Hey Graduate Students!

[Fastzuernst]

Music Graduate Student!
I would like to start a thread on your graduate work. What are you focusing on. What kind of advice would you give to someone seaching for a graduate program. How about the auditions.
If you feel the program you are involved in is paticularly good/or bad please share.
Anything else I have forgotton to mention!
 
Sorry kids this isn't about Martha's fast arpeggios

[Fastzuernst]

What! There are NO gratuate student using this forum.  Thats depressing!

[bernhard]

Either that, or all they want to talk about is Martha’s fast arpeggios

[jazzyprof]

What! There are NO gratuate student using this forum.  Thats depressing!

They're all busy getting ready for their juries!

[allchopin]

I'll respond in 3 years.

[Spatula]

Gimme another 15 years.  I need my accounting degree and some work before going to music school.

[Brian Healey]

Well, I guess I'll step up.....

I'm in my second year of graduate studies at the Univ. of Louisville. My degree is "Master of Music in Piano Perfomance with a Concentration in Jazz" (quite the title, eh?). The jazz studies program here was started by Jamey Aebersold, who many people will recognize as the "play-along" guy (he publishes a series of jazz play-along recordings). The program here is very good for jazz, but not excellent (just my opinion), but any program is only as good as the effort you put into it. At this point, it's still a relatively new program, so things are still on the rise. I'm not so sure about how good the other (non-jazz) programs are, but from what I can tell, the composition faculty must be excellent because there are some incredible composers at this school.

As far as advice on searching for grad schools, I guess I would say don't limit yourself. I applied to about ten schools, half of which I figured I'd have no problem with ("safe" schools), and half of which were "reach" schools. The applications were expensive, but I figured, "hey, this is my future here! I may as well spend a little money!" I made sure, however, that every school I applied to had a quality program, and each one attracted me in it's own way. Surprisingly enough, I got into some of the reach schools, and didn't get into some of the safe schools. Go figure! In the end for me, it came down to the value of what I was getting at each school. The U. of Louisville offered me an incredibly cheap deal. As the Godfather would say, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Since I already owe a ton through student loans from college, coupled with the fact that it was already I program I was interested in, I let my wallet make the decision. And I'm glad I did. You can get a good education wherever you go. At the big-name schools, you're just paying extra for the school name on your diploma.

As far auditions, I hate them. I can perform in a concert setting in front of thousands of listeners and be completely relaxed, but put me in a jury or audition and I totally crap out. I'm surprised I even got into any schools. Ah, maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. I will say this though, auditions and juries become much easier to deal with the more you do them. I used to get upset if I played a bad jury, but now I just say "whatever."

[Tash]

yeah ask me in 3 years too if i decide 1) to do a postgrad degree, and 2) if if pick to do honours for arts (majoring in music) instead of fine arts. but if i do do one, at this point in time i really have no real idea of what you do, but i'd like to do something to do with the relationship between music and dance.

[Fastzuernst]

Well, I guess I'll step up.....

I'm in my second year of graduate studies at the Univ. of Louisville. My degree is "Master of Music in Piano Perfomance with a Concentration in Jazz" (quite the title, eh?). The jazz studies program here was started by Jamey Aebersold, who many people will recognize as the "play-along" guy (he publishes a series of jazz play-along recordings). The program here is very good for jazz, but not excellent (just my opinion), but any program is only as good as the effort you put into it. At this point, it's still a relatively new program, so things are still on the rise. I'm not so sure about how good the other (non-jazz) programs are, but from what I can tell, the composition faculty must be excellent because there are some incredible composers at this school.

As far as advice on searching for grad schools, I guess I would say don't limit yourself. I applied to about ten schools, half of which I figured I'd have no problem with ("safe" schools), and half of which were "reach" schools. The applications were expensive, but I figured, "hey, this is my future here! I may as well spend a little money!" I made sure, however, that every school I applied to had a quality program, and each one attracted me in it's own way. Surprisingly enough, I got into some of the reach schools, and didn't get into some of the safe schools. Go figure! In the end for me, it came down to the value of what I was getting at each school. The U. of Louisville offered me an incredibly cheap deal. As the Godfather would say, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Since I already owe a ton through student loans from college, coupled with the fact that it was already I program I was interested in, I let my wallet make the decision. And I'm glad I did. You can get a good education wherever you go. At the big-name schools, you're just paying extra for the school name on your diploma.

As far auditions, I hate them. I can perform in a concert setting in front of thousands of listeners and be completely relaxed, but put me in a jury or audition and I totally crap out. I'm surprised I even got into any schools. Ah, maybe I'm just being too hard on myself. I will say this though, auditions and juries become much easier to deal with the more you do them. I used to get upset if I played a bad jury, but now I just say "whatever."

Yes! This is exactly the kind of dialogue I would like to start!
I have found it taxing looking at graduate schools. I have been told several different things such as
* try to get accepted to a large university or conservatory
* you are more likely to get a fellowship/assistanship at smaller schools
I problem I discovered is what seems to be the cookie cutter degree such as performance, pedagogy, accompanying, history, theory, composition. (not that these are bad choices necessarily!)
I am really interested in whether or not anyone has found a really unique program or school that has given them a combination of these options, or something completely different! Thanks to Brian Healey for stepping up!

[lostinidlewonder]

I personally never have studied music at the university, I did study externally. Sit at home and go there for exams lol, music is anyway so much playing so having yoru own instrument in front of you all the time is good. But you have to be pretty strict on your own time because you are always home, easy to be distracted.

But I think what is most important is that you are being mentored or taught by people who are actually in the music peforming industry. As conductors or performers. I'm always careful of that saying, Those who can't do teach. But it still balances itself out cos often you find Those who do can't teach! lol. It's always hard to find the right place.

I think it depends what type of musician you want to be. If you want to really focus on composition then you don't really have to focus as hard on recitals.

Auditions are always different, depends on the place you're going to. But often they ask for something from Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues, and a Beethoven Sonata. That is usually the constant factor in most auditions.

As things go for was it good or bad studying at the uni. I think it is good because you do learn a lot of academic things which normally wouldn't interest you. I found that you are a little restricted on what peices you can actually play. Since I like to personally study music which should be performed, i had to learn a lot of music which i would never peform because it was a requirement of the school. That is unavoidable in most schools, and it was something i hated. I find memorising stuff you are not connected with is really torture for me at least.

Whatever uni you study at you should ensure the music activities of the community is structured. I've been to school where students just walk a lone through halls and study in practice rooms alone. So solitary and barren. I think a school which has active student group musical jam sessions is important. Outside of the lecture hall or tutorial room environment. These things seem unimportant, but I think its probably more imporant than the teaching itself.