Posted by Matt G on July 26, 2000 at 12:21:39:
In Reply to: " Big 10" ? posted by Curious? on July 26, 2000 at 09:33:04:
I would like to add that you may also want to consider the area the school is in. Even though the school's staff may be impressive, also consider things like the cultural scene, and how much work is present in the area, especially to help pay off those college bills! A good school in an area like NYC, Boston, Chicago, or any other major metropolitan area would be of good consideration. Especially since you could hear the local orchestras playing significant works. I think that the value of hearing things like that live are highly underrated, and should be weighed against a school that has a great staff but no real surrounding cultural support. Think about how much you learn how to play from hearing others play, especially in context of an ensemble. Hearing excerpts played correctly in your ear is one thing, but hearing them played correctly in the context of the full piece being performed live is where one really learns.
Sorry to ramble.
Matt G