The summer before applying for music therapy

Sportsball
Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:47:10 +0000

Parentof2014grad:

What level is he at now on his primary instrument?

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.

Parentof2014grad:

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.

This is what we are hoping. But so far we haven’t gotten confirmation that it’s true.