choosing a college (with keith aleo)

school.

if your goal is to play in an orchestra, shouldn’t you focus on excerpts and auditions in college? or should you seek out a well-rounded musical education?

for instance, i went to juilliard for my undergrad where i studied everything…contemporary pieces with a thousand tom-toms, playing african beats while accompanying ballet dancers…everything. i also studied excerpts. but afterwards, i really wasn’t ready for auditions. i had to specialize and focus heavily on auditions for a couple years before i was ready to do well. but then i won a good job.

did i make the right choice? and how are you going to decide where you’re going to school?

i brought in one of my favorite people who really sees a lot of students develop from high school through college through their audition years to give you some advice on how to make your college decision. keith aleo is the teacher at interlochen arts academy and also listens to new world symphony auditions, and here’s his advice on how to choose a college.

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want to nail your next audition?

here's the 5-part audition preparation method i used to win a job in the met orchestra.

(for any instrument!)

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