SENIORS- Where are you going??
It's always fun to talk about where you've decided to go to school. If you're still undecided, like me, feel free to discuss your impossible decisions with the rest of us!
Replies (21)
Wasteful? How can such a place be called wasteful?
yeah actually thomas, i am right on the verge of deciding to go to eastman, so don't trash it too much :)
I'm just a few short weeks away from finishing my first year as a DMA student in violin performance. I wish I could go back and not major in violin! Wow, it's a LOT of hard work, especially with a full time job. I am grateful for the opportunity, however, and to improve my playing with a good teacher, but unfortunately she'll be leaving after this year. I kind of stinks when you know that a person you've learned so much from won't be with you in the future.
Anyway, Good luck to all Seniors who are going to music school next year and I offer a few bits of advice: Study! Listen to as much as possible, analyze as much of it as possible, play as much chamber music and orchestra repertoire, take orchestra seriously and learn your parts thoroughly, READ about every composer whose music you play, but most of all love your music.
Don't let my opinions sway you. They are mine. What teacher are you going to study with at Eastman? Is you brother Gregory Tompkins by any chance?
Re the original post: I hear/see a lot of people saying "the conservatory atmosphere is not a healthy one." I wanted to go to a conservatory for college, and when I got there I LOVED it. It was like being a geek and finally getting to go to geek camp all year round. As far as mixing with a diverse group of people, I had MORE than enough of that in high school. Ugh. I know a lot of people didn't want an environment that was so single-minded, though, so I guess for those people it wasn't healthy.
so back to the original topic...where has everyone decided on for college??
Well, I am not a senior anymore, but I will travel back to those sweet years and pretend like I am because I miss it. ;...(
"I just got accepted to Alfred University in Alfred, NY, an hour away from Eastman. So, I will be close enough to smell the sweat and blood of those devoted music students. But I am also trying to decide on James Madison University in Virginia. Hmmm....What to do? Oh, well, Alfred offers me a full scholarship and James Madison only half. I think I've made my decision. Somewhere in my future, I know I will transfer out of Alfred to go to the University of Missouri-Columbia--home to the number 1 journalism school and, uh hum, best college football team--go Mizzou Tigers!! But what is this? I, a late starter, am also accepted to the school of music!! I am so happy looking into my future...."
Back to the present.
Jazzy
Oh dear. I was hoping for inspiration. Where I come from 'seniors' are over 60 and qualify for the state old-age pension.
I am very close to deciding. I am most likely going to the University of Rochester for Biomedical engineering.
If they don't offer me a big enough financial aid package I will be attending the Rochester Institute of Technology- for the same major.
Interesting. I just responded to a thread on Suzuki and I mentioned that I agreed with others that the teacher is most important.
I want to say the same thing here. Find out who the faculty are and who you will be studying with.
For an instrumentalist that is far more important than the specific school you may attend. There are mediocre teachers at good schools (although hopefully not for long) and there are outstanding teachers at all sorts of relatively unknown schools.
Another point to consider is that you probably will have to accept a lot of uncertainty until you are actually at school and studying with a particular professor. Unless you know them personally in advance it is hard to predict if you will "click" and be inspired and taught effectively by them or if you will "waste" a semester or two until you can switch to a more effective (for you) teacher.
Good luck...enjoy the journey!
i haven't officially decided yet.... but i'm about 99% sure that i'm going to be double-degreeing at oberlin next year. i really like the atmosphere at the conservatory there and even though it'll probably be pretty stressful doing both music and liberal arts, i like that i get to keep my options open and i'm going to try and do some interdisciplinary studies on music, for instance on "music & the brain." soooo yeah. anyway i haven't officially decided yet but i'm pretty sure and very excited :)
I'm going to take up a scholarship at Trinity College of Music, London in September. It wasn't originally my first choice, but I turned down some better known colleges to get a teacher I wanted to study with (and a great faculty overall), since that's what will make the difference in the end. The other good things about it are the location (a beautiful building with formal gardens on the banks of the Thames) and atmosphere - apparently it's very friendly and not so competitive, but being in London I can stay in touch with the standards elsewhere to be sure that I'll be in a good position when I graduate.
I hope it was the right decision. In the UK we have to decide very early (by Feb 1st in my case, with final results coming in during late December) which makes the whole process really rushed.
I'm going to Longy School of Music for my masters degree, and I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!!! :-D :-D :-D I'll be pursuing a Masters degree in Performance, with an emphasis in pedagogy.
I have almost completed my freshmen year of college here at the Johns Hopkins University and Peabody. I want to congratulate all of you who have made it through the crazy college application process! I remember how difficult it was last year, and I can only say that I am sure that most of you will have a wonderful time at the institution where you are headed!
Once again, congrats to the c/o 2013!
I was accepted to San Francisco conservatory with Ian Swensen, and also Manhattan School of Music.
I chose MSM to study with Grigory Kalinovsky
:) :)
Hey Patrick,
I also went to Hopkins. It's a pretty sweet deal -- free music lessons and coached chamber ensembles at Peabody while earning college credit for doing something you love. I don't believe I had to audition since my private teacher (before college) was a prof at Peabody, so I think he took me in, no questions asked.
I will be attending Rochester Institute of Technology next year as a Computer Science major so Richard may be seeing me.
Computer Programing + Violin Playing = ??
I will be attending the University of Iowa and studying with Scott Conklin next year. I auditioned at Iowa, UT Austin, St. Olaf, and Oberlin.
Kevin Tompkins wrote: "Seniors - Where are you going?"
I'm on my way to the pharmacy, to pick up my monthly supply of Lipitor. ...................................Oh, you mean High School Seniors!.............sorry.
Greetings,
alas, we are all going to our graves.
Cheers,
Buri
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April 8, 2009 at 07:47 PM ·
Hey swell you've decided to stick with music! I go to Eastman and I will be graduating this year. In my opinion, if I could time travel back 4 years, to 2005, I would have chosen to go to a non-conservatory. Conservatories are not the healthiest environments. Also, keep in mind, some conservatories are not situated with the rest of the student body. Furthermore, the first couple years of undergrads, are generally wasteful. Save some money, and look into lesser known schools with good faculty or a teacher that you would like to study with. And then go to a conservatory for your masters, if you should like to.