Preparing for College

[beamonica]

My daughter has started piano classes since she was five. We would like her to get a degree in piano as well. Currently she is 12. What would be the best way to find out what is her level of piano proficiency? When would be a good time to start piano camps (very expansive) offered by the local university?

[mjames]

"We would like her to get..."

Ok i know tiger parenting has a reputation for producing geniuses ( a la mozart, clara schumann) but how about you consult her before making life changing decisions for her???   

[rachmaninoff_forever]

She's 12 years old.

She's too young to be worried about going to college.

And let her decide what she wants to do with her life.

[beamonica]

Let's make it clear-this is her desire in first place. Thanks for sharing your opinions.

[mjames]

Its just that your wording was a bit weird "we want her to get a degree.."

however if she is firmly expressing a desire to pursue music seriously then i will gladly give a suggestion. Try and take look into the brevard music center in north carolina. Its a great music camp for summer!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Its just that your wording was a bit weird "we want her to get a degree.."

however if she is firmly expressing a desire to pursue music seriously then i will gladly give a suggestion. Try and take look into the brevard music center in north carolina. Its a great music camp for summer!

+1

There's tons of music camps going on in the summer and some of them aren't even that expensive.  Although it might be too late to apply to most of them for this summer.

[visitor]

This is pretty much the big leagues as far as arts camps for the grade 3  -12 goes. Very well reputed, long track record of incubating some super creative and talented whiz kids
https://camp.interlochen.org/

currently reviewing applications.  It's close but probably not too late yet

[beamonica]

Thank you very much for all your responses.

[littleg567]

I might add that Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp is also great for middle school and high school students.

[Bob]

Ask a college prof.  Or several.  Get a teacher is teaching at that level or is preparing people who get into college for music.  (If you really want, pick the school, and start taking lessons with *that* teacher.  Guess who they'll accept in a few years when it's time if she does well?)

Do any music camps, etc.  Now is the time.  Never too early.

Don't forget about jazz/pop styles (and vice-versa, although I haven't heard of many getting a music degree without classical).

What's she doing for a career with this?  Very basically, she could go down the piano performance/pedagogy track or could go into music education.  They're different tracks though.  Music ed would be a lot broader and she should probably be in a band/orchestra and choir as much as possible.  If she's 12, it's still possible to pick up a band or orchestral instrument.  Choir if it's available.  She'll need the voice as a tool regardless of whatever track she goes down.

From some perspectives, she's already behind.  If she's supposed to be performing with orchestras, she's already way behind and it's probably too late (because you're asking the question). 

Beyond camps, and beyond getting slowed down by her teacher, if she's doing classical now, you could get a jazz teacher, get some theory lessons (different teacher than the classical one), aural skill training, etc.... None of that will hurt at all for getting into a college or for doing better in college.  Whatever she's done, there's more that she could do, should do, that someone else has already done, that someone else is expecting but won't be there.

Also keep in mind whoever is giving you advice about her music skills is probably also selling something.  Private lesson teacher?  Selling their lessons.  Music camp?  Selling their camp.  Of course she's talented and you should keep paying them for their service.  But what about later when she parts ways with them?  And what happens *after* she's got the degree?  Anyone who you paid is going to say, "You bought the service, you bought x-hours of time, etc."  Success not guaranteed.

I'd agree on letting her decide though.   That's huge.  You could make opportunities easier though.  Then again, music is only one area.  You could make lots of other options available too.  One chance takes the place of another.

[abielikesu]

I am in a similar boat. My son is 13 and loves music, be he's still too young to really decide, so we're keeping all options open atm.

I'd suggest looking at both: a potential career in music and/or some other areas she may like (sciences or computing in my son's case).

There are also combined careers on offer, physics and music, for instance at Imperial College in London.

Regards,
Abie