Posted by different opinion on May 04, 2003 at 00:52:56:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Who got tuba studio spot at SMU? posted by Mark F. on May 03, 2003 at 23:43:47:
I must disagree with you. Your opinion on music schools in the Dallas area seems as biased as it is uninformed. The instrumental staff at SMU are members of the Dallas Symphony. These players have all won multiple national orchestral auditions. You will not find this type of successful orchestral musician at either UNT or TCU. This doesn't mean you will receive a lesser music education at UNT or TCU, but if you want to win an orchestral job, it serves one to study with individuals that have proven themselves in auditions and performances.
You claim that the education at SMU is overpriced. For a student with no financial assistance, it may seem expensive. Obviously you do not know any current or former music students at SMU. Almost all performance majors receive generous finacial aid. Personally, the brass players I know that go there pay next to nothing- all far less than they would to attend UNT, or TCU.
Another of yours claims is that you do not know of any SMU graduate who has accomplished anything. I am guessing you mean musically. Again, your opinion enlightens us all to the fact that you may live in the DFW area, but you really don't know any working musicians do you? Since this is a tuba related bullentin board, I'll stick to a handful of recent low brass graduates: James Box (BM'96) Principal trombone, Montreal Symphony; Darren McHenry (BM '92) Bass trombone, Dallas Symphony; Lee Rogers (BM'00) acting 2nd trombone Buffalo Phil, Assoc Prin Trombone Grant Park; Jeff Dee (BM'99) acting Bass trombone, Jacksonville Symph; Chris Oliver (BM '99) 2nd trom Canton Symphony, Prin trom Akron Symph; Aaron McCalla (attended '96-98) Princ Tuba, Colorado Symph; Ryan Scott (BM'00) tuba, NOI 2002; other SMU trombone and tuba students have gone on to study at Curtis, Juilliard, Manhattan, Cleveland Institute, and other fine institutions. Does all this mean SMU is a great school for orchestral brass playing- sure. Other schools have equal numbers of successful students, but for its size SMU provides its musicians with an affordable (often FREE) education with an emphasis in orchestral playing that seems to provide many of its students with tools necessary to succeed in their chosen field.
Mark, as far as I remember from your posts here on the BBS, you do not work as a full time performing musician, nor have you ever won a major symphony orchestra job. Please refrain from offering similar uninformed opinions about schools in your area when you have obviously been out of any loop for so long. SMU might not produce heeps of ed majors, but it doesn't make it a lesser music school.
Lastly, Rice University is in Houston - much more than 45 miles outside Dallas. The Shepherd School of Music is great - and employs members of the Houston Symphony. Just like SMU, it has great financial aid (because Rice is almost as much $ as SMU), and provides well for its musicians.
The original post in this thread was, "Who got tuba studio spot at SMU?" That question was clearly answered. Afterward, you went and degraded the value of the education at the institution in question. Not only was your post unsolicited and inappropriate, but is was immature for man of your age. Some kid just wanted to know if he was going to have the opportunity to study at SMU - and you went on to insult the school, and therefore that high school student as well with your unimformed opinions - shame on you.