My dd (current HS Sophomore) is contemplating pursuing a music major in college - Viola instrumental - she has significantly stepped up her practicing and pursuit of music programs. She is in a competitive city orchestra and is deciding between 2 music programs this summer. In terms of level, she is low advanced - my best guess based on what she’s playing now and the programs she was admitted to.
We are visiting my DS in college next month who is a music major (not Viola), and are contemplating trying to set up a trial lesson with the Viola professor when we are there.
How would a music professor assess the ability level of a kid who has two more years to go? I would not want the lesson to count against my DD since she’s not as advanced as a kid who is currently auditioning and applying to college. Should we assume that a professor factors that in during a trial lesson? The goal is to expose my DD to a college - level music professor as well as starting to build a relationship with a teacher at a school that my DD could end up applying to in 2027.
If this is too early, when is the ideal time?
Thank you!
@RAJ_mom, check out threads dedicated to Music Major admissions process there is one
to help kids and their families each year, this is the current one:
Really supportive community, check it out!
I think that true pre-admissions trying to get a fit or get to know the professor sample lesson usually happens between the spring of Junior year and fall/winter of Senior year. There are also some sample lessons and conversations when students are trying to choose a school from the list of schools that accept them by that point. But there are some exceptions, for example if students have a chance to schedule these lessons during summer festivals - with program instructors or visiting musicians.
What is the goal of having her have the sample lesson so early? Your daughter should also seek advice from her private teacher. Private teachers are usually guiding their students through the application process, and they know the kids they teach and their abilities really well!
Good luck!
This. Those private teachers are also very familiar with the audition repertoire and sometimes even the applied instrument teachers at some places. They should be your first stop.
I wouldn’t do a lesson during sophomore year. There is one full year of music growth that will take place, plus the hopeful likelihood that the types of repertoire your kid is playing will become more advanced. I’d wait.
And if they are going to a great summer program, the applied faculty there might also have some suggestions!
I would wait, as others have said. She can build relationships with teachers at summer programs. Does she have access to a conservatory/university level teacher at home?
Agree with everyone above to wait a year or so. Although if there is a master class, rehearsal or concert she can attend (as an audience member not participating in a master class) that might be very inspiring and beneficial.
Actually, both of our kids participated in master classes as sophomores (and after). BUT these were recommended by their private applied instrument teachers at the time…who knew if they were appropriate or not.
Yes, mine too. But I agree it would be advised to have this coordinated by the student’s private teacher.
My son is a violist. His first “trial lesson” was at the beginning of his sophomore year, following the suggestion of his private teacher. We were helping our daughter (not music major) move back to college, and dropped him off at the music building.
The main reason (I guess) for this arrangement was that he made the highest group all-state orchestra (in Texas there are three groups) as freshman, so his private teacher doubled down encouraging him to go professional and started contacting viola professors on his behalf.
We’re not a musical family, had no professional musician in extended family, and knew nothing about the music world. I must say that our experience with the professional violists and viola professors are very different from what I’ve heard from parents of some student musicians (piano, violin, cello, etc.). The viola professors are all very nurturing, even to a 10th grader, never harsh or condescending. My son worked with several viola professors starting 10th grade, some private lessons, some master lessons, some summer festivals, some online, some in person. All of them, even the ones he eventually decided not to apply to their studios, have been nothing but supportive. I believe it’s how they treated him made my son decide to go for a BM degree. It made me feel that viola is a special instrument.
The benefit (that my son felt) of getting in touch with the professors early on was that by the time of audition they had witnessed his growth (and had been part of it); the risk was if he slacked off they would all know.
Both my kids did sample lessons and this timing felt perfect. Both in terms of their direction and feel of fit. And feeling confident enough to sit with a college professor. Also at a place where they could watch youtube college performances and feeling like that was in range for them.
I wouldn’t start yet with a sophomore. That said, once audition season starts senior year, I wouldn’t ask either. Though some schools will offer them up during an audition weekend.
Now that said, does your child’s current private teacher regularly work with students that launch to college program? Does your child do any work shops, master classes, summer programs? That can be a decent way to kind of be networking along the way. My daughter’s last 2 years of high school she worked with a teacher on faculty at a local university. She was a wealth of knowledge and help while we were going through the process. She also had some contacts at schools she auditioned at.
I have a violist the exact same grade and so I hear you on all of this! I think there is an important distinction between working with college-level faculty and setting up a true trial lesson. I would not set up a trial lesson now in most circumstances – it is too early, and to be honest, most faculty won’t even do it. Of course, violists are in high demand, so there is a little more flexibility there, but it really is too early in most cases.
This is not to say that your child can’t work with college-level faculty and get a sense of where she is. My daughter played for a Juilliard professor in a masterclass at age 13 and a Colburn professor at age 14. They both very clearly understood her age and that this was a masterclass situation, not an assessment for college. She also worked with other college-level faculty at multiple summer programs at age 13 and 14 to get the same kind of feedback. This is likely the best way to get advice and assessment.
I would leave true, actual trial lessons until the summer of junior year.
these are great questions. My DD has a great teacher who provides inspiration, motivation and technical playing skills, but she has a studio of primarily younger or more casual students… in other words, she does not typically have students that pursue music in college. We would not switch teachers but should probably consider getting a supplemental teacher to assist with this process. I will be on the lookout for master classes as well. Great advice!
Great advice. The faculty member that we were thinking of reaching out to also teaches at a summer program although not one of the two that my DD was accepted to this summer. Because my DD is likely to be interested in applying to this school, I think we should wait until next year so that she is more confident with her playing and the timing.
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Just my opinion, but having more than one teacher at HS age is often not optimal for either the teachers or the student.
Teachers tend to be unhappy with having another teacher as a regular part of the student’s development.
And students can struggle with potentially conflicting input, especially at younger ages.
This is an interesting perspective and helpful. Part of the challenge is that I’m not entirely sure of her level relative to the expectations for many of these college programs. I know that she started playing audition level repertoire (Hoffmeister, and is now looking at more advanced pieces) and that she has been accepted into moderately competitive summer programs. She did not apply to the most competitive ones this summer.
I think I’m beginning to answer my own question… that we need to find some additional, expert teaching resources who can guide her through this journey. Like you, we are not a musical family!
Fortunately, her teacher is highly supportive of supplemental coaching because she is primarily a violin teacher (an incredible one), who also plays viola and helped my DD make the switch over a couple of years ago. She is fairly well connected in the violin world and agrees that a viola “expert” could be helpful to my DD.
Here is my opinion. If your viola player is ready to have a more challenging teacher, then find one. Is there a community division program at a music college near you? Do you know where to find viola teachers who are the next level?
I will say…in our experience with piano and trumpet, the first teachers were the ones who recommended that our kids move to a higher level of instruction.
Our musician started with a music teacher friend. He then began lessons at the community division of a conservatory nearby. That teacher then suggested our kid needed to take lessons with the first chair on the instrument from our city symphony.
This progression is not an unusual one for students planning to major in performance.
I appreciate the direct advice. I hadn’t really thought of it in terms of a next level teacher… but you are correct that we need to seriously consider this option. thank you
I do feel like sophomore year is too early for a trial lesson. We had the best experiences fall of senior year and even when the lesson was the day after the audition. Professors typically don’t have time to be bothered unless the kid is close to actually becoming an applicant.
I agree with what others have said about getting the best teacher you can find. Are you near a professional level symphony and do any of the members give lessons? Is there anyone who ended up “really good” from your area that you know and can figure out who they studied with? For most people, it’s their teacher’s connection to the person teaching at the college that gets them noticed, not so much a direct connection between the college teacher and the student. Sometimes you can meet college professors at summer or other festivals, and that’s a good start, but the most important thing is that your individual teacher already has the connections to the “big players” that can help you when it comes time to get noticed in the college search.
If you want to major in performance, you will have to switch teachers, ideally to somone who plays in a major symphony - I wrote about this in a separate comment.
What if you are rural? Do they all assume you study with somebody famous? This explains why my kid was asked about his teacher at auditions.