an audition with a kid who is playing in multiple ensembles, and practicing 3 hours a day, the other kid has an advantage.
This is what we are hoping. But so far we haven’t gotten confirmation that it’s true.
Have you asked the music therapy people at the schools where he is applying about the audition expectations? I’d try that avenue as well, but if it were my kid, and he was excited about the summer opportunity, I’d do that. I think his background on multiple instruments and choir will be in his favor as well.
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He sent emails to a few of his top choices asking that question. He got a reply from one school saying that admissions are “holistic” and they will look at him from a variety of perspectives.
To be clear, he is going to camp. He signed the contract. He’s just anxious.