Well, I'm sure not going to McGill next year.

[Aaron Saunders]

I didn't even make it to the live auditions.

...

Humber it is, then. If I didn't get past the tape auditions at McGill, then there's no way I'll get into UoT, either.

...

God damn.


EDIT: Correction. I have a month and a half until the possible dates for the University of Toronto auditions. Time to get to work.

[Freddels]

Sorry to hear that. Keep the faith. One of my old professors (Jan Jarcyk) teaches at McGill.

[Damon Rondeau]

Aaron, I'm another guy that McGill rejected many years ago. It wasn't a music thing, it was something at which I actually had some talent! Now, the University of Manitoba: they rejected me on account of musical ignorance.

The situation may seem rather dire right now but there is a lot of game left. I don't know whether you were hankering for an orchestral career, but I do know you've got an interest in jazz. You must know that some of Canada's absolute best jazz music educations and scenes are built around community colleges, not universities. Capilano, Grant McEwen, Humber -- you are going to get as much challenge and opportunity out of those places as you want. In fact, there are a lot of ways in which the universtities are making themselves irrelevant to practical life, not just in music.

Here's an Rx for yer McGill-don't-want-me blues: keep playing, keep practising, go to Humber and meet a bunch of people who will become friends for life and play great music with a whole bunch more people. Get gigs in Toronto. Meet more musicians and get more gigs. Keep playing, keep smiling. Build a life on that.

If after all that the University of Toronto idea still turns your crank, take another run at it.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Don't waste too much energy worrying about/feeling bad about what happens on an audition, or what school you did/didn't get into. There are a lot of factors there that are completely beyond your control. What's more important is the attitude betrayed by your edit: "Back to work". You can't change where you are, but you can change the direction you're heading. At the end of the day, what's important is that you can rest knowing that you did your part to make it better. Hang in there, put your hip waders on, and get back into the stream...it'll all work out the way it's supposed to.

[musicman5string]

Don't worry man, which school you go to will not define you as a musician; you will define you.
(Most players I admire never even went to school).

[Reuben]

I don't know anything about the jury process at McGill, but I will say from experience that more than once I was passed up for grants or residencies because I didn't fit a certain demographic. I don't know if schools will do this, but granting organizations will often tell you straight up why you didn't get the gig if you call and ask them. Maybe call and say "I'd like to know why I didn't get past the tape round so that I can do a better application next time." Sometimes the more detailed explanation can be not only helpful, but reassuring as well.

Sometimes I get passed over for some gig or grant only to have something even better land in my lap instead, so wait and see what tomorrow (or next week) brings.

Wow, optimism from ME? Yikes.

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by Reuben

...Maybe call and say "I'd like to know why I didn't get past the tape round so that I can do a better application next time." Sometimes the more detailed explanation can be not only helpful, but reassuring as well.

That's a great suggestion, maintain that attitude of "just trying to get deeper" and not "what the hell were you guys thinking"; I'm sure that they'll want to help.