Posted by Ted on March 03, 2002 at 17:34:37:
In Reply to: Is Eastman still a Pinnacle? posted by Jarrod on March 03, 2002 at 10:26:33:
I didn't go to Eastman, but in my opinion whether or not a school or teacher lives up to their reputations doesn't matter nearly as much as whether or not the student maximizes his opportunities with said school or teacher. In other words, Eastman has a good reputation because a lot of good players have passed through it, and the tuba teacher has a good reputation because a lot of good players have recommended him. Does it have a 'valid reason' for its reputation? That depends on the students. A student can excel with any teacher at any school, if they want it badly enough.
The students that tell you that a big name school isn't all its cracked up to be are usually the ones that have either had difficulty adjusting to the school (feeling overburdened, not connecting with the teacher, etc.) or are simply not working hard enough to get the full value out of their education. Of course, there are exceptions (not wanting to offend any students who are unhappy about where they are for good reason through no fault of their own) ...but in general most schools that have good reputations have them for a reason.
Mind you, the Eastman students can tell it best.
hth,
Ted