Music school bound coming from a weak HS music program??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This. Tough love is needed here. High school music doesn't matter, at all, unless it's a specialized program that's selective like at Ellington, or a professional children's program or a high school partnership with a conservatory. He should maybe even drop the school course to have more practice time.

Playing multiple instruments isn't a plus. He should drop down to a maximum of two (ideally one of them being piano) to focus on being really excellent at just those instruments.

Food for thought on dropping the high school class, students that audition for regional and state festivals in our area (run by the music educators association) must be registered with or sponsored by their school. My daughter's private teacher has begged the festival to sponsor his independent students, but the organization is effectively run through the school system and won't allow it. If your child is interested in auditioning, I would definitely check on requirements. One student found a workaround as a member of the school jazz ensemble (required an audition), where the teacher will sponsor them for music festivals, since that ensemble operates like a club and doesn't have traditional class time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This. Tough love is needed here. High school music doesn't matter, at all, unless it's a specialized program that's selective like at Ellington, or a professional children's program or a high school partnership with a conservatory. He should maybe even drop the school course to have more practice time.

Playing multiple instruments isn't a plus. He should drop down to a maximum of two (ideally one of them being piano) to focus on being really excellent at just those instruments.

Food for thought on dropping the high school class, students that audition for regional and state festivals in our area (run by the music educators association) must be registered with or sponsored by their school. My daughter's private teacher has begged the festival to sponsor his independent students, but the organization is effectively run through the school system and won't allow it. If your child is interested in auditioning, I would definitely check on requirements. One student found a workaround as a member of the school jazz ensemble (required an audition), where the teacher will sponsor them for music festivals, since that ensemble operates like a club and doesn't have traditional class time.

Yes, good point

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP,

A little tough love here.

There is no music program in regular private or public high schools that is in any way, shape or form, suitable to preparing kids for music programs in college or conservatories. The fact you'd believe this is concerning, because this is basic knowledge, and if your family belonged to a rigorous private studio, the teacher would have explained this to you, and given your son multiple opportunities to audition for private youth orchestras, enter competitions, participate in various ensembles, be selected for All-State, etc. This is what the competitive kids do, intensively.

Music departments in college vary in their quality. They are all, already, pretty low-level compared to the music conservatories, and they usually don't guide students to the same sort of jobs. If he attends Juilliard, he could find stable employment in the brass section of a reputable Philharmonic, or Pops orchestra. 200K+ a year if it's with the New York Phil, significantly less elsewhere. If he attends a regular college's music program, he can become a music teacher in school, and after decades of seniority, maybe push $120K a year, with a Master's degree (but half that if he only gets a Bachelor's). One pays more than the other, but both are stable.

If he decides to major in Music Business, not Performance, he can have access to all the jobs that surround musicians. The industry is a tough one. He would need to be driven and quick-witted to reach a higher level of responsibility and associated income.

You might want to encourage him to branch out and see if other career options interest him. He can always have a band and do gigs outside of his regular job. I have a friend who has a job at Amtrak and plays double bass in a band on the weekends and certain week nights. He enjoys it, and it brings in some extra money.

This. Tough love is needed here. High school music doesn't matter, at all, unless it's a specialized program that's selective like at Ellington, or a professional children's program or a high school partnership with a conservatory. He should maybe even drop the school course to have more practice time.

Playing multiple instruments isn't a plus. He should drop down to a maximum of two (ideally one of them being piano) to focus on being really excellent at just those instruments.

I disagree.

The WSHS music program regularly has 2-3 kids accepted into high level music programs every year.

Some recent acceptances over the past 4 or 5 years include Eastman, Bienen, Jacobs, Carnegie Mellon, Michigan, Tisch, etc.

Some of those kids do regional musical groups, but many just do their school choir or orchestra, with a weekly private lesson, or not.

I think you will find that many FCPS high schools have strong enough music programs that extra regional music groups are simply unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP,

A little tough love here.

There is no music program in regular private or public high schools that is in any way, shape or form, suitable to preparing kids for music programs in college or conservatories. The fact you'd believe this is concerning, because this is basic knowledge, and if your family belonged to a rigorous private studio, the teacher would have explained this to you, and given your son multiple opportunities to audition for private youth orchestras, enter competitions, participate in various ensembles, be selected for All-State, etc. This is what the competitive kids do, intensively.

Music departments in college vary in their quality. They are all, already, pretty low-level compared to the music conservatories, and they usually don't guide students to the same sort of jobs. If he attends Juilliard, he could find stable employment in the brass section of a reputable Philharmonic, or Pops orchestra. 200K+ a year if it's with the New York Phil, significantly less elsewhere. If he attends a regular college's music program, he can become a music teacher in school, and after decades of seniority, maybe push $120K a year, with a Master's degree (but half that if he only gets a Bachelor's). One pays more than the other, but both are stable.

If he decides to major in Music Business, not Performance, he can have access to all the jobs that surround musicians. The industry is a tough one. He would need to be driven and quick-witted to reach a higher level of responsibility and associated income.

You might want to encourage him to branch out and see if other career options interest him. He can always have a band and do gigs outside of his regular job. I have a friend who has a job at Amtrak and plays double bass in a band on the weekends and certain week nights. He enjoys it, and it brings in some extra money.

This. Tough love is needed here. High school music doesn't matter, at all, unless it's a specialized program that's selective like at Ellington, or a professional children's program or a high school partnership with a conservatory. He should maybe even drop the school course to have more practice time.

Playing multiple instruments isn't a plus. He should drop down to a maximum of two (ideally one of them being piano) to focus on being really excellent at just those instruments.

I disagree.

The WSHS music program regularly has 2-3 kids accepted into high level music programs every year.

Some recent acceptances over the past 4 or 5 years include Eastman, Bienen, Jacobs, Carnegie Mellon, Michigan, Tisch, etc.

Some of those kids do regional musical groups, but many just do their school choir or orchestra, with a weekly private lesson, or not.

I think you will find that many FCPS high schools have strong enough music programs that extra regional music groups are simply unnecessary.

That being said, I think based on OPs description of her kid's high school music program, looking at a regional youth ensemble would be an important step, even if it is only a summer program.