 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mom
Date: 2011-03-29 14:18
My daughter was accepted to these 2 very different programs for Clarinet Performance as a Freshman. I would very much appreciate any comments on the overall programs. We did not get to visit CMU and are thinking about a trip soon. They will both be expensive options for us, and we are fortunate that both places have very fine teaching. We are more interested in the overall programs, caliber of the students in general, and potential for opportunities after graduation.
I am hoping that this does not start another discussion on the uselessness and absurdity of spending thousands of dollars on a clarinet performance degree! I know. I know.
thanks!
moganbaum@aol.com
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Author: curiousclarinetist
Date: 2011-03-29 14:44
I know people that have gone to U of M and they are all fantastic musicians. From what I've heard the caliber of playing is very high. They are one of the top rated music schools in the country. The clarinet faculty is also very good.
I don't know anything about CMU. A visit would be a good idea. Has your daughter had lessons with the teachers at both schools? She needs to decide who she wants to study with. The teacher is the most important thing in the development of your daughter's playing.
Congratulations for your daughter for being accepted to those schools! She is fortunate to have someone that believes in her and is willing to help her work towards her dreams. Best of luck to you and your daughter!
Curious Clarinetist
http://curiousclarinetist.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Curious-Clarinetist/155848744465821
Post Edited (2011-03-29 14:46)
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Author: BassClarinetBaby
Date: 2011-03-29 15:30
Shouldn't your daughter be making this decision - not you?
Never Bb, sometimes B#, and always B natural! ♫♪
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-03-29 15:52
Curious hit it on the head, your daughter needs to make arrangements to take a lesson with the teachers of her choice and decide on the best fit. She also needs to look at the opportunities to take courses other than music that may interest her. Have her read the article titled "Follow Your Dreams" on my website. It is not absurd to spend a fortune on a music degree as long as the student doesn't have to graduate with a hundred thousand dollars plus in student loans, as long as it is affordable and both of you know what to expect when she graduates. No school has any decent placement program after graduation. They may give the student information and help identify opportunities available but for the most part it depends on the student auditioning for a job and being able to win. I think most schools list the openings in symphony and service bands etc.
I taught at Peabody for many years and I alway appreciated a student contacting me for a lesson before making their decision. That way I knew if I wanted to accept the student and they knew if they were comfortable with me before showing up for their first lesson of the school year. Have her take the lessons. If the school has more than one teacher she needs to find out which one she will likely be assigned to if she attends. Some teachers loads may be full or unwilling to accept her based on her audition. It depends of how those schools assign students to teachers. Not all schools do it as we did when I taught at Peabody. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Mom
Date: 2011-03-29 23:33
I truly apologize and feel like such an idiot. By CMU I mean "Carnegie Mellon University". I'm sorry that you spent so much time on your response, clarinetguy! I changed the title to clarify.
And yes of course daughter will be making her own decision. I was just trying to get some basic information before making the long and costly trip out from the west coast.
I truly appreciate everyone's help.
Post Edited (2011-03-29 23:34)
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2011-03-30 01:01
While I wasn't a music major, I graduated from Carnegie Mellon. CMU is a great school but your daughter needs to know whether she wants an orchestral focus or a band focus. CMU is very orchestral focused. I have very strong opinions on the leadership there (I'm not a fan -- I'll leave it at that) but the clarinet professors, Mike Rusinek and Tommy Thompson, both with the Pittsburgh Symphony, are superb from what I hear. Thompson is the teacher for those doing any type of harmony clarinet (Eb, Bass, etc.) and seems to be very good for those who want to go into teaching or conducting while Rusinek typically has the performance majors for those who want to perform for a living. If I recall correctly the student's choice is a major factor in which teacher he or she chooses so that's a really good thing - it's not a crap shoot. The band is great and the conductor excellent. Same goes for the orchestra, where they just hired a new director. The school suffers from TERRIBLE attendance at performances - the worst I've ever experienced in my life (part of the reason I dislike the leadership - the dean said this was one of his priorities when he hired on - no change to date four years later) but it can be better for some of the higher profile orchestra events such as the student composer concert (playing works from the composition department) and the Heinz Hall concert.
The music building, right next to the library, is pretty neat but the facilities are a bit outdated. The recital halls are okay and the studios are sufficient. CMU prides itself on cross-discipline engagements and it's not uncommon to see interesting projects combining computer science, music, and chemistry or any other odd mix of studies. The overall environment of the university is really quite cool. It's pretty self-contained in north Oakland (which is in east Pittsburgh) but is easily accessible to any of the major universities in the area (Carlow, Chatham, Pitt, Duquesne, Robert Morris, etc.). There is a good collaboration program among the PCHE consortium of schools that allows students to take a max of one class each semester at another university so if she is interested in an interesting music class at Duquesne, she can take it at no cost and it will go on her transcript as a pass/fail class.
The music school is just one major in which students spend their days and nights, weekdays and weekends studying or practicing or some other academic endeavor. The work is no joke - there's a lot of it. But there's plenty of opportunities to pursue the things that one desires.
I could go on and on but if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me off the board. I also used to interview for the admissions department so can give you some background or info on any of the standard school info and such.
Good luck!
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2011-03-30 02:03
Agree with Ed, your daughter ultimately needs to take a lesson at both schools and see who she likes best. That being said, I am a little biased, as I am a graduate of the University of Michigan. Dan Gilbert and Chad Burrow are both fantastic players, educators, and mentors. The combined studio is at a very high ability and students are from all over the country and world. The ensembles are top notch and the School of Music and The University fosters a great learning environment. If you email either professor at UM, I'm sure they can arrange a lesson, esp. if she has been accepted into the school. But as mentioned before, she should take lessons from both schools to see which fit works best for her.
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Author: bullittcar
Date: 2011-04-01 15:09
I had the opportunity to study with Chad Burrow, one of the faculty at Mich., while I lived in OK. Chad is AMAZING. Great player, excelent teacher and very accessable. Plus he is one of the nices and most humble guys you will ever meet. He plays as much as he can so a student can hear his teaching consepts applied in person. One of the best things I can say about him is that every time I hear him he is better. He takes his own progress as seriously as his students. I don't know anything about the other teachers or programs but you can't go wrong with Chad!!!!!!!
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Author: smb9220
Date: 2011-04-01 16:08
Michigan has another terrific teacher -- Dan Gilbert. Dan is the former clarinetist in the Cleveland Orchestra. I recently saw him conduct a master class with students and he is a very talented teacher (along with being a very talented player). Plus he's a great guy.
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