Klarinet Archive - Posting 000362.txt from 2003/07

From: Jeremy A Schiffer <schiffer@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] summer practicing
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 10:46:10 -0400

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, KIMBER FAITH wrote:

> I want to try to go to Juliard ... anyways, I was wondering if anyone
> could give me tips or pointers on how to, well, better my credentials
> starting now so I can have a better chance of getting into Juliard

As others have said, find a good teacher. Play in every ensemble you can.
Practice, practice, practice. Go to music stores and buy every piece of
music that looks interesting. Learn everything that you buy; don't let it
sit there on your shelf unread.

But let me tell you a little secret. If you're not a violin or piano
player, Julliard is well overrated. As far as the clarinet, the teachers
at the Manhattan School of Music (http://www.msm.edu) are just as good -
it's essentially the same staff. That is probably the best choice if you
want to be in New York City (there's also Mannes College
(http://www.mannes.edu) which has the same great teachers as well,
though it doesn't have the same name recognition to the general public).
Or, since you happen to be female, you can go to Barnard College, an
all-women school right across the street from the Ivy League's Columbia
University, and enroll in a duel programs with Julliard or MSM (so that
you can have a liberal arts education in addition to the music).

And as far as getting into MSM and Mannes, credentials don't mean a thing
- it's all about how you play. If you are truly serious about wanting to
play professionally, you have more than enough time in the next four years
to bring yourself to the level needed to gain admission to one of these
conservatories, presuming you are talented to begin with...

Good luck!

-jeremy
http://klezmer.org

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/