These past few weeks I’ve been traveling around the US auditioning for grad schools. The repertoire requirements vary from school to school but it is mostly set as a soft guide.
I prepared a set of pieces that showcased what I excelled at but also demonstrated my depth of musical interpretation.
My Repertoire:
Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 2
Bach, Partita No. 2, Chaconne - own transcription
Bach, Suite No. 4
Schubert, Arpeggione Sonata
Dutilleux, Trois Strophes Sur Le Nom De Sacher
Popper No. 9
Piatti No. 10
The first school I auditioned at was in Boston.
NEC - New England Conservatory
One of the leading conservatories in the United States, it is known for cultivating serious music making. It regards chamber music as one of the cornerstones of a strong music education and pushes it as a major priority for a students growth. It is notorious for giving out very little scholarship and is often criticized for it.
Boston South Station
Thoughts:
After playing my audition I got to sit down and talk with Laurence Lesser whom I was applying for. Right from the start he struck me as someone who cared deeply about creating serious music. He gave me a quick run through on his thoughts about colors and techniques, giving me an insight on how he approached teaching. He left quite the impression on me and I will be seriously considering NEC as my next destination.
All their chairs were too short, had to improvise a little.
The next was in my hometown Los Angeles.
Colburn School of Music
Often hailed as the Juilliard of the West coast, it is regarded as the top conservatory on the west coast. This was home for me for quite some time. I grew up here and studied in the precollege division for 7 years. I always considered it as one of the finest string institutions in the United States but the level has deteriorated considerably after the retirement of my last teacher, Ronald Leonard. The school is extremely small with a student body of around 120. Its quartet in residence is currently the Viano Quartet who are very close friends of mine. They’re playing quite a few concerts around the world right now so check out their performance calendar to catch their next performance!
VianoStringQuartet
Disney hall from inside Colburn
Thoughts:
I love playing in zipper hall. It sounds so fucking good in there.
I talked a bit with the current professor, Clive Greensmith, after my audition. He brought up a couple points that did not resonate with me at all. I don’t want to get into it but the current state of Colburn has left me quite sad and disappointed. I really hope the school finds management who actually cares about the artistic growth of their students and have a vision for the future.
The next school is the only non-conservatory school that I applied for.
Yale School of Music - New Haven
Considered by many as one of the finest academic institutions, the Yale school of music is an ideal choice for a graduate degree. The amount of resources readily available to students is incredible and the atmosphere of a university encourages interaction with individuals outside of the classical music social bubble.
Student Lounge
Thoughts:
The facilities and practice rooms are extremely nice. Even the worse practice rooms at Yale are acoustically on par with the better practice rooms at Juilliard. I felt comfortable in that environment and played my best audition here.
warm-up room
Last school.
Juilliard - New York
This school has been my home for the past 4 years. I came into this institution with many disagreements with its philosophy and have experienced many frustrating moments throughout my time here. The faculty here is incredible and has some of the most heartfelt and sincere musicians that I have ever met. I have the utmost respect for them as they are able to not only maintain but expand their musical identity in an environment that stifles it.
Hallway leading down to the audition room
Thoughts:
Coming into this audition all I wanted was to show my growth as an artist and cellist these past 4 years. I wanted to share my music and play a heartfelt, expressive audition.
I ate shit in my audition.
Some of the worse playing I’ve done in a while. The frustration and disappointment after an experience like that is incredibly heavy. I really don’t know what to say to my teacher. I need to take some time off and away from all of this.