Schools are more selective these days therefore you must be academically sound. If you catch a bad case of “senior-itis” in high school, you may have to take preparatory and review courses at another institution to bring your grades up to an acceptable level before you can transfer to a music school. Many times, university instructors hear that, “I practice a lot, so my grades aren’t that good.” This attitude simply doesn’t cut it any more.
Being academically organized and successful will give you more time to practice. With a little planning and preparation during your high school career, you can help to make a smooth transition into your new life as a university-level percussion major. Focus on maintaining good grades during your senior year of high school (and even earlier) as you prepare your audition for college. Music is a serious profession and a “fast-track” major because you start required coursework in your first semester of college. Although some students don’t decide to declare a major until after they have started college, this is not a wise move if music is on your list of options. Percussion crosses all musical boundaries and percussion students have the widest possible vocabulary of instruments and musical genres to master - more than any other instrumentalist.
The college-bound percussionist will face some exciting challenges in preparation for a professional career. John Jacob Niles Center for American MusicĦ Tips to Prepare for Life as a College Percussion Major.Professional Development and Summer Graduate Study.Show - SOM Navigation Hide - SOM Navigation