Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Would he have access to teachers for those instruments?

I assume so. Most MCPS schools do.

Ha ha ha!

No.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Would he have access to teachers for those instruments?

I assume so. Most MCPS schools do.

For taiko drums, gamelan, pennywhistle, and vuvuzela?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Where on earth did he come up with this list? None of these are traditional symphonic instruments, so obviously they won't be in any demand for college orchestras!
And what did you mean by gamelan? Gamelan ensembles are Indonesian and are comprised of several very different instruments. It's not one single instrument.

You need to educate yourself on western music traditions, OP.

Anonymous wrote:Of course. Piano is impossible. Violinists are a dime a dozen, followed by cellists. Violists and bassists are almost always in demand. A number of brass instruments, as noted above.

How about percussion (Taiko/Gamelan) or other types of instrument (Vuvuzela/Pennywhistle)? Are those very competitive?

Of course. Piano is impossible. Violinists are a dime a dozen, followed by cellists. Violists and bassists are almost always in demand. A number of brass instruments, as noted above.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Would he have access to teachers for those instruments?

I assume so. Most MCPS schools do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Would he have access to teachers for those instruments?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Younger kid is just picking out options now. I will recommend low brass. Right now, his top picks include:
- Taiko drums
- Gamelan
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Low brass if he is good.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Don't think like that, because you can never predict what colleges will need for their orchestra or band on any given year. There is no constant shortage in one particular instrument. It's just that maybe their Principal violist graduated, and they're looking for a brilliant violist the year your viola-playing kid applies. I hope you understand this is a total lottery situation.

If your kid want to make it all the way to 12th grade with their instrument, he or she really needs to think about what they like about this instrument (ask teachers and students about all the nitty gritty - for example, French horn has that spit problem, oboe you're always fiddling with reeds, etc). Otherwise they will abandon it before it helps for college applications!

That's true. I guess I'm just wondering because many of the school bands/orchestras I known (including the one at Oberlin) have none of the instruments my kid is interested in, and I worry that applying with them would be a total non-starter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

Don't think like that, because you can never predict what colleges will need for their orchestra or band on any given year. There is no constant shortage in one particular instrument. It's just that maybe their Principal violist graduated, and they're looking for a brilliant violist the year your viola-playing kid applies. I hope you understand this is a total lottery situation.

If your kid want to make it all the way to 12th grade with their instrument, he or she really needs to think about what they like about this instrument (ask teachers and students about all the nitty gritty - for example, French horn has that spit problem, oboe you're always fiddling with reeds, etc). Otherwise they will abandon it before it helps for college applications!

My Asian daughter picked the violin. She's the poster child of what not to be and what not to do, ha! I jest

Any non-solo instrument will be less competitive than the leading solo ones: violin, piano, cello, flute, clarinet. People don't choose instruments because they're "classy" (shudder - OP, please don't be that person!), but because they're portable and they've heard many concertos with the leading voice of that instrument. It inspires them, and it's practical from a daily use point of view. Few parents want to lug a full-size harp or double bass around, you know? Those don't fit into every car! Also, a few instruments are sometimes not recommended for beginners, like the oboe. Some teachers recommend starting on the clarinet, then moving to oboe. Same for contrabassoon or harmony clarinet.

Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good

What sorts of instruments are needed?

rare yet needed instrument is good

See title. I know some instruments, like violins and pianos, are seen as more classy, but there's also way more kids with experience and therefore more competition. My older DC got ED into Oberlin with Alto Sax, but my younger (middle school) has some more obscure instrument options picked out and I need to decide between them. Any specific suggestions for which instruments he should pick to give him a competitive edge? He's very enthusiastic about music and doesn't have a clear preference, so I'm wondering if I should factor college decisions in at all.