by ťĆšĎapp

The best summer music camp or program can be a challenge to find. That’s why ťĆšĎapp is here to help you figure out what to look for and how to find one or more options that fit with your interests.Ěý

Start by asking yourself: What do you want to experience in a summer music program? Which of these grab your interest?

• Receive private lessons
• Study with a specific teacher
• Find people to perform and jam and collaborate with
• Learn how to practice more efficiently and effectively
• Learn to compose
• Meet music mentors
• Learn music production skills
• Learn music theory
• Improve sight-reading proficiency
• Enhance songwriting ability
• Learn aural skills
• Prepare for auditions
• Deal with performance anxiety
• Take master classes

Then ask yourself: What besides music would you like to explore or participate in? Water sports? Theatre and/or dance? Trips to local places of interest or concerts? Specific geographical areas or colleges?

What kind of environment do you want to be in?

• • Advanced, intermediate or beginner level?
  • Competitive vs. relaxed?Ěý
  • Are you willing to audition to be accepted?
  • Location: In the U.S.? Where? Outside the U.S.? Where?
  • In-person?ĚýResidential? Commuter? Virtual?
  • Is there a specific school you’d like to learn more about by attending their summer program?

Your timing:

How long of a program can you commit to? Does your available timing match up with programs you’re interested in?

Affordability:

Can you afford the program or programs you’re interested in? Do you need financial assistance? (Financial support often requires applying early.)

Other considerations or limitations: Anything that will affect your applying or your decision?

 

Different Strokes for Different Folks

There are several types of summer programs to consider.

1. Performing arts camps

• Take lessons and get practice and performance opportunities in a well-rounded summer experience.
• Meet other musicians wanting a strong music program within a full camp experience.
• Participate in traditional camp activities such as water and land sports, hiking, social events, overnight excursions, crafts, etc.

2. Programs on college campuses

• Experience the campus, faculty, dorms and meet other prospective students at a school where you may want to apply.
• Take lessons from faculty you may end up studying with – and have them get to know you and give feedback about your proficiency before you audition.
• Experience the location – how do you like the area? Would it work to be there for four years?
• Gain college planning and audition skills.

3. Instrument and genre-focused programs

• Immerse yourself in your area of musical focus and passion.
• Meet lifelong friends and mentors in your field.

4. Music festivals

• Meet faculty who perform all over the world as well as a select group of advanced music students with shared interests.

5. International summer music programs

• Immerse yourself in another culture.
• Discover how a different culture informs your playing or singing, your compositions and your arrangements.
• Meet mentors and fellow students from around the world.
• Do some traveling while you’re away.

Whatever you choose, know that you will gain knowledge and experience that may excite you to want to pursue music as your focus in college – or not. Either way, it will be time and money well spent and you’ll hopefully come away with increased music proficiency, new friends, and information about yourself that will serve you well into the future.

Learn More: Annual Summer Music Camps & Programs Guide

Photo credit: Ethan Cisneros for

 

Not all schools offer the option to apply Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) for music.

But for those that do, it’s vitally important to research ED and EA before applying.

What does Early Decision mean for a music applicant?

• Apply earlier than the regular decision time – typically in November (up to a month earlier).Ěý

• Receive notification about acceptance early, typically in December.

• ED is binding. You, your parents or legal guardians, and your high school counselor sign an agreement stating you are committed to attending the school you’re applying to ED if you get an acceptance.Ěý

• If you accept an ED offer, you must withdraw all other applications and forfeit any outstanding auditions.Ěý

• You may need to send a nonrefundable deposit before May 1 to the school you’re accepted to ED.

• Since ED is binding, apply to only one school as an ED applicant. Apply to other schools as a regular admission applicant.

• You won’t know what merit and other financial assistance will be offered until after you’re accepted.

Who is a good candidate for applying Early Decision?

• Students who are confident in their first-choice school.

• Students whose GPA fits with the school where they’re applying.Ěý

• Students who believe the school matches their own criteria for choosing a “good fit” school.Ěý

• Students who find the financial obligation manageable if they are accepted to their ED choice, since they won’t know the merit and other financial assistance they’ll be offered when they apply.

Upsides of applying early

• The application ordeal is over sooner assuming you’re accepted.Ěý

• Fewer applications to fill out save time and expense.

• If you’re not accepted, you’ll know sooner so you can rethink your plans and apply elsewhere.Ěý

Downsides of applying ED

• Lack of time and/or financial means to visit schools early to decide where to apply ED.

• Inability to compare scholarship and financial aid offers before you’re accepted.

• Not knowing for sure what your cost of attendance will be until your acceptance comes through and any scholarships/financial aid offers are clarified.

• Not being able to compare and contrast financial offers from other schools if accepted ED.

Note that some schools offer a binding ED2, where the deadline for applying is later than ED1, sometimes as late as the regular decision application deadline. Other schools offer non-binding ED2. Be sure you know the expectations of each school before you apply!

What about Early Action?

• Early Action is not binding.Ěý

• Apply early but not as early as ED.

• Receive notification typically in January or February about whether you’re accepted.

• Apply to other schools under regular admission plans.

Does applying early increase your chance of acceptance?

Not necessarily, especially in music. This is a good question to ask the admissions office at each school you’re considering, since every school is different.

Some schools that offer ED and/or EA will not accept you early but will instead re-evaluate your application during the regular admissions timeframe.Ěý

Don’t let your guard down after applying early!

Students who think they can let their academics slide once they’re accepted early could be in for a rude awakening. There are instances where schools have rescinded their offers to students who let their academics go or who got into trouble with the law after applying early.

What if you change your mind after being accepted ED?

This gets tricky. You’ve signed a binding contract. Unless you can demonstrate that you cannot afford the school after they’ve offered financial assistance, you’re obligated. Should the school decide to let you out of the ED, you’ll definitely lose your deposit. And you won’t be able to apply early decision to another school until the next application cycle.

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Thank you to the following for contributing to this article:

Megan Grady, Director of Recruitment & Enrollment
Carnegie Mellon University School of Music

Amanda Harrington, Former Admissions Coordinator
Boston University School of Music

Molly Jewell, Associate Director of Admissions
Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music

Mary Kate Smith, Former Director of Admissions
Lawrence University Conservatory of Music

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Photo by:

Ěý

by Marcus Turner

Playing music in a youth orchestra offers a host of opportunities, from performing to meeting peers who are equally as passionate about music, to preparing for auditions. Let’s take a closer look at how youth orchestras are set up and how they can help you if you’re a serious musician interested in possibly majoring in music.

Just the facts, ma’am

When considering a youth orchestra, you’ll want to first be sure you have all of your facts straight. For instance, does your instrument fit into the orchestra?

Most youth orchestra programs accept all standard orchestral instruments (violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba, percussion). While some orchestral repertoire uses saxophone, standard orchestras do not have a permanent saxophonist (though other opportunities exist in extracurricular wind ensembles where saxophones are needed).

Other things to consider include private lessons, which are often required to join a youth orchestra.

Your first audition!

Membership in a youth orchestra is typically based on an audition. This gives the conductor the opportunity to hear each member of the ensemble before deciding on the pieces the group will perform.

There are often a variety of orchestras available for students as they develop musically. For example, the Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra in Boulder, Colorado consists of three orchestras and one wind ensemble. Executive Director Brian Jack says, “For many of our youngest members, they’re about to complete Suzuki Book 2 and this is their first orchestra experience.”

Regardless of your age and playing level, your audition and the opportunity to receive feedback are invaluable as you decide whether music is the career path for you.

Upping the bar

As musicians develop technically, their ability to play more advanced music develops as well. Advanced youth orchestras offer students the opportunity to experience masterworks by composers such as Beethoven, Brahms and even Mahler. These experiences can be a wonderful complement to the education you receive through your school band or orchestra program and prepare you for an intensive musical education. In fact, according to Julie Strom, orchestra manager for the Denver Young Artists Orchestra, “Approximately 75% of graduated students move on to major or minor in music in college.” The chance to be around other students who share a passion for music-making often leads to lifelong friendships and connections for youth orchestra members as well.

Costs

While the positive experiences that students gain from youth orchestra membership are vast, parents and families often wonder about the costs involved. More and more youth orchestras have begun to incorporate accessibility into their planning to encourage more students to participate. The Youth Orchestras of Fresno, a program based on the El Sistema Model, run an “Accent on Access” program designed to offer students free after-school violin lessons.Ěý Many of these students end up joining the youth orchestras after developing their skills. In addition to programs like these, youth orchestras often offer “need-based” scholarships to assist families with the cost of participation.

Putting in the hours

Being a member of a youth orchestra, as with any team or club, involves a significant time commitment. If you are taking private lessons, playing in your school band or orchestra, and participating in a youth orchestra, you may find that your practice time needs to be increased to keep up. Additionally, rehearsals may take place on weekends or evenings when all students are usually available. Missing even one rehearsal can have a major impact on the success of the orchestra.

While this may seem overwhelming, the experience can be viewed as preparation for college, where deadlines, finals, papers and practice all must go together in harmony. “Regardless of their college majors,” says Brian Jack of the Greater Boulder Youth Orchestra, “all students can benefit from the skills used in youth orchestra, including teamwork, concentration, prioritization, practice, and much more.”

Outside the (conductor’s) box

While youth orchestras can perform standard orchestral repertoire, these organizations may also run special programs. The Chicago Youth Symphony, in addition to its large orchestras, offers a jazz orchestra and steel pan orchestra. The South Bend Youth Symphony includes a special chamber music program that brings students out into the community performing small concerts at bookstores, nursing homes and restaurants.

Key points

Youth orchestras create a community in which musically-inclined students can thrive. Regardless of whether you go on to study music, chemistry or engineering, a youth symphony experience can be a positive guiding force in socialization and development.

If you are considering joining a youth orchestra, here are some questions to ask:

• Do they take my instrument? If not, is there another program I could join that does take my instrument?

• When are rehearsals? Can I fit them into my schedule?

• What does the audition entail? When are auditions held?

• What is the cost of tuition? Are scholarships available?

Once you have answers to these questions and are ready to move forward, you will join a community unlike any other and take one more step in preparing to major in music if that’s your goal.

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Musician and administrator Marcus Turner has worked with the and . He holds degrees in Music Education and Musicology from VanderCook College of Music and the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music.

Photo credits:
Courtesy of Denver Young Artists Orchestra, photography by Doug Zimmerman.

Prospective music majors frequently ask how important test scores, GPAs and academics in general are for getting into music school. Faculty from diverse music schools at ťĆšĎapp presentations have addressed these questions as follows…

First and foremost, remember that all schools are different. Their requirements are not the same. Conservatories are typically less concerned about your high school academics unless you and another prospective music student are being considered by them for the same spot in their upcoming class. That said, conservatories within universities may have higher academic requirements. Dual-degrees and double majors, especially where one of the majors is outside of music, will definitely require a strong academic background. State-related schools vary in terms of the importance of academics. Liberal arts schools with strong music departments will typically expect students to apply with strong test scores and GPAs.

What about AP/IB? How important are they?

Some schools will waive certain required courses if students show a 5,6,or 7 on an IB exam or a 5 on an AP exam. This may allow students to pass out of general education requirements and allow more room for electives, a minor, and/or a double major. Some schools will exempt a student with a high score on the AP Music Theory exam from the first level of Music Theory.

Most schools post on their websites the average GPA and SAT/ACT scores of the previous year’s class. Even if they don’t use academics as a primary decision-making tool for acceptance, they say that it’s important to be strong in reading, writing, and communication skills. They also say that academic performance in high school is an indication of success in college.

We’ve worked hard to compile this list from many sources since we know scholarships for music majors are difficult to find. The list is updated with new opportunities and new deadlines as quickly as we can get the information, so visit often.

Ěý

When you apply for music scholarships –

1. Check scholarship deadlines carefully. Make sure your application arrives before the deadline.

2. Be sure to include all of the information requested. You will be considered based on the thoroughness of your application.

3. Note that while some of these are small scholarships, several small scholarships can add up to a significant chunk of tuition costs.

Link to Participating Music School Scholarship Info

Independent Music Scholarships

Several scholarships for students who are at least 25% Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity. Application deadline: May 31

Fellowships and grants for graduate school non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents. Must have equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree to apply. Application deadline: November.

Scholarships for enrolled members of federal or state recognized tribes or descendants of at least one grandparent or parent who is an enrolled tribal member or Native Corporation member (AK). Application deadline: May 31

Scholarships for offspring of U.S. military members. Several options. Application deadline: March 1

Several scholarships available in many areas of music. Check with the financial aid office at your school to see if a scholarship is available and if you are eligible. Application deadlines vary by program

Annual scholarships for music majors enrolled in undergraduate college-level music programs. Voice/choral majors preferred.ĚýApplication deadline: March 1

Several scholarships available in several areas of music including film/tv/video game composing; classical composing; songwriting in several genres. Application deadlines vary by program.

For Colorado high school seniors nominated for excellence in academics, leadership, and community service. Includes tuition, room, board, stipend to be used at colleges in Colorado. DACA and Colorado ASSET applicants will be considered. Application deadline: November 1 of senior year

Four-year, full-tuition scholarship for high academic achieving high school seniors with active participation and leadership in community or civic service. Application deadline: May 1 or as soon as 3,000 applications are received

Gives up to ten renewable scholarships of $1000 each to pianists age 14 – 17. Application deadline: May 15

Scholarships for high school seniors. Application deadline: September 30

Alternating years feature a competition for violinists and a competition for pianists. Prizes up to $20,000 plus tuition scholarships to Oberlin Conservatory for top finalists. Application Deadline: April

Scholarships are awarded to “extraordinary young people, 18 and under, who have completed a significant piece of work” in several areas including music. Application deadline: February

For grades 11 & 12, need-based, not specifically for music students. Application deadline: December 1

Interest-free loans for students who demonstrate high academic performance and financial need. Application deadline: early April

Generic scholarships for high school, college, grad school and returning students. Categories include ethnicities, LGBTQ, veterans and many others. Application deadlines vary by program.

Financial support for study abroad for a semester or a full year, for currently enrolled undergraduates. Application deadline: First week of February

Full college tuition for Pell-eligible, high-achieving high school seniors from low-income households. Application deadline: September

Scholarships up to $40,000 for college for high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in academics and leadership. Application deadline: Early January

Vocal and instrumental scholarships. Application deadline: April

For anyone between 8-18 who has organized and led an extraordinary service activity tht is clearly benefitting other people of the planet. Ideal for someone who’s made a difference through music. Application deadline: April

Horatio Alger Scholarships are intended for promising students who have critical financial need, demonstrate integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity, and are determined to succeed. Scholarships available for high school juniors, seniors and college students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree, or certificate program. Also available for graduate students. Deadline: depends on year in school.

Young musicians (ages 8-18) are selected for the Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Award. Applicants must be pre-collegiate classical musicians ages 8-18 who demonstrate a high level of musical achievement and financial need. Application deadline: April

JEN offers several scholarships for members. Application deadline: April 15

Student songwriters, ages 17 through 24. Application deadline: January 15

For opera singers, ages 21-35,Ěýpreparing for a professional career in opera. Audition deadlines: January (NY), February (LA).

Vocal scholarships for talented, aspiring singers ages 21 – 28, with a vocal/music study background. Application deadline: September

Scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students participating in a music business program. Distributed by Music Biz’s academic partner institutions. Deadline: March

Competition and award prizes for voice, instrumental music, composition, and music therapy. Also financial awards for attending summer music festivals and programs.
Deadline: Varies by award, typically February, March or May.

Scholarships for enrolled members of federally or state-recognized tribes or descendants of an enrolled member, majoring in voice at the undergraduate level (any genre: classical, contemporary, traditional, or interdisciplinary vocal studies). Application deadline: May 1, 2026

Grad school fellowships offered annually to immigrants and children of immigrants. Up to $90,000 for up to two years. Applications open in spring and deadlines in October

Annual scholarships for full-time college undergraduates of Hellenic descent and based on academic achievement, financial need, or leadership. Application deadline: January

For songwriters and composers of Latin music who are current students at colleges and universities located in the United States and Puerto Rico. Applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 24. All words and music must be original. Application deadline: January

Graduating seniors entering college who identify within the LGBTQ spectrum or as an ally. Application deadlines: vary by state.

Scholarships and grants for student percussionists who are current members of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS). Applications deadline: April

Community college scholarships, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree scholarships.Ěý
Deadline: Varies by scholarship

Schools and communities as well as music students themselves can nominate rising high school seniors for scholarships in these areas – ĚýAtlanta, Bay Area, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Dallas, D.C., Denver, LA, Memphis, Miami, Newark, NYC, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Puerto Rico – Ěýcan nominate rising h.s. seniors for full-tuition Posse Arts Scholarships to Posse partner colleges. Deadline: Check with Posse.

For LGBTQ+ or questioning and residing in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington Application deadline: early January

High school seniors who are legal residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee or Texas. Requires written or video essay about an individual who inspires and motivates you. Application deadlines: March, June, September, and December

Various scholarships offered to challenged learners. Application deadline: varies by scholarship, typically Jan-March

Open to current U.S. residents who are Black or Latino and play the Violin, Viola, Cello or Double Bass. Cash scholarships, summer program scholarships and college/conservatory scholarships. Application deadline: October

$15,000 annual awards for 10-15 California college sophomores or juniors whoĚýundertake a high-impact project in public service or social change in their junior or senior year.
Application deadline: February but date varies by school

Two options: Pat Ostrander 4-Star Collection Quartet Schoarship – for Sweet Adelines quartets to attend one of two vocal events. Bev Sellers Memorial Scholarship: to aid young singers pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy, Music Education, or Music Composition at a four-year university. Deadline for both: mid-February

Cash scholarships and artistic development training for high school students in Southern California in these categories of music: classical and contemporary voice and classical and contemporary instrumental (including jazz, pop and rock). Application deadline: October

Bi-annual scholarships for high school and college music majors whose permanent residence is within 100 miles of Pittsburgh. Application deadline: March

Not specific to music. Available to high school seniors and college undergraduates. Winners selected at random. Eligibility: high school senior planning to enroll in or a current undergraduate college student at an eligible two- or four-year college or university. U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien. Application deadline: October

Classical clarinet, saxophone and jazz categories for U.S. musicians ages 18-23. Application deadline: DecemberĚý

The VSA (international Organization on Arts and Disability) International Young Soloists Award is given annually to young musicians with disabilities ages 14-25. Ensembles with at least one member with a disability are also eligible. Application deadline: January

Women Band Directors International (WBDI) offers scholarships to female college students majoring in music education with the intention of becoming band directors. Application deadline: November 1

Monetary awards to promising high school students in all of the performing and visual arts plus writing. U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts are chosen from YoungArts Finalists. Application deadline: October

Two competitions sponsored by the International Double Reed Society. Competitions alternate annually between oboe and bassoon. Must be a member of the International Double Reed Society. Application deadline: March

NOTE: ťĆšĎapp does not endorse any of the scholarship or financial aid sites listed, nor can we confirm the accuracy of information provided by these sites.

Photo Credit: Kellie Smith for LYNX Camps at (CU Denver)

How does a serious music student relate to constructive feedback and the discomfort that often accompanies it?

by Tom Hynes

Discussions produced by the film “Whiplash” have, to a large extent, been a distraction from a much more common problem in music education. Directors as abusive as Terence Fletcher (played by J.K. Simmons) are rare. By contrast, however, instances of students being oversensitive to criticism or discomfort have risen to an alarming level. For many of today’s music students, the quality of their education is not measured by what they learn, but by how they feel.

Music students who are fundamentally uncomfortable with criticism may be unable to grow from experiences necessary for mastery. Worse, students who lash out at teachers negatively affect their own success, as well as that of their program.

Respect and discomfort

Serious music students must develop a healthy, mature attitude towards constructive criticism—and the inevitable discomfort that comes with it.

It is worth delineating the differences between constructive and destructive criticism, as well as healthy and unhealthy discomfort.

A fundamental ethical principle of all good teaching is respect for the student; cruelty, condescension, intimidation and bigotry have no place in a music classroom, lesson or ensemble. Abusive language and actions by the teacher are an impediment to communication and learning.

However, many students perceive disrespect as anything that causes them discomfort—an attitude that seriously impedes their ability to learn and grow. While a common mantra among fine teachers is, “There is always more than one way to say something,” for some students, there is no form of criticism that’s kind enough or gentle enough.

Student complaints—and parents

Nothing demonstrates the trend of oversensitive and entitled students more than the parents who complain to—or about—a high school music teacher because their child has experienced discomfort of some sort. Those parents send problematic messages to their children, including:

• The intensity of their feelings is sufficient to establish the validity of their complaint, the fault of the teacher, and their entitlement to redress;
• They are not obligated to consider the authority, experience or expertise of the teacher, or listen to a response;
• They are excused or protected from direct adult conversation and conflict resolution.

Teachers are not flawless. All reputable schools have an appeals process, should direct communication not produce resolution. But the number and severity of student complaints over perceived offenses have become major sources of stress for many music instructors.

Entitlement and the young adult musician

Laws typically forbid college professors from discussing the details of a student’s work and behavior with parents, after the child has turned 18.

Having been shielded from the opportunity to learn adult conflict resolution in high school, some college students approach disagreements with music professors in immature and inappropriate ways such as irate emails containing bullying intimidation tactics. Students with an attitude of entitlement can be a drain on a music studio, ensemble or program—and tend to generate frustration and resentment in their peers. Sad stories abound of ensembles and programs ripped apart by a small number of aggressive complainers.

Employers who hire recent graduates of music programs are aware that these new hires are still a work in progress. A mature personality and humble spirit invites mentoring, and a welcome into a professional community. But a young musician with a sense of entitlement and an immature ability to deal with discomfort may find little professional success, despite significant talent and skill. The grace period for developing the necessary maturity along with the ability to accept and utilize feedback will have expired.

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Tom Hynes is a professional guitarist, assistant professor of music atĚýAzusa Pacific UniversityĚýand instructor atĚýIdyllwild Arts Academy.

There’s good news about going to college for a music degree. According to the latest findings from a national survey of more than 33,000 arts alumni, arts graduates, including those who studied music performance, are likely to find jobs after graduation and use their education and training in their occupation.

by Caitlin Peterkin

The Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) is an organization dedicated to analyzing the impact of arts education. In its online survey, SNAAP asked alumni from fields including performance, creative writing, and film, about employment, relevance of their education to the work they’re doing, and their satisfaction with their education in the arts.

Raymond Tymas-Jones, Associate Vice President for the Arts and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah, praised SNAAP for its efforts in a recent post on ARTSblog. “The information from the survey provides important insight as to how artists develop in this country, helps identify the factors needed to better connect arts training to artistic careers, and allows education institutions, researchers and arts leaders to look at the systemic factors that helped or hindered the career paths of alumni,” he says.

When asked aboutĚý the skills and competencies acquired during their studies, respondents listed the following transferable skills: critical thinking, creativity, listening and revising, teamwork, broad knowledge, leadership, project management, networking, research technology, entrepreneurial, and writing skills. “Each skill,” stresses Tymas-Jones, “is applicable for any vocation and often provides opportunities for arts majors to be major contributors in any environment.”

Success in employment

Arts graduates have also seen success with employment, with 67% working in the arts. Outside the arts, alumni are employed in a variety of fields, including law, management, computer science, engineering, and communication. Overall, 87% of arts alumni said they were satisfied with their primary job, and 81% had opportunities to create work that makes a difference in their communities.

Tymas-Jones says that the SNAAP findings “confirm that arts schooling is a good economic investment as well as a meaningful ladder to meaningful work.” He goes on to say that SNAAP stats indicate that alums “do not consider that they are without options and opportunities. It is inherent that artists can create for themselves and others through the power of their imagination, creativity, and innovation.”

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Caitlin Peterkin is a writer/editor and arts enthusiast who has worked as program manager for Earshot Jazz (Seattle) and has written for BestNewBands.com, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Paste Magazine. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Music.

If you don’t have a strong music program at your high school or access to an arts high school in your hometown, should you consider attending a boarding arts high school for music?

We talked with students and staff at three U.S. boarding arts schools and learned that these schools are a good fit especially for students who identify with one or more of the following:

• frustration with the lack of support and opportunities at their traditional high school
• ready to start high school but live in an area where the music program has been cut or downgraded and a non-residential arts high school is unavailable
• homeschooled and ready for more intensive music and academic training in a collaborative setting

High school students can apply and be accepted to start at a boarding arts school at the beginning of any school year. In fact, most of the students we talked with started in their sophomore or junior years.

Benefits of attending a boarding arts high school

Jason Hersom, former Director of Admission and Financial Aid at Walnut Hill School for the ArtsĚýjust outside of Boston, Massachusetts, says that “Attending school in a place where artists are celebrated, understood, and encouraged is extremely appealing to those students who may not have felt that support at their previous school.”

Every student we talked with was enthusiastic about the caliber of the faculty at their school. They were also impressed by their teachers’ commitment to helping them become proficient musicians as well as well-rounded, confident, and responsible adults.

Many students attend boarding arts high schools to prepare themselves for getting into a stand-alone or university-housed conservatory. But students say their schools provide much more, such as: resources they could not find at traditional high schools; strong academic training; 1:1 mentoring; extraordinary collaborative experiences; daily exposure to other arts; and the opportunity to live and learn in the same environment.

According to Kristy Callaway, former executive director ofĚý, other benefits to boarding arts students include “access –– to new faculty, guidance/college admissions experts, and master teachers” and the opportunity to be “challenged by a new dynamic of students at their ability level.”

What kind of student will benefit?

Jack Sherrell is a singer/songwriter and guitarist from Walla Walla, Washington. He started atĚýInterlochen Arts AcademyĚýin Michigan as a sophomore, and says students who fare the best at his school are:

• resilient – able to cope with stress and pressure
• persevering with their practicing
• willing to work hard
• able to keep personal life from interfering with school

Other students add that embracing opportunities to learn about and experience not just music but other arts as well is necessary in order to thrive in a boarding arts high school environment.

Students and staff agree that academics are rigorous. Academic preparation is deemed essential whether or not students go on to apply to music schools for college. Students considering boarding arts high schools should therefore be prepared to work hard.

An increasing number of homeschoolers are discovering boarding arts high schools for their junior and/or senior years, says Kristy Callaway. They are finding the preparation a very useful segueway to a conservatory or college.

Valentina Plata majored in voice and piano atĚýIdyllwild Arts AcademyĚýin the San Jacinto mountains of Southern California. She hails from Cancun, Mexico, and went to Idyllwild Arts as a sophomore because “I wanted improvement and guidance for what I was passionate about. I needed different cultures and perspective about life…I wanted a traditional boarding school that was liberal but at the same time safe and organized.”

Balancing your time

Learning to juggle academics with the demands of being a music student often doesn’t happen until college. At boarding arts high schools, however, it’s a skill that’s learned early on. “Self-disciplined time management is something that all students learn in the first few weeks,” says Jack Sherrell. “Arts schools keep you very busy throughout your day, and time for homework and practicing has to be rigidly scheduled into your day.” He has found that his school’s structure allows him to get more done than when he had far more unscheduled time at a traditional high school.

Shangwen Liao, who graduated from Walnut Hill School for the Arts and went on to Julliard to continue his cello studies, agrees. “Reasonably scheduling our time,” he says, “is simultaneously the biggest benefit and the biggest challenge (in going to a boarding arts high school).”

Non-boarders

Students who live in the general vicinity of boarding arts high schools may apply as day students. Annika Vlock-Drewitz, who attended Walnut Hill School for the Arts, is from Boston. Her interest was classical voice but her neighborhood school was focused on musical theatre. So she applied and got accepted to Walnut Hill as a day student. She received training in solfège, ear training, music theory, and diction. Piano was also part of her curriculum along with a weekly coaching session, where “you basically get a different perspective on what you have been learning with your teacher, and you focus more on the acting and communicating aspects of singing.”

Sam Zorn was a day student at Idyllwild Arts Academy. He found Idyllwild’s academics and music far more rigorous than any traditional high school in his hometown of Hemet, California, and chose Idyllwild for that reason. He thrived on the lessons, guided rehearsals, and professional gigs he got at his school, as well as exposure to genres of music in addition to jazz. He was also passionate about what he learned in science and math and the cutting edge technologies incorporated into those classes. While enjoying the close relationship he continued to have with his family, as a day student he had to work harder to feel like he was part of the Idyllwild community. His solution was to “maximize my time on campus by becoming as involved as possible.”

Costs

The sticker price for attending an arts boarding school is akin to attending a private conservatory or university. That said, all of the arts boarding high schools offer need-based assistance to support students without the means to attend. This also ensures an economically diverse student body. Of the three schools included in this article, only Idyllwild Arts Academy offers merit scholarships.

There are other costs, too. Some students mentioned being homesick, an experience that students attending their neighborhood high schools don’t encounter until they reach college. Others talked about missing out on holidays and regular visits with their families because of the time and expense involved, as well as missing their hometown friends, former classmates, and the the familiarity of their local schools.

Transitioning to residential life is another experience most teens don’t go through until they get to college. For the majority of students who go to boarding schools, it works. For some, it doesn’t.

ĚýWhat if you’re not sure you want to pursue music in college?

“Never assume you HAVE to pursue music just because you went to a pre-professional arts boarding high school,” says Kurt Clare, who attended Interlochen Arts Academy for his junior and senior years. “Many of my peers started academic degrees at some of the leading universities in the country!” Clare, who was admitted to four schools, chose University of Michigan forĚýVocal Performance.

How to decide

Students who are drawn to going to a boarding arts high school are encouraged to attend a summer program there, if possible. Parents and students are also encouraged to visit the schools’ participating pages on ťĆšĎapp to learn more about them; contact the schools to talk with administrators; and visit the schools to talk with teachers and students. Prospective students should ask to sit in on classes, take a lesson with a teacher, and audition to see if their current level of proficiency is acceptable.

Is your child auditioning for a spot in a music school?

Here are 6 tips to support them AND you.

1. Calm down!

Your auditioning offspring needs you to stay the course and manage your own anxiety. Take a brisk walk or get other exercise; take three long breaths when you get antsy; seek out other adults to vent with if you need to. Whatever you do, don’t let your anxiety spill out and onto your child. At the same time, kids are masters of reading between the lines. Don’t let the audition be like the elephant in the room. Acknowledge it. But don’t harp on it.

2. Have faith.

No matter what happens, your child will be fine. Really. It may be hard to imagine, but it’s true. The more you do whatever you can to feel and experience this within, the better you’ll be at transmitting this message to your child, verbally and non-verbally .

3. Remember this is THEIR audition.

One of the worst things you can do is show up like the mom of a recent American Idol contestant did. In her effort to support her child, the audition became all about her. This will not go over well with music schools!

4. Be supportive but not overbearing.

Auditions are anxiety-provoking on several levels. Most of all, kids need a sense of consistency and support at this time. Checking in with your child is important. So is maintaining an awareness of how they are doing. Peppering them with questions, however, is bound to backfire, especially if they’re not used to talking about their feelings.

5. Keep healthy food around.

It’s easy for kids to get run down around audition time. Having healthy, easy-to-grab food around will serve them well. Good hydration is important, too.

6. Congratulate yourself.

You’ve done a ton of work to help get your child to this point in time. Now it’s time to breathe and hold down the fort, while they test the waters of what lies ahead.

Photo Credit: CU Denver LYNX Camp, Robert King Photography

For many parents, myself included, it’s one thing to hear your middle-school-aged child say he or she wants to major in music in college — and a whole different ballgame when they talk about it as a junior or senior in high school.

by Barbra Weidlein

Why are so many of us concerned when “music” pops out of their mouths as opposed to “business” or “engineering” or “medicine”?

We all want to raise kids who grow up to be self-sufficient. So it’s only natural for us to be concerned about the choices and decisions they make that will or won’t lead them in that direction. We’ve been barraged with media reports of computer-generated music replacing studio musicians, of internet sharing replacing paying for recorded music, of K-12 budget cuts reducing and sometimes eliminating music education and teacher positions, and of symphonies downsizing their performance seasons and even filing for Chapter 11.

What, then, can we do to lessen our anxiety and shift into a support mode when our kids know that majoring in music is what they want to do and what they are meant to do?

For starters, know that an undergraduate education in music trains students in skills that will apply to most other fields of study. Students who spend four years as a music major and then decide not to pursue a career in music will have gained skills that will transfer toĚý pretty much anything else they decide to do. (See )

Next, be aware that even in the first two years in college, today’s music majors will need to seize and run with any and all opportunities that will put them closer to their career goals. Internships, volunteer work, community outreach, and off-campus performance experiences will all be important for gaining a realistic sense of what it is like to work in a music field while there’s still time to get input and support and correction from faculty.

Music business, technology, recording, and engineering as well as all performance (including classical), music education, and music therapy majors need to learn how to think outside the box; network with fellow students, faculty and professionals in a variety of music fields; and learn the marketing and business skills that will help them promote themselves and their work.

If you are concerned about how your son or daughter will be able to cope with the kinds of demands and expectations facing music majors as described above, encourage them to talk with their music teachers, as well as with some current music majors and faculty at a local college, conservatory, or music school. Let them hear from musicians outside the family to gain perspective. Also explore with your child the career development services offered by each of the schools they are thinking about applying to, because no two schools offer the same opportunities. And, finally, remember what it was like to feel passionate about something when you were their age, so that you can replace some of your worry with the sense of enthusiasm and excitement your child has as he or she embarks on this amazing journey.

Recently, an article popped up on USA Today College Online, about ranking music schools – the “top 10” music schools in the U.S. It generated a flurry of Facebook posts and comments as well as a round of head shaking and head scratching. The schools that made the top 10 surprised most people, not to mention most schools.

Once upon a time, U.S. News & World Report ranked music schools. They no longer do, although they still rank high schools, colleges, online programs, graduate schools, and some professional schools such as engineering.

A few years ago, another U.S. music school ranking system surfaced. Several schools that showed up in the top 20 prominently acknowledged their standing on their homepages. At the request of the dean of a music school, we sleuthed out the company responsible for the ranking system. We discovered it was headquartered outside the U.S., that it mostly ranked high school and college sports teams, and that it would not disclose the basis for its ranking system.

When we explored the latest music school rankings, we discovered the numbers came through a company specializing in computer-generated ratings focused on starting and mid-career salaries. They describe the top schools as providing an education that leads to graduates becoming “top earners.” What does that even mean in the field of music?

The Perils of Ranking ťĆšĎapp

Rankings can lead prospective music majors into decisions based on information that doesn’t fit who they are, what they want to study, who they want to study with, and the environment in which they learn best. Ranking music schools has been shunned by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), the accrediting organization in the U.S., of which 651 music schools are currently members. NASM ensures that curricula at the schools meet national standards, and that those standards continue to be met over time.

The world of music is in flux and music schools are working hard to keep up. Schools are introducing new majors and career development tracks in order to meet current and future career goals, musical interests, and industry needs. Graduates are discovering new applications for their music school education. Most are finding that they need to be “Renaissance” men and women with several revenue streams at the same time. Meanwhile, classical music graduates and music educators are finding their worlds are more unpredictable than ever. In the midst of so much change, the validity and usefulness of music school rankings, especially those based on income, must be questioned.

The most credible statistics we’ve seen about post-arts education income and satisfaction are those generated by SNAAP (Strategic National Arts Alumni Project). SNAAP surveys arts alumni from colleges, universities, and conservatories across the country, to provide information about the satisfaction and income levels of graduates. SNAAP is not in the business of ranking; instead they focus on providing a composite picture of what an arts education looks like after the fact.

School rankings can be useful for gaining information. But they cannot and should not take the place of the important personal exploration necessary for finding the right fit school to call “home” for the next few years.

Links & Resources

Parents of music students who weren’t accepted by their schools of choice have been contacting us. Most have needed an objective ear to listen to their stories and help them overcome their own sense of sadness and even loss around this. Others needed to vent their feelings about their offspring not getting what they wanted and felt they deserved. Some felt really let down by the nature of the audition process. Some needed to get some anger off their chests. Several had really important questions to ask that we feel are useful to address here for the sake of other parents.

1. Asking schools why they said no.

While some schools will not discuss their reasons for not admitting students, others will. After talking with many music admission directors, we’ve come to the conclusion that it’s best for students –– NOT parents –– to check in with schools where they weren’t admitted, if they want more information.

Schools tend to be more receptive to hearing from students, whether it’s about acceptances, opportunities for getting more financial aid, etc. They like to see students showing up for themselves. They’re trained to look at students from many perspectives. The ability of students to communicate their questions and needs demonstrates a level of maturity that shows the students are ready to take on the arduous task of becoming a music major. Should students decide to reapply where they weren’t admitted, it will serve them well to have contacted the schools directly rather than having parents do this for them.

Most if not all admission staff have dealt with many parents who care more about students being accepted than the students themselves. Before any contact is made, it’s important to distinguish who is really disappointed: parent or student?

Admission folks don’t expect perfection in the way students communicate, just like they don’t expect students to audition at the level they’ll be at by the time they graduate. However, communicating with courtesy and respect is important. Parents can best serve their children by rehearsing a phone call with them or reading a draft email rather than taking it on themselves.

Just so you know –– admission offices are typically short-staffed and those who work there are wearing many hats. Once May 1st rolls around, they have to deal with wait lists, new acceptances, and reshuffling unused scholarship monies. They’re inundated with phone calls from prospective and accepted students and they’re required to be preparing the next year’s budget at the same time. That’s just a part of their spring job descriptions.

2. Does it really matter which school my child goes to?

Not all successful musicians came out of the top schools and not all of the top schools produce successful musicians. Some highly acclaimed musicians never attended college-level music schools at all. Success in music has so much to do with performance AND networking, internship experiences, business skills, improvisational skills, communication skills and more. We strive to address this in one way or another in most of the articles on . If a student wants to focus on music in their career, we urge them to find ways to get those experiences and skills while they’re in school.

3. How does a student’s musical background affect their chances of being accepted by a music school?

Music schools are looking for students who show promise. They want to accept students who demonstrate the capacity to make great strides as a result of attending their schools. They are also looking for a specific number of horns, strings, keyboard players, etc. as well as to fill gaps in their orchestras and ensembles. Voice and musical theatre programs also have guidelines re: numbers of admits.

A student who takes private lessons from a teacher with strong performance and teaching skills, and who performs with school and extracurricular youth orchestras, bands, and ensembles, is more likely to audition well. Arts school students and students from larger arts-strong public high schools have an advantage over students from smaller schools with less to offer musically to their students. Still, there are students from small high schools and in towns and rural areas who manage to find ways to audition competitively. provide enormous support to students thinking about majoring in music, and can give a needed boost to all students prior to auditioning, especially those lacking strong school music opportunities.

Remember that the audition isn’t everything. Some schools have demanding GPA requirements. Many look for evidence of well-rounded students whose life experiences inform their music. All want an interesting, diverse student body because they know this will serve the entire school. These are all factors that may impact your student’s acceptance.

Some students (and parents) assume that if you’re not a musical prodigy, you should major in something other than music. Nothing can be farther from the truth! In fact, there are actually benefits to not being a prodigy, so long as you’re someone who feels compelled to pursue music.

ťĆšĎapp explored this subject with three musicians, each of whom is working in a distinctly different field of music. Their insights are invaluable for students, parents, music teachers, college guidance counselors, and current music majors as well.

Michael Millar,Ěýdirector of the Center for Community Engagement at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, is quick to describe himself as a “non prodigy.” He credits majoring in music with teaching him to be an achiever (he’s got a BM and an MA in Music Performance, and a DMA in Performance and Arts Administration). “In music school, we’re learning how to learn and how to adapt in the world,” he says. It’s an exceptional major.”

Millar started out in engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. But it wasn’t his calling. He switched toĚýĚýwhen music proved to be the only major that brought together his passion and interests. He credits his undergraduate program, and not being surrounded by prodigies, with providing him the space “to grow and improve…to compete with myself…to become better tomorrow than today.”

Millar refers to music as a “tough business.” As a result, “Music students need to be relentless…it’s more important than anything else.” As a non-prodigy, he felt he had to work harder than if he had been labeled a prodigy. “If you don’t have huge success early on, you understand and learn how to get better. You have hills to climb and you learn to love taking one step at a time and the relentlessness of it all.” He likes to quote legendary tennis player, Arthur Ashe, who said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Kimberly Fisher, principal second violin, The Philadelphia Orchestra and artistic director,Ěý, describes musical prodigies as a rare breed. As such, being classified a “prodigy” is hardly a qualification for going into music. Instead, she reiterates what others have said: “It’s a career for those who can’t imagine doing something else.”

Like Millar, Fisher knows that music takes an extraordinary amount of work and dedication. “You can’t succeed if it’s half-hearted, especially on the classical scene,” she says. “It’s a career of dedication, without a known outcome or end result. It’s for those who feel they must do music.”

Fisher describes herself as a non-prodigy. Her father, a classical violinist and teacher in Edmonton, Canada, was her first violin instructor, and she took sporadic lessons from him until becoming a teenager. It was then that she decided that she, too, wanted to be a musician. She believes she had to work harder to become proficient on her instrument, which taught her how to work hard.

Fisher believes that most non-prodigies are likely to teach at some point in their careers, and pass on to their students valuable insights about music. She cites her own experience of having to learn how to consciously practice well, which continues to serve her as a performer and as a teacher (with private students and atĚý. She also feels she and other non-prodigies gain a deeper understanding of their instrument, which also informs her teaching .

Kedrik Merwin, Director of Music,ĚýInterlochen Center for the Arts, sees the biggest benefit of an education in the arts as the creativity training one receives. Being a prodigy is in no way a criteria. “Learning to think creatively, to express yourself artistically, and transfer ideas between disciplines is what music education should be all about,” he says. “This training in exploring your world creatively will pay dividends, whether your career path is ultimately in the arts or not.ĚýIt is important even for students with well-developed technical skills to learn to creatively interpret and express the world around them. There are seldom, if ever, interpretive prodigies!”

Merwin urges students to look at the broad scope of music careers and not limit their thinking to the few highly competitive chairs open in orchestras. While he comes from an orchestra background himself (his DMA, MM and BM are all in trombone performance), he’s also been successful as a studio musician, teacher, and arts administrator. “There is room for well-trained musicians as sound designers for video games, in technical or production positions in a studio, in self-developed chamber groups who promote music in our schools, and in so many other areas. My advice would to be come as proficient in one musical area as possible, concentrate on developing your ears, and be open to other possibilities in the larger musical world.”