Leeds College of music

[geo_van_deaq]

Hi, haven't posted on this board for a while, Just went to Uni last septmeber at Westminster to study Film. Unfortunately it's not going as I would have hoped, to be honest I would have preferred to do music but I did quite less than expected ( C at A-level) and thought I wouldn't be able to get in to a decent music school. Now though I'm feeling pretty depressed here feeling like I've made the wrong decision.

I'm going to stick the year out (it might get better) but I'm looking maybe to re-apply for music and was thinking maybe about Leeds college of music. I originally wanted to go to Leeds uni but I don't have the grades.

My querie is whether Leeds is a decent music college for an undergraduate program. My music teacher at A-level persuaded me against it when I asked him about it a couple of years ago, he said it was a joke college that offered DJ course., I don't really know what to think, I've tried researching it but haven't really got much of an impression from people.

I'll also look at the other conservatoires, Leeds is my first choice though. I'm not sure I'll have much of a chance at places like Trinity and RCM. Right now I'm studying for grade 8, I'm abit behind since I came to westminster though and have been a bit down for a couple of months. But if work hard I'm sure I'll be able to get up to standard for any auditions.

My main concern about re-applying is the potential waste of time. I could be 20 (18 now) by the time I get a place and it my be a mistake. But I guess if I'm not happy here it would be a bigger mistake to stay.

Sorry if I've gone on a bit. Any responses would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[elspeth]

They do do some of the 'joke' courses like DJing at Leeds. However, that's a matter of perspective. For instance, I read physics at university, a subject that terrifies a lot of people, and spent 36 hours a week in lectures and labs, plus all the homework. So when I looked at some of the arts courses my friends did, like English, music, etc, and they had ten or twelve hours of lectures a week - it would've been easy for me to say English or music were 'joke' courses because I, on the face of it, had three times the workload in a more intellectually difficult subject for a qualification of the same standing. They were, of course, expected to spend the spare time reading or practising - and some of them do but many don't. Your teacher may think DJing is a joke, but if you asked them to demonstrate DJing if they think it's so easy, you might find a different reaction. 'It's easy but no, I can't do it.' If people with that attitude had their way, nobody would ever study anything except classical music or serious academic subjects, and the world would be a poorer place for it. Elitism between subjects should have no place in learning.

I've had piano lessons at LCM and loved my teacher there - but, that said, I'm a beginner so I can't speak for the quality of tuition at a higher level. I've also never taken academic courses there, just instrumental lessons. The friends I have who've studied there have all enjoyed it and done well, and whenever I've been there it's certainly a friendly place.

One thing though, is piano your only instrument? I have a feeling LCM, like most music schools, ask for grade 8 on first instrument plus grade 5 on a second.

[elspeth]

Sorry, one more thing - 20 isn't old. Really, it's not. Life's too short to make yourself unhappy if you have a choice in the matter. And university is very expensive if it doesn't fulfil you. If you're so unhappy, even if you don't reapply to do music, you'd be better off leaving and getting a job. I'm 27 and currently considering going back to university. If you have the chance to do something different, never stay in a situation that makes you miserable unless you have an extremely compelling reason to.

[pianowelsh]

Do you have an intention to make music  a career or are you just looking for a degree?? If you want to be a professional performer.. I would say your cutting it a bit fine. But if you wanted to be a teacher then I think Leeds would be a great place for you to study as they seem to be very access centered there with a strong ethos of sharing music  - all kinds of music and helping the average person to enjoy it. Very refreshing for someone with a teachers mindset.  I believe they would expect you to be playing at the grade 8 level there so you should really consider getting some lessons to help you hone the quality of your performances. Often they do like a second instrument but im not sure it is REQUIRED per say.  I would suggest that you contact them and arrange to have a consultation lesson with one of the staff there that way you could get a feel for the place and the teaching that goes on and also you could get an honest opinion of whether or not you were likely to be succesfull at audition.  Elspeth is right though Higher education isnt for everyone - if you really dont feel like its for you then sometimes a job with a day release system would work better so you can study what you fancy but have a job too.  I wouldnt say Leeds is a joke school. Ok it doesnt have the academic reputation of the Leeds university and it perhaps doesnt traing the undergrad pianists to the level of the royal schools but it provides quite a deccent course from what I can see and im sure most of the tutors are adequate.. Elspeth would be able to give advice that way im sure.  Fanny Waterman teaches selected post grads on the advanced piano course.. im sure she wouldnt put her name to a 'joke'.