[Smt-talk] degrees, meeting undergraduates' needs

[Linda Seltzer]

It is not possible to assume the paradigm of students entering college
with significant previous musical training.  Many families either don't
have the money to provide their children with lessons or attempt to steer
their children away from the arts and refuse to provide such
opportunities. Given that one sixth of all women experience domestic
abuse, the number of children coming out of families where they were
abused is more than one would expect.  Many students enter a music major
in spite of opposition and lack of support from their families or after
growing up in homes with cruel parents or step parents. The idea that
students come out of idyllic, model families that provided them with
everything is a platitude and not reality.  Many students start working as
soon as they are legally old enough.  College is the first opportunity
undergraduates have to experience the academic freedom to choose what they
want to study.  With the increasing corporatization of K-12 education in
the US the preparation of students in the arts is going to get worse, not
better.  Students need professors who are willing to connect with them and
give them encouragement and mentoring because students are struggling
against multiple obstacles in order to obtain an education.

Linda Seltzer
Post-enrolled Ph.D. student
Princeton University


> Jane:  A profound ‹ and sobering -- reply --- thanks for that.  In this
> context I would like to put in a plug for the ³Royal Conservatory² system
> that I was fortunate to grow up within (musically) in Canada.  With this
> system of graded instruction, each level has music theory and skills
> built-in, and you have to perform prepared pieces, do sight-reading,
> on-the-spot dictation, and pass a written rudiments/theory exam at each
> level.  For those of you writing textbooks, I highly recommend you look at
> the RC books / system.  A blurb is below if you are interested.
>
> (quote from Wikipedia)
>
> The Royal Conservatory of Music, also known as The Royal Conservatory or
> RCM, provides music and arts   education, evaluative standards, publishing
> and performance to people of all ages and stages across Canada and around
> the world in pursuit of its mission to develop human potential. The Royal
> Conservatory¹s head office is located in Toronto , Ontario . It was
> founded
> by Edward Fisher  in 1886 as The Toronto Conservatory of Music. In 1947
> George VI  incorporated the Conservatory  through royal charter. Notable
> alumni include Glenn Gould , Oscar Peterson , Diana Krall, and
> world-renowned sopranos Measha Brueggergosman  and Isabel Bayrakdarian.
> Michael Foulkes is the current Chair of the Board  and Dr Peter Simon is
> the
> President.[
>
>
>