There isn’t any major symphony where we live. Somehow every year some kids go to college for music performance - curtis, shepherd, eastman, SMTD, bienen, jacobs, to name a few in the recent 5 years.
3 Likes
It doesn’t have to be someone famous. But our music major did have to travel 45 minutes or so each way for his lessons once we left the local teachers. But they encouraged this move…and they were right.
Our kids also spent all day Sunday doing precollege wind ensemble and orchestra, and chamber groups…also at the 45 minute away location (one for 4 years, the other for three). This was in addition to taking lessons on two instruments.
1 Like
3 hours away from us. One way.
I just think if the expectation is that kids who don’t go through these lengths are just not serious? I can’t imagine assuming this but who knows.
1 Like
I don’t think (generally) panelists are inquiring about the private teacher to see if your the teacher is someone famous. Sometimes they may be asking to see if it is someone they know, or know other students who studied with the same teacher. This may help them understand the background/foundation your kid is coming from.
I don’t think the main requirement for choosing a teacher should be that they are a famous player. Some very famous players are excellent teachers, others are not.
However, finding a teacher who works well with your kid and has a good understanding of the music performance application/audition process cannot be understated. Ideally you want someone who has had success with students going on to music performance programs. Most of the time this is someone who either teaches at the college/conservatory level or plays professionally.
Remember that your kid’s audition is what matters. The panel is not going to accept or decline an applicant based on who their current teacher is. But the current teacher has so much influence on preparing the student. Not just the preparation in repertoire, but guidance in where to apply.
Some of the students in my son’s conservatory are from rural areas. They were able to study remotely at times or travel for lessons.
1 Like
Virtual lessons! My flutist took and gave virtual lessons during COVID and continued doing so after. But having a youth orchestra or chamber group experience is still very much in-person activity. We knew kids driving with their families for 1, 2, 3 hours & more one way to attend weekly youth orchestras’ rehearsals in Atlanta. I imagine it was not easy, or convenient, or cheap.
I am happy to see some changes happening in audition the process, and in music education in general, to make it more accessible, equitable and affordable, but it is still not.
2 Likes
You can also do a hybrid approach. My violist studies with a violinist weekly, and then monthly with a top conservatory viola teacher. It is working very well right now. Obviously, both teachers need to be on board with this.
1 Like
It’s not that the kids aren’t serious. It’s that they should be pursuing a high level of instruction. Perhaps the teacher this student has can do this. I’d be asking!
And in this case, perhaps once a month coaching might be the compromise.
You might get better feedback after the summer program.
My musician son was always tops in the state (and our state is a competitive one). BUT when he got to his first summer program after 8th grade, he realized everyone there was the top. He made the top orchestra, but not first chair. He worked his tail off to do so the following summer…and did. That also coincided with his change in private teachers. He just needed to up his game.
1 Like
Yes, mine was so excited about SF Youth Symphony. But once they sent us actual schedule, we realized it wasn’t just on Saturdays and that he would have to quit school if we were to realistically spend 6-8 hours commuting (8 with traffic) often multiple times a week. I wish we could have just moved to SF.
1 Like
thank you for this. Very helpful!
I have found the exact same thing about the viola world through my son! He’s had the opportunity to have very supportive experiences. There is only one person that he has auditioned for and had some email contact with that has not fit this scenario, but that person seems like an outlier.
I know kids who travel 2-4 hours each way for lessons, so even if you’re rural, if there is anyone within a half day driving range that gives lessons, I’ve seen it done… Sure, kids can get into high level schools without it, but it’s not going to be as common, and it’s probably not going to end up in as high of merit scholarships. Now, anyone who qualifies for lots of need based aid doesn’t need to worry about merit scholarships as much, but a lot of these high level musicians tend to come from areas around major cities, so salaries are inflated and although they’re not “rich,” they aren’t qualifying for much need aid (hence, why chasing merit through any means possible including teacher connections matters so much).
*And it’s not so much about the teacher being famous, it’s about the teacher being “friends” (having the network) with the teachers at the schools you’re auditioning at. The way we got most trial lessons? The teacher made a call. What happened directly after most auditions? The college teacher called our teacher since these people all know each other. How we got scholarships and fellowships to summer programs? oftentimes… teacher’s connections had a lot to do with it.
1 Like
It’s really terrible. That’s all I will say.
2 Likes
My D (clarinet) didn’t do any lessons sophomore year but did attend a “Music Major for a Day” event at a localish (2 hours away) university. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to one day be a music major or what that truly meant. Up to that point she’d been in honors bands, master classes and summer music camp (not high level admission but had high level talent). The day at the college really showed her that yes this is what she wants for herself and no she doesn’t want to go to this school. She’s our only child and we’re community college graduates so preparing for the college admission process was already daunting then add in the extra difficulty of a music major, I wanted to be certain this was the right path. She did her lessons winter junior year to early fall senior year. Good luck with this journey!
3 Likes
I’m not sure I agree it’s terrible. And of course, all this also assumes that the student is actually a top performer in their instrument or has the ability to get there quickly. If they’re not, no amount of teacher networking will do much good.
For the group of “best” students, however, I think this makes sense. Lots of jobs in life are gotten by networking. Promotions certainly tend to be, so if you want to be promoted from a “great musician” to someone people actually know and are rooting for, you have to make the connections to get there.
When a connection gets you in over an equally qualified kid, it’s terrible. My personal thought. Getting into music school shouldn’t be about connections. It’s not the same as getting a job.
1 Like
You said equally qualified though. At the top of these instrument pools, many kids are just a hare better or worse than their “next best” peer, and it can become kind of subjective, hence anything that gives you an edge makes the difference over what, otherwise, could be a bit of a toss up regardless. Again, I don’t think anyone must go out of their way to network, but everyone should understand that it can be done with the right amount of research and effort and often IS done.
1 Like
In our situation, the connections gave our kid a starting off point when looking for colleges to apply to. His private teachers knew a lot of those applied teachers at different colleges, and that was helpful information to have. As I said upstream, some names came up by multiple people, and that was helpful.
Your child will get accepted (or not) as a music performance major based on the strength of their audition compared to others auditioning in the same instrument that same year. NOT because they happen to know a certain applied teacher.
Adding, that LOR from the private teachers are allowed at some places. Your student’s strength in playing can be noted by the private teacher.
1 Like
Can I suggest something? Instead of calling it a trial lesson, ask for an assessment of her playing. You likely will have to pay for it, but an assessment can give her an idea of where her playing is, what she needs to work on, things like that. It takes away any pressure with it being called a sample lesson.
That’s a good idea. Thank you!!
My first post here. For Medea- and other rural parents.
We sent our daughter to Walnut Hill, an arts boarding high school, that is in partnership with NEC prep. At our income, she qualified for financial aid that made it affordable.
While hard to have her away, easier and better for her than some of the 3-5 hour commutes that I have heard parents do. We and she have been very happy with the program and the progression and contacts she has made. (She’ll be applying to conservatories in the Fall.) Interlochen is similar.