Anonymous
05/04/2023 06:12
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good
What sorts of instruments are needed?
Viola
(Genuinely curious) - how different is viola from violin? Is it that different for a violinist to switch? (excuse my ignorance)
It’s not difficult to switch if you’re a violinist. You do have to learn a new clef, and the size of a viola is somewhat limiting. For instance, my tiny violinist who is not going to get any bigger cannot play a regular viola; it’s physically hard for her. And choosing a smaller viola often compromises sound.
Anonymous
05/04/2023 05:59
Subject: Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Violists are welcome everywhere. But at the highest level, it's no get out of jail free card and so competitive for the few spots there are. It's also hard to find a good viola teacher and the repertoire is somewhat limited.
Ex-violist here and in love the instrument but it’s frankly not terribly in demand. Yes there are fewer violists but a violinist can almost always cover a viola part in a pinch and there isn’t much need being symphony orchestras and string quartets. So if a child is planning to make music their career (which I assume if they’re considering conservatory) there’s a reason things like violin and piano are popular — you can do so much with those instruments.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 23:10
Subject: Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
My kid picked a more obscure and difficult instrument. it is great - his teacher regularly gets calls from the youth orchestras asking if she has kids ready to audition - they were thrilled when my son auditioned. And as a 6th grader he was asked to play in the 8th grade advanced band at school because they had no one playing his instrument.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:59
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:People actually pick their middle school child’s instrument for them based on possible college conservatory acceptances? I’m speechless…
I specifically said I wasn't going to let it influence my decision after receiving feedback. My son was at an impasse picking which is the only reason I turned here for suggestions but ultimately I've decided it's not worth thinking about this early.
And again with this framing of “my decision” when it should be a kid’s choice. Parents, please give your kids some basic autonomy and foster their independence!
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:58
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
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
I'd start with clarinet or French horn in elementary.
I'm assuming he already has been taking piano for music theory? If not, he could also start there.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:52
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good
What sorts of instruments are needed?
Viola
(Genuinely curious) - how different is viola from violin? Is it that different for a violinist to switch? (excuse my ignorance)
Violins usually play melody and violas play harmony. Not hard to switch. My viola orchestra kid spent time during COVID working on the violin and got up to speed pretty fast.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:48
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:People actually pick their middle school child’s instrument for them based on possible college conservatory acceptances? I’m speechless…
Assuming college admissions bump and not Con. Middle school is too late to start for most Conservatory instruments.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:45
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote: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.
What instrument(s) is your kid interested in?
- Taiko drums
- Contrabass clarinet
- Pennywhistle
- Vuvuzela
- Tenor horn
How old is your child?
4th grade but musically passionate beyond his years.
He's a bit young for wind/brass instruments. Maybe you can get him started on percussion, and see how he likes it (not Taiko drums), and when he's older, he can decide if he wants to go down that path, or choose a different instrument.
Not really. FCPS starts strings in 3rd and band in 4th. Before that, it’s record (Ugghh!).
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:38
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
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
My kid was a clarinet player who became a utility infielder in middle school. He had a gift for instrument switching and ultimately bass, contra bass, alto and contra alto clarinet as needed. The school owed the larger instruments and lent them to him he stayed late to practice. Marched bass clarinet. Hard to believe any middle school or HS needs a dedicated contrabass clarinet. He did ultimately attend Oberlin Arts & Sciences and played bass clarinet.
Start with a mainstream instrument so your kid can play in every song and get a solid foundation, and have them become an instrument switcher if they want. Percussionist naturally switch.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:33
Subject: Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Violists are welcome everywhere. But at the highest level, it's no get out of jail free card and so competitive for the few spots there are. It's also hard to find a good viola teacher and the repertoire is somewhat limited.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:10
Subject: Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Learn the haegeum it will be original
Very interesting...
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:07
Subject: Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Learn the haegeum it will be original
Anonymous
05/03/2023 22:05
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:I don't even know which parts of this thread are real and which are not.
Don't most sax players either come from clarinet OR tack on additional instruments once they've mastered sax, or both? That's how it is in our district.
Lots of kids started with alto sax in our school. My son started with clarinet and added tenor sax in HS as it has the same base. Some kids switch from alto to baritone sax. Clarinet players also add or switch to oboe and English horn. I am not up on trends in switching among the brass instruments.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 21:58
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:People actually pick their middle school child’s instrument for them based on possible college conservatory acceptances? I’m speechless…
I specifically said I wasn't going to let it influence my decision after receiving feedback. My son was at an impasse picking which is the only reason I turned here for suggestions but ultimately I've decided it's not worth thinking about this early.
Anonymous
05/03/2023 21:58
Subject: Re:Are some instruments more competitive for colleges/conservatories?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:rare yet needed instrument is good
What sorts of instruments are needed?
Viola
(Genuinely curious) - how different is viola from violin? Is it that different for a violinist to switch? (excuse my ignorance)