You think I'm talking about airplanes. I'm really talking abou...okay, yeah, I'm talking about airplanes. I'm also talking about taking the plunge: flying to all of the schools where you were granted interviews / auditions after you mailed in your portfolios / recordings. You see how I'm making this post performance-major friendly?
Having completed the process thus-ly (as opposed to forsooth-ly,) I feel it imperative that I deliver all information promptly and responsibly to this site so that all who read it may bask in the warmth of my knowledge and experience...*puke* or laugh at how I messed up.
Many, much, beaucoup, multiple, cornucopial things have happened in the interim since my last post. I will first paraphrase and then extrapolate (just like any composer who writes anything that has to do with theme and variation, thematic transformation, leitmotif, melody, sonata, concerto, etc, etc, etc or the thousands of composers who write pieces with gimmicks - ooh this one is about a roller coaster oh it's interesting and artsy! or my personal favorite, "this one is parabolizing the human spirit and being unconventional and avant-garde...that's soooooo coool!" I'm starting to think that there are many similarities between contemporary composers and emo high school kids that are trying to stand out; everyone is trying to be edgy and cool but everyone is wearing black. Just wear a Cosby sweater. I think this definitely has to be the longest parenthetical aside ever written, but don't quote me) a list of things that have occurred:
1.) I have thus-ly concluded all of my interviews. Or is it that I have concluded all of my interviews thus-ly?
2.) I received Battlefield 3 for Christmas, but the oversight of the Mensa squad over at EA has continually and unerringly prevented me from being able to enjoy this AAA title. It is now March.
3.) I have written two pieces, Snow for the University of Maine Collegiate Chorale Chamber Choir, and Edline for the Erskine Academy Jazz Combo. I am currently working on two more pieces - one for Clarinettist Benjamin Cox and another for a competition.
4.) I have been student teaching for three months and have approximately 1 1/2 months left to go. It's going to go by quickly.
5.) I have read the entire "Inheritance Cycle" by Christopher Paolini, "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton, "The Long Walk" by Slawomir Rawicz, and am currently reading "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest" by Stieg Larsson.
I think that's about it for mentionables (don't look at my unmentionables!) I'm really just going to talk about mentionable number uno.
So I mentioned in my last post about it being generally a good idea to apply to six schools. I balanced my schools out like this: 2 reach schools, 2 strong schools, 2 gimme schools. I'm not saying that it's right, I'm just saying that's what I did. Anyway, it was good because I ended up being rejected from one reach school and wait-listed at the other reach school. I was accepted into the other four schools.
Now, you can be even more fine in your gradient than I was. For example, you could have a mega reach school, a close reach school, a good strong school, a good school, a settle school, and a gimme school. You could have 6 mega-reach schools if you wanted, but I don't think anyone except the really socially deprived are that delusional.
There are some things you're going to want to do to ensure a positive, peaceful, and most importantly successful interview / audition experience.
1.) Practice / Know your stuff. If you've put the time into your music / theory, you shouldn't have anything to freak out about come audition time / test time.
2.) Arrive the day before you interview / audition. Get your bearings. Get settled. Take time to figure out where you're supposed to go for all of your obligations the following day - you never know what the next day is going to bring. Use this time to work out all the kinks - transportation to and from campus / airport, where to eat (you'll be alone,) where the music building is, etc.
3.) Go to bed early and sleep. Seriously.
4.) Eat a good breakfast.
5.) Get there early.
6.) If you're going to audition, don't over-warmup. If you're interviewing, don't sweat too much.
7.) Take some time on the plane ride over to write down responses to possible questions they might ask you. Also take the time to write down questions of your own. Well constructed, thought-provoking questions can really set you apart from other candidates for a variety (cornucopia) of reasons.
8.) Be yourself, but don't be too much of yourself - you want to give them a taste of your flavor.
9.) If you can, make them laugh. It shows your wit, your humor; and that you're not tense in the interview atmosphere. Not to mention they'll think you're a funny guy.
10.) It's more expensive, but consider getting a shuttle from the airport instead of renting a car. In doing so, I was able to learn a lot about the climate, the culture, and the lifestyle of the area from my shuttle driver - something I never would have gotten driving by myself.
11.) Talk to locals if you can - for the same reasons.
12.) Wear a suit - a suit means that you take things seriously. As one interviewer jokingly said to me, "yeah, I can tell you're a teacher because you know how to tie a tie."
13.) As soon as you get back to your hotel / home, send each professor an email thanking them for their time and that you look forward to seeing the results of their process. Courtesy is good karma.
14.) If you have a lot of connecting flights, give yourself at least an hour between arrival time and boarding time.
Since beginning to take lessons with Beth three years ago, I have learned that in many situations, it's not even about the music. I don't know how it is for other composers, but for me, when I first began having someone review my work, I kept wondering to myself whether or not she thought it was any good - whether or not she "liked" it.
I have since learned that it's not really about what other people like - I write what I like and what sounds good to me - other people either agree with me or they don't. It's more about how you express yourself; and to what extent the way in which you do so is effective to your end result. It's really more about learning what's effective for what you want and what is not. The trick is figuring out what you want. You can still do it too if you not exactly sure what you want - as long as that's what you want.
I mention this because when you go in to the interview - it's not about whether or not these big-name professor / composers like your music. It's about you as a person: where you're coming from and where you're going. It's about what you want to do and how serious about doing it they think you are. The more serious and dedicated they see you are, the better the chance they'll take you seriously.
In all of my interviews, I never asked, "So, what did you think?" Or, "So, is it any good?" To be quite honest there is a good chance that they haven't even looked at your portfolio anyway, or if they did, you were one of 2 or 3 dozen others and they don't remember you, or they will just tell you that they haven't looked at it to see your reaction.
You will get in there, and there will probably be anywhere from 3-5 composition faculty in the room to meet you and talk with you. They will have your music there, and they will handle it in front of you and hand it around while they and you are talking. They will study you and stare at you. They are important and established and you are not. Don't let that bother you. Just be friendly, relaxed, and let your charm do the rest.
As one interviewer said to me, "we basically just want to see whether or not you're a weirdo."
There, you have just been given all of the secrets to a successful interview. It is now your responsibility to make sure you don't come across like a weirdo.
I am very near the time when I will make a final decision as to where I will be going for my Masters. I will post once I have made a decision and it has been confirmed. I may also post before then as there have been a couple topics that have popped into my head as I have been writing this.
Until next time.
March 13th, 2012
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