Music in college

I'm going to be a senior in high school and am currently looking around at different universities. Only a few months ago, I started becoming very interested in the idea of studying music in college, but I wonder if it's too late for me to match up to the competition of other aspiring student musicians who seemed to have kept to music all their lives.

I've been playing piano for 10 or 11 years now--but that's not exactly 10 or 11 years of dedicated motivated practice or good technical instruction. I really like the idea of composing...but I don't know how to come up with good compositional ideas, and I don't know how to organize them. I can only come up with a decent idea on occasion. I wonder if that is because I didn't play the piano very much throughout the past few years or if it's simply because composition (as a serious study) isn't for me.

So, I'm researching different colleges, fretting about whether or not it's too late for me to be able to study music in college or whether or not I can even make it past any auditions--I haven't even mastered scales and arpeggios yet. I don't know how to make a complete, organized composition, so I have nothing for my portfolio...

but I love music, and I definitely want to do it in college somehow.

any suggestions? comments? please?

How about you share some pieces of yours with us? :)

I would just write and write for practice. I never had any formal music instruction, as far as composition goes, until this last year and I still got into a music school so its not impossible.

A lot of places are impressed if you can produce a score that's nice looking. One place I applied to required a well-handwritten score. On top of that, maybe they're looking for sophistication or a unique voice or something, what do I know. Also, a live recording works wonders. One piece well notated and performed can go a long way.

I just put up a piece in the critique section if you would like to hear it.

"My first piano composition"

If you need a handwritten piece - just write it using your favorite notation program, then print and trace by hand (making a few adjustments to make it look "handwritten" of course)

Cheating!

Back in the day, we old fogeys had to learn proper hand notation, as well as whatever mess we used for private sketches, etc. Everybody should practice hand notation. It's as essential a basic skill as penmanship...also sadly neglected nowadays. I'm ashamed that with the advent of the computer my own penmanship has suffered. It's a disgrace.

Originally posted by J. Lee Graham@Aug 10 2005, 02:04 PM

Cheating!

Back in the day, we old fogeys had to learn proper hand notation, as well as whatever mess we used for private sketches, etc.

Have you thought about the amount of electricity used in using a computer to write compositions? Whic is more economical: paper or electricity? Don't forget that a great proportion of the world's electricity comes from gas, oil or coal.

Have you thought about the amount of electricity used in using a computer to write compositions? Whic is more economical: paper or electricity? Don't forget that a great proportion of the world's electricity comes from gas, oil or coal.

What the heck are you talking about?!?!?!? :huh: My comments were satirical and relating to my laziness. How you took them seriously I don't understand. I guess this is the downfault of online text... no emotion. :blink: :P :blush: :cool: :mellow: (I'd place more but the board won't let me) That should do it.

"How you took them seriously I don't understand."

My post was in all seriousness? *grin* I guess this is the downfall of online text... no emotion. *laughs*

Heh.

I always write down my piano compositions, even if I've notated them on the computer. It's great to have a written record of what I've been writing; also it ensures that my composition notebook isn't just full of little ideas that went nowhere. Plus it makes for sort of a more personal connection with the music.

I was never really taught how to write out music properly, though; I'm amazed and a little ashamed that I didn't even think of using a ruler until last April. (Now I always do, though. I have an Official Composition Ruler [Oxford] that joins the similar Pencil [bic] and Eraser [staedtler].)

Everything else I write on the computer directly, so I don't bother copying it. Maybe I should, though...

There needs to be a writing utensil that allows you to draw staves. With 5 points and adjustable spacing.

I plan to get filthy rich on this idea. Filthy rich.

There needs to be a writing utensil that allows you to draw staves.

Neat. What do they call it?

Neat. What do they call it?

I honestly don't know! I lost mine when I was about 15, and after that I never had trouble getting manuscript paper if I needed it, so I never bought another one!

It didn't have its own inking system, so I had to dip it in india ink like an old 19th Century nib pen - which was a pain - and being a kid I was too lazy to use a ruler to make straight lines, so a lot of my early scores have staves that curve slightly.