By Kacy C.
The college process is winding down for most seniors with decisions coming out any day now. However, for those seniors who have decided to pursue a musical education in college, the process is just beginning.
Music schools around the country are increasing in exclusivity. This is leading to many music majors having to apply to an increasingly large number of schools. According to the Eastman School of Music, students will apply anywhere from 6 to 20 music schools in an academic year.
College majors like, Musical Theater, Theater, Vocal Music, and countless other music-related majors, have audition processes that take months to prepare before they are ready to be performed in front of a school’s admission committee.
Many students looking to go to school for music have friends who have witnessed the extensive processes in action, one of those students being senior Mel C. “The process of auditioning seems rough. This time of year is really stressful on everyone and add auditions for colleges into the mix and its’ hectic. I don’t have any interest in going to school for music, but I think it can be a very rewarding process if you take it seriously,” said Mel.
Abby Z., a senior at Duxbury High School, knows just how hard and extensive the audition process for these kinds of majors can be. “ I have three friends who are going to school for music and theater. It is a really rough process,” said Abby.
The process Abby mentions above includes pre-screens. Pre-screens are interview-like auditions are usually video recordings. These are later sent to admission offices in order to be watched and graded on admission rubrics, rubrics which will determine who gets an audition and who doesn’t.
This then continues with the actual auditions where an applicant may have to have anything from a few monologues from royalty-free plays, songs, and dances or any combination of the few prepared in order to give the admissions committee a better look at the applicant.
It is recommended to stay away from popular show tunes or overly familiar material that is performed often in auditions because it can take away from a performers individuality, according to College-Conservatory of Music.
The process is not a short one either. “ It can take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks to hear back after an audition, and sometimes after that, they may ask you to come back and audition a second time,” said Abby Z.
Although the process is stressful for many students, students like Emma B. find it helpful living in Duxbury in regards to being prepared for the college audition process. “I’m so grateful I grew up in Duxbury because their music department has prepared me so wonderfully for the challenges I’ve had to overcome. I’m so thankful for all of the staff who have practically raised me to love music,” said Emma.
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