September is in full swing for me, and brought some unexpected twists. I was asked in mid-August to fill in at Elizabethtown College for the flute teacher there. I was happy to pitch in, which meant taking on seven additional college students. They have all been open minded and receptive to me, and it’s a pleasure getting to know them and help on their musical journey. This meant that my ideas about instructional videos for the PMEA District 7 flute audition piece are being readjusted a bit. This is something I still want to create--but I need to find the time to do it. Thanks for bearing with me while I figure this out! This month in college auditions: making contact with the school/professor and asking for a lesson! If you are a prospective music major, you may have a lot of questions about your future teacher. It’s important that you click with this person. Your lesson teacher is the person you will spend the most time with in your college years. If you’re happy with your teacher, you will thrive and learn a lot. If you’re not happy, well...you can probably imagine how that will turn out. Here are some tips for making contact with your future teacher. Send them a message Many colleges list their faculty and their respective email addresses on their websites. You may also see their bios and pictures. It’s fine to send an email to introduce yourself and express your interest in the school. I enjoy hearing from prospective students and am happy to present information about myself, my studio, and opportunities our department offers. This contact should come from you, the student--not your parent. Tell me a bit about yourself, which major interests you, and what intrigues you about this college. Use good grammar, spelling, and address the professor properly, using Professor or Doctor (if that degree applies). Your message is my first impression of you--make it count! Have a friend, teacher, or parent proofread your message before you send it if you are unsure about your writing. Take note of the reply you receive. Is it a standard reply or is there some personalization? What is your impression of me when you read my reply? Professors are very busy people. We often teach all day and then perform, teach, or grade papers in the evenings. Be patient for a reply but take note if you don’t receive a reasonably prompt one. Should I take a lesson? Many prospective students wonder if they should take a lesson, and when they should try to schedule it. I encourage folks to consider taking a lesson if the school and teacher really interests them (remember my comment above about spending a lot of quality time with this teacher). A few expectations here:
I am fortunate to have studied with wonderful teachers whom I respect and admire greatly. I hope these tips will help you find your perfect school and teacher! Stay tuned for next month’s blog on choosing and preparing a good audition repertoire. Happy fluting!
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I Write too!I write about flute, classical music, college auditions, positive mindset, and music advocacy. Archives
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