The Oboe BBoard

The Oboe BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: music schools

Author: cjwright
Date: 2008-12-10 06:52

First of all, you should reed Martin Schuring's PREPARING FOR AND CHOOSING A COLLEGE which gives a very good list of things you should check into before you make a decision. In my opinion, the following takes priority:

1. Teacher. Know the teacher, and know what it's like to take a lesson from the teacher. If you can afford it, drive or fly there to take a lesson during winter/spring break. Know the teacher's sound, and make sure you want to sound like that. There's nothing worse than studying with a teacher who's trying to change your reeds and air support to make you sound like them, when you don't want to sound anything like them. (Been there, done that, not fun.) Also, make sure you'll get to have time with the teacher. Some teachers are just in and out of the school once a week to teach lessons.

2. Playing opportunities. Does the school have enough spots open in Wind Ensemble/Orchestra for you to get a turn? Perhaps you'll have to wait until your Junior or Senior year, but make sure you're going to get enough cracks at the ensembles.

3. Location. I had the best time of my life as a freshman in Boston. It was big, hard, and lonely, but there was so much to explore. Other factors to consider is whether it's within striking distance to home. Juilliard is in Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Oberlin is in the boonies.

4. Other tangents. Does the school have good student housing? Is the studio very friendly (i.e. reed room parties, oboe nerdy stuff) or cut throat competitive?

Finally, I will mention that 50%-75% of the time, the spots in Curtis/Juilliard/Oberlin/CIM/Eastman (the most competitive oboe schools at the moment) are already somewhat "reserved". Douvas does summer camps, and both Douvas and Woodhams teach at Aspen. There is Mack Camp taught by the Cleveland oboists, and Alex Klein is all over the place doing masterclasses and such. More often than not, the top teachers know exactly who they want to accept even before the audition, so if you're really serious about trying to get into one of the schools, I'd take at LEAST one lesson, if not two or three. I know this can be a costly proposition ($100/hr lesson, $100 hotel, $50 food/transportation, and whatever on the plane ticket!) but this is really the best way to try to get into a top school. These teachers know the teachers at all of the best music prep schools (Dan Stolper at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Richard Dallessio at Juilliard Prep, Ferillo and Ahlbeck at NEC prep, Castillo at Idyllwood Arts) and keep tabs on the top students there, not to mention their own private students who usually take priority!

So what I'm trying to say is that the chances of getting into one of these schools is very very slim, and sometimes it requires more than "a really good audition" to get into the school you want. I know Curtis used to take 1 or 2 a year, Juilliard took 3 or 4, Oberlin, CIM, and Eastman take 4 a year. Add those up and that's no more than 20 spots for all of the incoming students (plus count a couple of transfer students.) Do the math of all the kids in the prep schools and private studios, and the numbers come out quite steep.

Finally, make sure Curtis is taking an oboe this year. Some years they don't.

Hope this helps.

"Also, what would you consider a good indicator of a person's readiness to audition at a top notch school?"

-Solid mozart concerto, 1st or 3rd movement. Perhaps Strauss mvt. 1
-a faster Barret Grand Study, up to speed (I know several favor #7) or a technically challenging Ferling
-Solid foundation of embouchure, air, and tone production. Few top caliber teachers want to spend the time teaching a student how to physically play the oboe; they want to spend time teaching a student how to make music.

Blog, An Oboe In Paradise
Solo Oboe, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra

Post Edited (2008-12-10 06:57)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics