Grad schools

[jazzmcazz]

Hello everyone!
I just want to continue with the big question regarding grad schools. I want to know about smaller schools and how they compare to the BIG CONSERVATORIES (Juilliard, Cleveland, New England Concervatory,) .I am coming from IU school of music so SMALLER (in size but not necessarily a conservatory) is better! Let me know if anyone has any experience at smaller schools for grad degrees in performance! Thanks everyone =)

[ This Message was edited by: jazzmcazz on 2004-01-26 21:35 ]

[308WIN]

Ummmmm "Big Conservatories" is sorta' contradiction of terms man. Generally conservatories are smaller. Anyway, what's your definition of "smaller"? I mean coming from IU "smaller" could be Canada. What are you looking for?

Rich

[njp]

I think this is Ryan....? As a former IU grad myself, I have to plug two schools: Rowan University is a small school in South Jersey (Glassboro). It is a quick 20 min. to Philly, short drive to Atlantic City and equally distant to NYC and DC. That's a huge potential gig area. Most students are commuters from all the various suburbs and communities in Jersey, Penn, and Delaware. The teachers are incredible! Bob Earley (2nd in Philly Orch.), Bryan Appleby-Wineberg (principal of Haddonfield Symph. among many other groups), and George Rabbai (former Woody Herman Band member) all teach there. That's THREE trumpet teachers for less than 20 (current) students. Plus, other teachers such as Tyrone Breuninger (30yr. trombone/euph. in Philly Orch), Dennis DiBlasio (well known East Coast sax player), and various IU alumni teach there. The university itself received the largest private donation to a state run university in the history of the U.S., so they do make it much easier as a grad student to attend. The students are growing and this year the Rowan Trumpet Ensemble has made it to the Semi-Finals at the National Trumpet Competition and were accepted as a Prelude Ensemble for the ITG conference in Denver. Plus, the school hosts the Atlantic Brass Band which is a really great opportunity to learn cornet playing and the British brass band style. (Just like Phil Smith learned )
Check out the trumpet studio website (still in process) and give Prof. A/W a call as he is anything but an typical, intimidating department head.
http://www.rowan.edu/fpa/music/our_assets/ensembles/trumpet_studio/home/index.htm

Also, if you like the Philadelphia Orch. sound check out Temple University in Philly. Bilger, Curnow, Earley, and Blackburn all teach there along with (I think) a really great guy named Eric Schweingruber. For jazz, I think Terell Stafford still teaches there. If you haven't heard him, you're really missin' something.

btw- I loved IU, just couldn't work it for grad.


[ This Message was edited by: njp on 2004-01-26 22:09 ]

[Umyoguy]

Ryan,

Figure out what teacher you want - It's the only thing that matters.

That and whether there is a piano proficiency requirement....UGH