gdong

For Tony:

Do you see/hear/play with many college players or players just out of schools in the NY area? If so, what is your general feeling of the students from each respective school? I'm almost done with my undergraduate studies here at UCLA and am thinking about taking it all to NY or Boston.

I know this can kind of seem like a loaded questions, I'm just wondering if players from any specific schools strike you a certain way in terms of their attitudes/playing/frienlieness... You know how trumpet players can be!

im interested in the usuals: New School, Manhattan, NYU, Julliard, NEC.

thanks!

student trumpet

just to let you know the correct spelling is Juilliard.

Good Luck with your search!!!

kadleck

g -

All of the schools that you mentioned are fine places. There are good players at all of them. I've found that schools are what you make of them - if you have the "bug" and are willing to learn, you WILL, regardless of the environment. I'm guessing that after a 4 yr. degree, YOU know best what you need to work on.

Personally, I lean toward schools that let you play in ALL of the ensembles. Many schools say that the jazzers play in the big band and the legit players play in the orch. That's bullshit. If you can do both, DO both. You are paying good money. Don't let a school dictate which ensembles you'll be allowed to play in.

I was hoping that when Julliard started their jazz program they would cater to the "everyday" player (who needs to learn about REAL life playing situations), and NOT to train the next Wynton. Sadly, that is not the case. Music schools should train one to "work in music", not to cater to the .000001% who will be playing the Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto in front of the Cleveland Orch. someday. Look for a school that shuns that attitude.

And when you are looking for a teacher, make sure that the teacher actually teaches there and is not on a leave (or on the road for 9 months out of the year).

Please keep us posted.

Thanks -
Tony

MJ

Thank you!

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gdong

Thanks Tony!

It's been a big struggle at UCLA to convince them to let me go both ways in the music department. I'm technically a "Jazz" major to allow me the freedom to get a second degree in computational cognition, and because of that they are really really stingy about even allowing me to audition for the classical ensembles regardless of weather or not I can "hang" with them. I've been pretty much relegated to "#1 sub and guy they call when the shit hits the fan", but I'm getting lots of show/film/commercial stuff through the film school and theater school so its been more interdisciplinary than I thought.

Auditions are next year and I'll be sure to post my thoughts and experiences during the whole thing.

TisEkard

Best of luck D. Theres always CalArts

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Drake F. Peterson

gdong

Thanks man.

CalArts is a truly awesome place that I would recommend to ANYONE. If I'm staying in LA and not doing film school at USC (another place where you can only have one role musically), the CalArts is my #1.

I'm at CalArts probably 3 days a week, and get in more practice time there than here at UCLA. Thats how magic it is!

TisEkard

Amen to that dude! We should jam

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Drake F. Peterson