I have been accepted to audition in-person at UM, one of highest ranked Music Schools. Thanks for all the help everyone! For reference, here is my prescreening tape. It's really bad (and I'm not being modest here) but this might help those who are curious about the difficulty level. If you ask a college how hard it is usually they'll just say it's "highly competitive", whatever that means! xD
I was wondering how hard it is to get into UMich's School of Music for piano performance?
I called and they said the acceptance rate was 35%. But I have no idea how good these people are! I'm assuming they're all pianists who have been playing a long time, but perhaps I'm wrong. I am only an average player probably below average, I want to get their BM degree in Piano Performance with Teacher Certification (Cus I think it lets me teach band in school, too!) but idk if I'm good enough.
I can barely find any videos or anything, I found one on youtube but idk if she made it or not.
I am practicing all day today and tomorrow to upload my prescreening recording by end of tomorrow, if I finish one of my recordings (3 songs, 3 recordings total) then I can upload it here and share it.
I'm recording this as one of my songs. I learned it last year.
I'm a little better than her and can play the song much faster like it should/could be (she plays it in like 3 minutes, i play it in 2). I get Division "I" Superior Ratings at Solo & Ensemble if you know that is. At State, I would get flat 40/50 rating on my solo.
She probably isn't good enough for UM level but again, I have no idea!
Thanks so much in advance!
I'm wondering because I might focus on practicing and just not apply to UC Berkely and UTexas Austin (which are due today and tomorrow).
UM's program seems really rare if it actually allows you to teach in band as well. Piano performance and music ed certificate? In just 4 years? I can't find this from other schools but maybe I'm wrong and it's not that hard to get a teacher certificate (but idk if that lets you teach band instead of just "general music" in elementary/secondary schools)
If it's not that rare or the audition is not that hard, I will have a huge sigh of relief ^^
Apply everywhere anyway? I decided apply to UT Austin the day the app was due and started and finished it in < 2 hours and the UC app is pretty straightforward. Can't hurt to try to apply to more places.
I know very little about the program as such – I know it has a reputation as one of the top grad music programs in the country (at least among not-music-only) schools and I know a few people who went there but I can't help beyond that.
All I can say is if you're going to apply, make sure you have a "safety" application as well: somewhere else you'd be relatively happy going where you're sure you can get in.
I was supposed to indicate on my Common App if I was going to apply to their School of Music but i already submitted it a while back for Early Action T_T So I'm going to try to call them but they probably won't let me send a new one...
Oh boy, seems like I've fucked myself over. Perhaps I should just apply to another school and get just a BM in Music Education (and take performance classes with electives) instead T_T I really don't want to waste a year in college trying to get in sophmore year but maybe a lot of people "waste" years while they figure out what they want to do? I just don't know what I would do for my first year if I can't take music classes lol... perhaps get a Business minor and practice to get into School of Music the next?
Will try to look for more performance + music ed degrees though. Godamn time is running out, I can't believe I've done this to myself.
the application process for umich begins as a 128 man tournament. each match is bo1 until the semis and finals, which are both bo3. Each round, applicants face off in the classic PianovPiano format in which players switch off playing songs of increasingly high difficulty on command, and the first player to get a score lower than 90% loses. As the rounds progress after the ro128 and the ro64, twists are added to the classic format. In the ro32 and ro16, players must play each song exactly one key up and one key down, switching every four bars. In the ro8, players must use their feet to press the keys and their hands to press the pedals. In the ro4, players must beatbox whilst they play each song. Last, in the finals players must a snare drum with their head to add a beat whilst they play. The winning player then gets to give all other players golden showers, and everyone gets in.
All you can do is apply everywhere you may want to go and see where the cards fall. Especially with music, since different music schools are often looking for different things. For instance, one of my friends from HS got into North Texas's music program, but not UTs, even though most people would probably consider UNT's music school harder overall.
As far as what you'd do if you aren't taking music classes, pretty much the same classes every other freshman is taking, regardless of their major. Unless you have alot of core curriculem classes already done from community college/AP classes, you'll be taking history, science, math, english, etc for the first year regardless. Trust me when I say, there's time for you to get into the music school if you don't your first semester.
On December 01 2011 09:52 Janaan wrote: All you can do is apply everywhere you may want to go and see where the cards fall. Especially with music, since different music schools are often looking for different things. For instance, one of my friends from HS got into North Texas's music program, but not UTs, even though most people would probably consider UNT's music school harder overall.
As far as what you'd do if you aren't taking music classes, pretty much the same classes every other freshman is taking, regardless of their major. Unless you have alot of core curriculem classes already done from community college/AP classes, you'll be taking history, science, math, english, etc for the first year regardless. Trust me when I say, there's time for you to get into the music school if you don't your first semester.
oh my fucking god THANK YOU
You're saying that even if you are a music student, you still need to take those OTHER CLASSES TO GRADUATE, RIGHT?
I kept seeing the "curriculum" for jobs like music and it would list all these courses. These are only courses to get THAT DEGREE, but you still need to fulfill GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS is that what you're saying?
Holy fuck! If this is true, fucking shit I love you! <3
On December 01 2011 09:43 AcrossFiveJulys wrote: Here is umich's application process:
the application process for umich begins as a 128 man tournament. each match is bo1 until the semis and finals, which are both bo3. Each round, applicants face off in the classic PianovPiano format in which players switch off playing songs of increasingly high difficulty on command, and the first player to get a score lower than 90% loses. As the rounds progress after the ro128 and the ro64, twists are added to the classic format. In the ro32 and ro16, players must play each song exactly one key up and one key down, switching every four bars. In the ro8, players must use their feet to press the keys and their hands to press the pedals. In the ro4, players must beatbox whilst they play each song. Last, in the finals players must a snare drum with their head to add a beat whilst they play. The winning player then gets to give all other players golden showers, and everyone gets in.
Just remember if you get in normally and try to transfer into the program, you'll still have to audition, and from the sounds of the program it may be a once a year thing. As for taking classes every other freshman will, I know programs like engineering and music generally have a really rigorous curriculum, especially if there's a teaching cert built into the program.
I know at my school if you weren't a music major from the start you were guaranteed to be there at least an extra semester. You definitely want to check with the school and make sure if you go there as a "regular" student you'll be able to complete everything on time without hiccups. Although they may say yes and you won't find out until a year or so in you'll have to stay extra, colleges love to get their money
Yeah, what Janaan said above is correct. I was a music performance major at North Texas and on top of all the music related classes, I also had to take core curriculum classes. (I took english and math first semester ^^)
A minimum of thirty-two credit hours of additional coursework in various departments covering the areas of humanities, natural and social science, one introductory psychology course, and the University's two semester English writing requirement
@tfang
THIS IS WONDERFUL. I seemed to have missed this small part! 32 credit hours in areas including SCIENCE and SOCIAL SCIENCE and ENGLISH
Meaning, I will NOT waste a year, and possibly I can still finish the music degree in the same 4 years! It is only a shame I couldn't try to audition to get into freshman year, but I absolutely loathed the idea of having made a small mistake and have to "waste" a year in college and be behind everyone T_T (well right now I actually am a year young, since I'm an immigrant lol).
Omg, this means I might even be able to still do the Dual Degree program at UM in 5 years that they offer... Businesses + Piano Performance with Teacher Certification. Their BBA undergrad program only need 45 business credits, meaning that if I do some summer classes in music (why the hell not music is fun ^^) and do 5 year program, I won't actually have that many classes per semester... 16-18 credits per sem, depending on how much I can take in summer ^^
(And if I change my mind to not do piano performance and/nor Music Education, or I simply don't make it in, that's totally fine I guess, I can still do Business and play music on the side for fun ^^. I'll have a good year to think about it!)
A lot has occurred to me; I learned about how college, life, etc., etc. works.
I have figured out a way to keep the most doors open. I will be going to UM in which I can take a BA in music and dual degree if I want with something else, or get a Bachelor of Music (dual degree or not) if I make it into audition, or possibly transfer to an easier music school if I want a BM.
Anyways I turned in my prescreening tape (preliminary audition basically) 4 minutes late, meaning I didn't make the priority deadline -- they would accept all the people they want who turned it on time before looking at mine.
My tape was LITERALLY HORRID, and I don't mean like missing 5 notes, I mean HORRID. I was playing all the wrong notes, speeding, no dynamics, audio only, even had to stop and restart a section in one song, etc. etc.
This has boosted my confidence, and hopefully it's not just a matter of luck, but that the auditions are not as hard as I had thought.
For anyone that might want to know how hard it is to get in, you can look at my recording and this might help you. It is absolutely horrible but... I guess they could tell that I did indeed have some playing skill anyways xD
Congrats on UM! I went to Northwestern (BS/BMus program), another school with highly ranked music and non-music programs, and I think having a breadth of education is never a bad thing. Good luck!
On January 27 2012 07:13 Melchior wrote: Congrats on UM! I went to Northwestern (BS/BMus program), another school with highly ranked music and non-music programs, and I think having a breadth of education is never a bad thing. Good luck!
So you dual majored? With a science? I heard that is like really hard :D
Current Michigan student here, and I'm extremely happy to see you'll be joining us next year! If you have any general Michigan-related questions, feel free to ask me and I'd be more than happy to try and answer them. Best of luck, and Go Blue!
On January 27 2012 09:26 We Are Dormin wrote: Current Michigan student here, and I'm extremely happy to see you'll be joining us next year! If you have any general Michigan-related questions, feel free to ask me and I'd be more than happy to try and answer them. Best of luck, and Go Blue!
On January 27 2012 09:26 We Are Dormin wrote: Current Michigan student here, and I'm extremely happy to see you'll be joining us next year! If you have any general Michigan-related questions, feel free to ask me and I'd be more than happy to try and answer them. Best of luck, and Go Blue!
Thanks a bunch :D See you next year!
*cough* are you on the sc2 team? xD
Haha, I'm not nearly good enough to try and compete on behalf of the university. Although, I'm not actually sure if our CSL team is still even active...I can't find any recent information about it anywhere >.<
On January 27 2012 09:26 We Are Dormin wrote: Current Michigan student here, and I'm extremely happy to see you'll be joining us next year! If you have any general Michigan-related questions, feel free to ask me and I'd be more than happy to try and answer them. Best of luck, and Go Blue!
Thanks a bunch :D See you next year!
*cough* are you on the sc2 team? xD
Haha, I'm not nearly good enough to try and compete on behalf of the university. Although, I'm not actually sure if our CSL team is still even active...I can't find any recent information about it anywhere >.<
Oh they actually won all of their matches except against Oakland University... which is my team, since I dual enroll high school / college classes :D
They rotate players too which is nice, seems like they want to give more people chances to play rather than having their best players play all the time!
On January 27 2012 09:26 We Are Dormin wrote: Current Michigan student here, and I'm extremely happy to see you'll be joining us next year! If you have any general Michigan-related questions, feel free to ask me and I'd be more than happy to try and answer them. Best of luck, and Go Blue!
Thanks a bunch :D See you next year!
*cough* are you on the sc2 team? xD
Haha, I'm not nearly good enough to try and compete on behalf of the university. Although, I'm not actually sure if our CSL team is still even active...I can't find any recent information about it anywhere >.<
Oh they actually won all of their matches except against Oakland University... which is my team, since I dual enroll high school / college classes :D
They rotate players too which is nice, seems like they want to give more people chances to play rather than having their best players play all the time!
Hmmm, I see. If I ever get around to having enough free time to practice regularly, I might just take the leap and get in touch with them. But thanks for letting me know that they're still going, because I had given up some time ago when I couldn't find them on TL. xD
I just want to make sure I understand - you were admitted to UM and are attending, but still have to audition to see if you can be admitted to the music school?
Even if you are not admitted to the music school you should be able to take private piano lessons with a grad student and perhaps re-apply after a year or two.
Another important thing to do to contact some member of the piano faculty and try to have a meeting or even a lesson (if you can afford it) around the time of the audition. Regardless of whether you are admitted they will be able to give you good advice.
I think you should take some time to consider the role music plays in your life, and what role you want it to play in your future. Enjoying playing the piano is not enough to make a music degree a good idea. You have to think about what you will really be doing with that degree. You are ahead of many others in that you realize you will be teaching. Your decision is not really about music, it is about teaching. Does being a general music teacher, or band teacher, or private piano teacher sound good to you? If so, go for it. If not, get a degree in something else and take advantage of the opportunity college will give you to have piano lessons with a good teacher at no cost for four years.
For reference, I have a BM in piano performance from a conservatory, and am currently working mostly as a private piano teacher. I never planned on being a teacher (I never planned on much of anything, whihc is part of the problem) but luckily I have found I really enjoy it. Even so, I regret not getting a more well-rounded education - I think I would probably have been happier doing a dual-degree program at a regular school. But hindsight can be misleading. I had a good time and consider myself pretty fortunate to be able make a living doing something I enjoy - and the conservatory degree has definitely smoothed that path.
One of my cousins did a four year music ed program that sounds similar to what you are thinking of, and she is very happy as an orchestra teacher in Texas - which despite its reputation for ignorance has some of the best public school music programs in the country. It seems strange to me that you would mention being a band teacher without playing a band instrument though - you do realize that you will have to learn *all* of them, right?
If by any chance you live in the NYC area, or are traveling through it on your way to visit/audition, I would be happy to try and help you prepare for your audition, just send me a PM.
EPT
