anybody know anything about the Boston Conservatory?
anybody know anything about the Boston Conservatory? I have to make a decision about graduate school soon, and i'm looking for all the info I can get. Right now I'm deciding between BoCo and University of Michigan...pros and cons are as follows:
BoCo: Great environment, lots of opportunities in Boston. Small school, very artsy. People there seemed happy and enthusiastic to be there. And I have a scholarship. Downside is, I haven't heard much about the school (reputation is important) and I haven't heard much about the prof I would be with, Rictor Noren. I liked the lesson I had with him, tho.
Michigan: Yitzhak Schotten teaches there. He's huge in the viola world. Fantastic performer, fantastic teacher, and he could teach me great technique, which is my major weakness. I might have a scholarship there, I don't know yet. That's part of the problem with the school...they've kinda jerked me around when it comes to the scholarship. Also, the location isn't great, and none of the students seemed very happy. They all liked Schotten, and they all said it was a great school, but they all said they kinda wanted to be elsewhere.
Who you study with matters a lot in music, but performance opportunities matter too. I'm kinda wondering if people have heard anything about BoCo, reputation-wise.
I've heard that Boston Conservatory is rather overshadowed by New England Conservatory. Still has a pretty good reputation, though. What performance experience does each teacher have? Are they themselves accomplished musicians, or do they fall into the stereotype of failed musicians who teach because they couldn't get good jobs? As a music student, finances obviously will be very important, since you don't have a guarantee that you'll be employed the moment you walk out of school.
Good luck, whatever you decide.
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It's cool to see other classical musicians here on Wrong Planet!! I just graduated from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Congratulations on getting into both schools. Especially University of Michigan. Yeah I have a friend (a couple actually) who goes to Boco, and he loves it. Boston is so awesome, there is so much music around that area of Boston also. Though Boston is I believe quite pricey to live in. Michigan I haven't really heard, though I am guessing is cheaper.
I am a percussionist and both schools have a good reputation, though University of Michigan is just a really well known all around school. Boco, is I don't know if it is as known. It doesn't help that Boston University, and New England are in the same town. Are you an Undergrad, or Grad student? But at the end of the day, many people are teacher oriented. A good teacher, can do so much.
But with scholarship, you still have time, a lot of schools, don't tell you till April, so. I also hear University of Michigan gives good money, (though who knows with the state of Michigan's economy), Also a degree from the University of Michigan, is a pretty cool thing to have, it's just a very prestigious school, academically, and musically. Good luck!!
