 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Netty
Date: 1999-06-25 22:11
Hi! I was wondering...how hard is it to get into the elite music schools such as Julliard ( I KNOW that is hard) and Eastman etc. I would like to transfer to one next spring. Does a lot have to do with your connections? Is it very political? what kind of experiences have you guys had with music schools?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-06-25 22:27
It has everything to do with your audition, somewhat to do with your marks, and something to do with your current teacher's recommendation.
The "politics" have to do with the last one; through connections and personal history, it's easier to get accepted into any school if in fact your current teacher knows the teacher at the school you'd like to enter, and has provided several quality students before. Each teacher likes to succeed and have their students go on to become "players", and being provided with good students is the easiest way for that to happen. Unfortunate in some cases, but true.
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Author: A. Brown
Date: 1999-06-26 05:44
Hello,
My daughter (viola) auditioned this spring at Peabody Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, Cleveland Insitute of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard School. This all took a month of time away from home and university (freshman year) since we live on the west coast and the auditions were all about a week or so apart. She was accepted at all except Juilliard (where the acceptance rate is 8%, and half the students are graduate students) and has decided to attend Oberlin next year to study with Roland Vamos. The auditions were an excellent way to measure herself against other students who were also hoping for a career in music. The audition results really helped her confidence, because it's a competitive field.
If you want to transfer, it is better to enter in fall. Next fall, fill out all the applications and sign up for the auditions. If you are really serious, audition in person. My daughter was called back for a couple of private interview-lessons. At audition time you will also take a theory test. Oberlin generally wants transfer students to take all their required music classes within the Oberlin music department, although general studies courses will transfer just fine. Her previous university theory, lessons, orchestra, and chamber music don't transfer, according to what we have been told at this point.
Choose your school by the teacher; you will be asked about your teacher preference.
An important part of the audition process was the preparation for the auditions, done by her local teacher. Read the audition requirements carefully.
My daughter's advice also: know by SIGHT the people who are likely to be present during the audition, because you are going to want to know who is talking to you!
Good luck.
A. Brown
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-06-26 18:02
A. Brown wrote:
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Her previous university theory, lessons, orchestra, and chamber music don't transfer, according to what we have been told at this point.
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You may have to fight a bit on this point. At least freshman theory should be transferable.
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Author: A. Brown
Date: 1999-06-27 00:54
Hello Mark,
My daughter could get theory credit if she had tested well on the entrance theory test. She didn't, and felt that her preparation was inadequate. The UW class is taught by TA's rather than the professors, and it has a reputation for not being too wonderful. She agrees it would be best to start over again. Oberlin is making sure that their students are well-grounded, and I agree. She is attending as a viola major, and the basic music classes are very imortant. There is a difference within Oberlin as to acceptance of music classes in the Conservatory and general classes in the College. The other conservatories had this same policy of requiring testing rather than paper credits for theory.
As far as chamber music, the more the better, she thinks! Orchestra: the conservatories want their good students playing in their big groups the whole time.
More hints: My daughter filled out all the applications herself (five of them) but had trouble sorting out what she had mailed to whom. She had to get a lot of transcripts, recommendations, transfer releases, and each school had different additional forms. When we parents did the financial aid forms, it was clear that we should have started earlier. Get the FAFSA and Profile in as quickly as possible; do your income tax as early as possible, and keep copies of everything you send if you can. Keep a checklist for each school to make sure you sent everything. I found I ended up making a lot of long-distance calls during working hours to check up on missing paperwork, and I found that the admissions people were universally pleasant, even when I requested the same replacement forms twice! Then there was the added problem of the daughter losing important papers in her messy dorm room. And then she lost the entrance questionaire and reply card for Oberlin.
I feel the expense of sending her east, with plane tickets, hotels, and living expenses was well worth it. If she hadn't gotten in, it would have been a clear message to find another field. About half the time she stayed with friends near Baltimore. The most expensive place was New York. She traveled with a fellow viola student, and they shared accomodations and provided support and companionship for each other.
A. Brown
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-06-27 04:45
A. Brown wrote:
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[snip]
I had similar problems - Cleveland lost the entire packet of forms from us. I know they were sent, since I dropped them in the mail at the same time as the apps to NEC, and NEC got the stuff. I called Cleveland, and got everything in via the Internet/Email, even though we were 3 weeks "late".
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Author: angella
Date: 1999-07-02 08:04
i'd say yes to all of those. it does depend on how well you play, but (no offense to anyone) i've heard players one from eastman (a clarinet) and one from julliard (an oboe) and they aren't anything great. the point is, it depends a lot on you, as an individual and the dynamics with your studio teacher. the specific clarinet player is teaching now at a university, and doesn't sound any better than my collegues. so, you can be as good as you want, however, unless you're really great, those schools are really expensive as well. pick a place where you like the teacher. see what kind of money you can get and decide if you can either afford it, or want to take out loans. i also know a clarinetist who joined the army band because she didn't want to deal with the 70,000 loan debt from eastman. it's up to you. look also into schools that GIVE money-- like rice, where i go, which is outstanding. it's so personal, but asking around is definately good to do. I've heard one pro say that he had students go to (i think eastman) and study with grant and didn't like him and some go to combs, but thier sounds went down-hill. anyway.... ask as many people as you can! good luck.
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