Calling American Students - Help a Brit Out

I'm looking to find some summer composition programs for 2009 in the Northeast region, ideal places of interest include the New York and Boston areas though I would be more than happy to explore another US city if the course was good. I'm hoping to find a place somewhere as I am looking into the idea of packing my bags and coming to the States for my Masters.

My background isn't particular strong which is something I am looking on working on prior to actually applying for my Masters but in generally somewhere with the competitiveness of say Tanglewood, would be way over my head in my opinion.

Funding is also another huge factor since I am funding myself in the world so programs which offer fellowships which cover the entire or part of the cost would be good.

Let me highly recommend a program which I have seen up close and personal.

The Brevard Music Center has been a long-standing and well-respected program in North Carolina.

If you care to read more, I'll give some information I've gathered from attending last year.

Disadvantage:

Not near a huge music city like Boston, etc.

Advantages:

- The Center draws prestigious performers and composers. It's got two primary tracks: orchestral performance and composition. The benefits for composers are therefore two-fold--

1) A wealth of enriching and inspiring performances. When I was there as a cellist, we played with violinists Joshua Bell and Midori, as well as cellist Lynne Harrell. This past season, Kieth Lockhardt of Boston assumed directorship of the orchestra.

***2) Perhaps more enticing, all composers have access to collective new-music performance forces known, intriguingly, as the "ITCH" ensemble. This means that in the many composer's concerts held throughout the summer, you have top-quality musicians from around the country--and the world--who have VOLUNTEERED to play your new music! You get to rehearse with them, give your input, and see, time and time again, your music premiered over the course of the program.

- One of the head composers-in-residence for several years is Robert Aldridge. He just saw a double premier of his new opera Elmer Gantry (www.elmergantryopera.com) in Nashville and Montclair. He has a wealth of music published by Peters, and, after meeting and talking with him, I greatly admire his philosophy of audience-building as well as the vibrance of his style.

- Scholarships--as a chamber/orchestral musician, I received a full scholarship as a fellow of the Music Center in 2007. You can see the website for more scholarship info: Brevard Music Center.

- You'll meet truly talented student composers. I got to know them quite well when I was there; they came from as far away as Australia to study. If you want to see the kind of students they draw, google a guy I met named "Patrick Valentino"--his site will give you an idea.

- Not least of all, you'll find great support from the area. Brevard, though a smaller community, is vibrantly devoted to the arts, and the composers concerts are very well attended with enthusiastic patrons from the area.

Tell me what you think if you check it out.

Brooks Popwell

You have my attention :D - Thanks for replying.

Questions I can think of so far

Tuition is stated as being $4700 which plus my plane tickets (and the cost of actually getting my first passport :whistling:) is a very high. I haven't really looked about to see if this is a norm price. But I would have to seriously consider it.

1) How likely is it for an AD (which is what I would be) receive employment?

2) How much financial aid am I looking at receiving if accepted? I am literally supporting myself through university and would be supporting myself through this.

To answer your questions:

1) It's very likely, especially if you apply EARLY. I know because I had 4 friends who applied for employment and they ALL got it.

2) If you demonstrate good compositional skill, I believe you could get a full scholarship. They make a point of giving every accepted student some amount of scholarship money. I don't know if you saw that on the website.

For specifics, I think that without doubt you can just expect to get anywhere from 1/4-1/2 of the tuition, as long as you're accepted. As I said, from my own experience (since I got a full schol.) I know that even a full schoarship isn't really uncommon. You would just want to call and ask for their admissions office. There, you could inquire about how often such full scholarships are awarded to composers. I have no certain idea about that, since I was a performance student.

Hope that helps!

Oh--also, if you'd send me some of your files, I'd be glad to give you some kind of written note that you could send to Aldridge (when/if you send in an application packet with your dossier of compositions) to tell him that we've corresponded and that I've seen some of your writing. We did have favorable interaction...he liked my writing, etc., as I've said. It might help (not that I'm a "big shot"...just some reference helps).

Oh--also, if you'd send me some of your files, I'd be glad to give you some kind of written note that you could send to Aldridge (when/if you send in an application packet with your dossier of compositions) to tell him that we've corresponded and that I've seen some of your writing. We did have favorable interaction...he liked my writing, etc., as I've said. It might help (not that I'm a "big shot"...just some reference helps).

WOW!!! That would be a great help if I decide to apply!

I am going to speak to my composition supervisor for this year, I am likely to have a 2 movement wind quintet completed by Janurary. However, I am submitting it part of my final year course so I am unsure whether I can use it elsewhere until after my degree. In which case I will have to dust off some of my older works and revise revise revise!

I still haven't spoken to my composition supervisor but if anyone has attended a summer festival in America for composition and has any advice I would be extermely grateful.

Going to a festival won't just help me get on and develop ready for my postgraduate but it would be a big help personally right now - I need to get out of this country for a few weeks after my degree!

I am still considering Brevard and would very much like to put in an application there but as I have never done an application like this I would really like the help - since I also have to pursude them I need funding.

Spoke to my supervisor and he is giving me a letter of recommodation.

I've decided I am going to apply to Brevard, New York Summer Music Festival and California Summer Music. All of them are fee based (urgh) but I am also applying for funding and work studies.

I haven't got much time to get a decent application together. I think I will be getting some of my personal favourite compositions I have done since I have been at University and revising them in light of the teacher's remarks.

Triple post - sorry

Well its all systems good for applying. I am in the process of writing a musical cv, I have all the work I have written in the past three years ready to listen to an create into a 3 score portfolio and I have a cracking recommodation from my supervisor that I doubt my application will live up to.

As to my portfolio though, I don't have any long pieces - except for a couple six minutes ones which I would never submit because I hate them sooo much. I have a Wind Quintet (8 to 10 mins) in progress and that is most certinely going off. But I need 2 more which would have to pieces I did as "exercises" but thing are like 1-2 minutes long.

Call me paranoid but that's a really weakness isn't it?

This girl is getting a master's degree at Indiana University... one of the best schools in America for music.. and look at the length of her pieces.

I realise this was an effort to make me feel more comfortable about my application so I don't mean to sound ungrateful but it had the had completly the opposite effect on me.

Various reasons, but primarly it was the scary looking list of works she's had performed - I have never heard any of my works beyond Sibelius - and the quality of the music she's written.

Still scared but thank you.

TANGLEWOOD

TANGLEWOOD

Interlochen?

TANGLEWOOD

TANGLEWOOD

Interlochen?

Tanglewood's deadline has already passed and even if it hadn't I don't think I would stand a chance of getting in. The plan though is after a summer wherever and chance to better my portfolio that Tanglewood and Aspen etc will summer '10.

I might have to settle of staying here in the UK because my bank manager is really not going to like me. But the lengths of the festivals over here are down right lame - instead of 6 weeks, you're luckly to get 2.

How about "Bang on a Can"? It's a very open-minded summer thing, although I haven't really looked into it.

EDIT: the deadline was today - nevermind :( but it looks very interesting, if you're interested for next year or something

Well I got a repsonse to an email I sent to NYSMF which says that they employ international students on the work study scheme and with my past experince in that area, I am hopeful that I will get accepted.

They tell me though I'll need a work visa for my stay in the US and I'll be dammed if I can't find the right information I need for that.

PS, I still really need some good critcal reviews on that work I posted. Time is really ticking away now.

For one of my applications I have the chance to submit biographical material and background information, I think this is a great because I get to show I am dedicated etc.

I've never done anything like this before. Should I write it in 3rd person?

I apologize for the fact this is my 3rd post in a row on this but.....

NYSMF? 'No, you silly mother f****er' hahahaha.

Congratulations though

NYSMF? 'No, you silly mother f****er' hahahaha.

Congratulations though

Andy - why why why have you changed your name?

Also it stands for New York Summer Music Festival - where I'll be studying between June 23rd and August 11th.

Congratulations! Have a great time.

Congrats!

Congratulations! I'm sure it'll be exciting. Do...lots of interesting stuff. *ahem* Related to composition.

I'm still waiting for my own summer program results, but they're not music-related...

Hi Guys

The festival that I am attending (the New York Summer Music Festival) is after bassoonists and french horn players. I am guessing not enough people that perform either instruments applied because the deadline past last week.

I've heard that scholarship money is being offered to these instrumentalists to persuade more to apply. So if you haven't already got plans this summer and would to spend it performing, let me know.

I'll openly admit that part of the reason I am mentioning this is that for people that mention my name during their application and then attend, I get a tad bit extra knocked off my own fees but also because the gentleman who has been sooo helpful in getting me sorted to go is advertising everywhere and I don't think he's having much luck.