# Advice for Composition Major Conservatory interview



## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

Good news TC, I have passed the prescreening process for New England Conservatory and San Francisco Conservatory. I am auditioning/interviewing in San Francisco this February, as am I interviewing in Boston. So, figuring many of you are composition majors and even some of you may have attended these schools, I am humbly asking for some advice! 

Nothing specific I have in mind, besides maybe what to wear? Obviously not casual. I was thinking just a dress shirt and some nice pants? I don't really know. 

Oh. And, I have question regarding the process up to this point. I would think that if, say, 50 kids get into the composition department, that 70 kids have passed the prescreening process and the 50 would be selected via this interview/audition process. I would assume this was only the case for the composition admissions as the biggest factor of a composition student getting in would be their talent and potential represented by their music which is in the prescreening process. I could be totally wrong, and I am sure it differs from school to school. Any insights?

Thanks! Anything is appreciated. And thanks once again for all of the feedback and encouragement I have received here.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

No insight but I wish you good luck!.


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## Canaeus (Dec 3, 2016)

Be yourself dzc... If you get turned down based on the way you wear clothes, they don't deserve you. If they have respect for human individuals, they should accept talent, vision, creativity. Nothing else. Just what I would do


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Canaeus said:


> Be yourself dzc... If you get turned down based on the way you wear clothes, they don't deserve you. If they have respect for human individuals, they should accept talent, vision, creativity. Nothing else. Just what I would do


I'm sorry, but I disagree with this advice. Gone are the days when composers could get away with eccentric behavior and clothing. In Beethoven's time, it was OK for him to have messy hair and to wear sloppy clothes. I don't think that would be considered acceptable for a composer today. To become a successful composer nowadays, it's important to have a polished self-presentation.

This may sound like a rather shocking claim! But I have some evidence: I've watched (on Youtube and elsewhere) many interviews with successful contemporary composers (Jennifer Higdon, Nico Muhly, Ellen Taafe Zwilich, Thomas Ades, etc). Most of them present themselves in a slick and polished manner. Neatly styled hair, professional clothing, impeccable social skills and manners. Based on this, I assume that such qualities are prerequisites for success nowadays.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Bettina said:


> ...In Beethoven's time, it was OK for him to have messy hair and to wear sloppy clothes. I don't think that would be considered acceptable for a composer today. To become a successful composer nowadays, it's important to have a polished self-presentation.


OTOH if you have Beethoven's talent and learning, and are as in tune with the times as he was, you could probably succeed as a nudist. Even with those TV appearances.


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

KenOC said:


> OTOH if you have Beethoven's talent and learning, and are as in tune with the times as he was, you could probably succeed as a nudist. Even with those TV appearances.


I hope you're right! I often worry that some of today's greatest geniuses might be falling through the cracks, because they might lack the polished image that is expected in our media-obsessed society. (Sorry...I'm getting a bit off the topic of the original thread...time to step off my soapbox...)


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Unfortunately, there hasn't been anybody with Beethoven's talent for 200 years. So keep that suit clean and pressed!


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## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

I do have quite head of hair on me! And I can articulate myself very well. 

Thanks everyone so far, for the amusing advice...


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## Canaeus (Dec 3, 2016)

Bettina said:


> I'm sorry, but I disagree with this advice. Gone are the days when composers could get away with eccentric behavior and clothing. In Beethoven's time, it was OK for him to have messy hair and to wear sloppy clothes. I don't think that would be considered acceptable for a composer today. To become a successful composer nowadays, it's important to have a polished self-presentation.


Why do you suppose that "being yourself" = eccentric behaviour and clothing; messy hair and sloppy clothes? I think that is a very one-sided and conservative/narrow vision.


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Canaeus said:


> Why do you suppose that "being yourself" = eccentric behaviour and clothing; messy hair and sloppy clothes? I think that is a very one-sided and conservative/narrow vision.


I'm not assuming that "being yourself" necessarily includes those traits for everyone. But for _some _people, it does indeed include those traits: some people do have eccentric and absent-minded personalities. What I'm saying is, those people would need to suppress their true selves (or at least tone them down) for an interview. I don't know the OP personally, so I have no idea whether this applies to his personality, habits and behavior.

My main point is that talent and vision are not enough, when going for an interview. A certain type of persona is required (smooth, polished, confident). If someone doesn't naturally have the required type of persona, then he needs to put on a performance and pretend to be something that he's not.


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