Need advice from any potential/ex/current Berklee students or lecturers/teachers!

[James Banner]

I'm in the process of doing my application for Fall 2010 and just need some advice. I'm not quite sure of the tone in which I should write my application, and I really want to make sure I get an audition. Berklee is the place I want to go, despite it being across the Atlantic.

Should I be humourous? Can I put stories in there to illustrate my point? Do I need to be totally serious? Am I permitted to display some amount of personality?

Here's an example of one of the questions I've already completed:

What has been the biggest challenge in your musical learning and growth? How have you overcome it?

The biggest challenge has been sight reading under pressure at rehearsals with new bands or at gigs. Often I would fumble through a piece sometimes using the chords to feel my way through a song. I felt that the only way to overcome this was to improve my general notation reading skills. Studying music theory and having parts to learn and practise before a show has helped me to improve this.

However, I think the way I truly overcame this challenge was to be in those situations more frequently, looking through the part briefly (without playing it) to get a general idea of the shape and rhythm of the line, and trying to imagine in my head what the part sounds like. Overcoming this problem has led to new opportunities such as being asked to join bands where a high level of sight reading skill is required, and being called for gigs last minute.

(end of answer)

I'm looking for advice from anyone who can help (see the title). Even now, writing this thread I'm holding myself back haha.

James

[Dirk Diggler]

As a former student I think your answer was very good. I wouldn't count on them being big on comedy unfortunately. And when I went which was the early 80's, all they really cared about was the tuition. I'm sure things may be different now, but think of it like a job interview.

Good luck,
Dirk

[James Banner]

Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler

As a former student I think your answer was very good. I wouldn't count on them being big on comedy unfortunately. And when I went which was the early 80's, all they really cared about was the tuition. I'm sure things may be different now, but think of it like a job interview.

Good luck,
Dirk

Thanks for your reply Dirk! I can see now that maybe I should keep the tone I have begun with.

[bassybill]

Hi there JB! How's things?

I would say this is the right sort of tone for your application (and you know what I do for a living ). Make it personal to you, but serious.

I would also say that you need to ensure it is all in flawless standard English. "Gigs", for example, is a slang term. You should be clearer about the sort of engagements to which you're referring - concerts, dances, informal jazz sessions et cetera.

You already have my email, so you could send your completed application through to me if you'd like me to check it over. There's another TBer on here whom I helped out a little in this regard in the summer. I'm pleased to say that later this month he's starting on the course that he chose.

Best of luck!

(Yams rehearsal yesterday with that Tower of Power chart went really well, by the way. )

[James Banner]

Originally Posted by bassybill

Hi there JB! How's things?

I would say this is the right sort of tone for your application (and you know what I do for a living ). Make it personal to you, but serious.

I would also say that you need to ensure it is all in flawless standard English. "Gigs", for example, is a slang term. You should be clearer about the sort of engagements to which you're referring - concerts, dances, informal jazz sessions et cetera.

You already have my email, so you could send your completed application through to me if you'd like me to check it over. There's another TBer on here whom I helped out a little in this regard in the summer. I'm pleased to say that later this month he's starting on the course that he chose.

Best of luck!

(Yams rehearsal yesterday with that Tower of Power chart went really well, by the way. )

Hey Bill things are good, how about you?

Thanks for the positive feedback regarding the tone, it's nice to know I'm on the right tracks. Yes, I'll try to be more clear in terms of slang/colloquial terms, good idea.

Yeah sure, I'll send it over when I'm done and maybe you can add a few suggestions or whatever

Excellent! Would you like to suggest he read this thread in case there's anything he can add or tell me about Berklee or how his audition went etc? Thanks in advance

Ahh sweet, that ToP song is a killer! Hope future gigs go well Who's on drums for YAMS now? Say hi to Lou, Gibbers and Jules for me.

James

[bassybill]

The guy I mentioned isn't at Berklee - sorry if my post was misleading there.

Forest is still drumming for Yams at present. GREAT drummer. We're on at the Jamhouse this Thursday. Do you reckon you could pass as being over 21?

[James Banner]

Originally Posted by bassybill

The guy I mentioned isn't at Berklee - sorry if my post was misleading there.

Forest is still drumming for Yams at present. GREAT drummer. We're on at the Jamhouse this Thursday. Do you reckon you could pass as being over 21?

Ahh Lee is great, he is probably the best drummer I have played with.

Haha I wish man, soon as I'm 21 I'm there... that's if I'm not in Boston

[Lemon]

Originally Posted by Dirk Diggler

As a former student I think your answer was very good. I wouldn't count on them being big on comedy unfortunately. And when I went which was the early 80's, all they really cared about was the tuition. I'm sure things may be different now, but think of it like a job interview.

Good luck,
Dirk

hehehe thats still the same, atleast it was from mid to end 90ties and it got quite a bit more expensive and a lot more comercial.
if you have the funds ou get in, thats pretty much it.

[James Banner]

Originally Posted by Lemon

hehehe thats still the same, atleast it was from mid to end 90ties and it got quite a bit more expensive and a lot more comercial.
if you have the funds ou get in, thats pretty much it.

Well my application is sent off along with my credential evaluation, I'll let you guys know how it goes.

In the meantime, I have guaranteed places at Leeds College of Music and Birmingham Conservatoire, so all is good Just waiting to hear from Trinity in London.

[James Banner]

My audition for those wondering is on 12th April, time to start shedding!