The Eastman viola community will be sharing their thoughts and experiences throughout the 2014-2015 academic year on The American Viola Society Studio Blog. Professors Carol Rodland, George Taylor and Phillip Ying, along with students and alumni, will give readers an insider’s view of all things viola. Some of the topics covered so far include: Life…
Zac Hammond is an oboist and a recent graduate of Eastman who won the principal oboe position with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. At Eastman, Zac earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Applied Music, and studied with Prof. Richard Killmer. He also earned the Arts Leadership Certificate. We recently interviewed Zac about his orchestral experiences…
As high school seniors are getting their applications underway (or at least thinking about getting started!) a question often comes up: how many schools should I apply to? What is the right number for your “short list”? The answer to this question is as individual as each student, but I would like to offer some…
We are pleased to announce that the application for Fall 2015 admission is now open! We’ve spent the summer making updates and improvements, and we are excited to get the admissions season underway. The Eastman application allows you to upload recordings and videos directly within your application on the “Recordings” page (if recordings are required…
The question of applying on more than one instrument comes up frequently in the music admissions process. There are some cases in which applying on more than one instrument makes sense, and others in which it is not recommended. This post will discuss some factors you should consider in making this decision. The first question…
If you are the parent of a music student, you might want to check out a new book from Amy Nathan called Music Parents Survival Guide. It is full of advice and info to help you navigate the many steps your child will take between first lessons and heading off to college and beyond. The…
Visiting a college campus is a great way to get a more complete picture of what studying there would be like. Websites are a useful starting point, but they can’t replace the first-hand experience of meeting faculty, students and staff members and seeing the campus in person. Here are some tips to make the most…
Many of you will have an interview as part of your audition day at Eastman, depending on the program you are applying to. Interviews are conducted by a member of Eastman’s faculty or staff – either individually or in small groups. Interviews are one of my favorite parts of audition days, because they create…
Many of you are required, or at least encouraged, to perform all or part of your audition from memory.[i] What I’ve learned from my own performing and teaching career is that memorization is not important so much for its own sake, but more so for the musical benefits it brings. The ultimate goal is a…
Today’s guest post is written by Amy Skjerseth, a recent graduate of Eastman and the Dual Degree program at the University of Rochester. If you are considering a Dual Degree, you may find it useful to hear about her experiences. Thanks Amy! ***************** Throughout high school, I always knew that I wanted to study music:…