4 Things High School Students Overlook When Applying to Music School
By Cigus The College Fairy and Adrian Wong
Back in March, we sat down with superstar music college counselor Cigus the College Fairy to talk about some surprising pitfalls that high school students often find themselves in while navigating the complex application process! As the Instruments for Success College Specialist and Lead Teacher for the Philadelphia-based support organization Project 440, Cigus has helped mentor countless students in his 42 years of experience. What mistakes are students making that hinder them from getting accepted into their best school?
1. Not Having Consistent Support and Advocacy
Cigus’ biggest tip for prospective music majors is to be associated with a music support organization that understands the application process and can provide counseling and support resources. Organizations like Project 440, PMAY, and Settlement Music School in Philadelphia have tons of resources to help guide you through an application, which many in-school college counselors struggle with since it is such a specialized field.
Outside these organizations, also build a healthy support system consisting of fellow musicians, friends, family, and mentors that can provide much-needed guidance and mental health support to alleviate doubts and stress.
We have since built a support organization database for each U.S. state, which you can find here!
2. You Don’t Have to Plan Your Trip All the Way (but ask yourself the right questions!)
It’s ok if you’re unsure which school you want to attend, which teacher’s studio you want to be in, or even if majoring in music is the right choice! Cigus says that the most important at this stage, 2-4 years before your application is due, is to ask yourself questions that examine your relationship with music now and how you anticipate music to play a role in your life in the future. Here are some questions to ponder over:
What path do I want to pursue? Orchestra musician? K-12 teacher? Conductor? Music therapist? Audio engineer?
What kind of degree would I get if I followed that path? A music performance degree? A music technology degree?
Should I major or minor in music? Should I do a BA instead of a BFA or BM?
What kind of teacher do I want?
At this stage of my artistry, do I want to study with a star musician who will look impressive on my resume and might open doors for me in the professional world, or a fantastic but perhaps lesser-known pedagogue who will improve my playing?
Which school should I choose if a teacher is on faculty in multiple schools? Which school is the best fit for me?
Do I see myself as a professional musician in the future, or do I only really enjoy playing music?
Is the lifestyle of an orchestral musician appealing to me? Do I want to take on the grueling process of auditioning for schools and professional work?
Or is playing in campus orchestra fulfilling enough for me?
3. Your Choice of Audition Repertoire is Crucial
The audition repertoire list of each school is a microcosm——it is a portal into understanding the school and faculty’s priorities! Is this a school that focuses on orchestra, or a school that molds soloists? Is the repertoire mainly from the Classical and Romantic periods? We are also rightfully starting to see the addition of works by composers from underrepresented communities on audition lists. What does their inclusion or exclusion say about the values of the school and the studio? Here are some tips to help you decide which pieces to tackle for your audition:
Check out the proportion of concerti to excerpts to solo pieces required by the school. That ratio gives you a good idea of what the faculty prioritizes. If you are a budding orchestra musician but only see 1-2 excerpts on the audition list, what does that tell you about the school? Thinking about these questions will help ensure you end up at a place where you can unlock your fullest potential and be the type of musician you want to be.
Conversely, if there is a “free choice” option, what message does your chosen piece send to the faculty? Choose pieces that reflect your musicality, technical ability, and artistic values.
4. Your Essay is Important!
It might not seem like it, but your personal essay can be as important as your prescreening tape or live audition! At a competitive school where you might be a finalist amongst other musicians of roughly the same level, a good personal essay might be the difference between becoming an accepted student or receiving a rejection letter. I was told by a faculty member at the Curtis Institute of Music to focus on my essays after a trial lesson——that shows how important this aspect of the application can be! Here are some tips from Cigus and me about crafting your essay:
Your essay doesn’t have to be goal-oriented. Your essay is not the place to list your achievements——that’s what your CV/Resume is for. Your essay is an opportunity to show the reviewing committee your values, aspirations, trials and tribulations as a human being.
Similarly, you don’t have to write about music in your essay. Give the reviewing committee a three-dimensional view of you! You are not a music-making machine, so show the faculty another perspective they might not garner from your playing!
Tailor your essays to each school. Find out what the school’s mission statement, artistic vision, and artistic priorities are. How does your artistry align with those of the school? Make sure to mention them explicitly in your essay.
Optional means highly recommended. If an essay is optional, still take the time to complete it. It shows initiative and a desire to be at that school, and with how razor-thin margins are for an acceptance, don’t give the committee any excuse to reject you!
We hope these tips help you with your application journey!