It’s summer in Idyllwild, the summer camp kids are just arriving.  Those of us that work with the Academy are busy tidying up things for the fall.  We’re in the process of updating our curriculum guide a bit, and it’s called some things to my attention.  At this time of economic uncertainty many organizations(especially public schools) are pulling back, reducing program or offerings, letting quality suffer.  That’s not what’s happening here!  I was just doing some proofreading and was reminded that we’re increasing the intensity of our fashion design courses, adding computer animation, ramping up the collaboration between music and film, including our wonderful film scoring program.  More private lesson opportunity for voice lessons for dancers(or anybody else) if they wish them, helping to prepare them for today’s multifacted careers.  Acting for the camera is getting a fresh injection of energy, making it possible for our actors to leave here with a reel as they audition for colleges, conservatories, jobs.

It’s exciting to be here in the summer because of the different energy on campus, but it’s even more fun to think about possibilities for the fall, who our kids are going to be and what they’re going to create.

I was just surfing around facebook today and found this status update from one of our horn player alums:

About to play Die Walkure with Zubin Mehta and Placido Domingo. Performance to be broadcast live in Manchester, Liverpool, Sofia, Ravena, Mola, and downtown Valencia

Congratulations Todor!  We’re very proud of you.

I know I say wow a lot.  But really, last night we went to see the premiere of the films that the department of Moving Pictures made this year.  Wow.  Six documentaries ranging from the paralyzing effect electronics have had on our lives to a piano competition’s drama to the recent life of Rodney King.  Smart, funny, moving.  Then we had four of the most beautiful short films imaginable.  I still don’t quite to know what to say about it because I’m still processing them.  I could speak about the beautiful photography, the smart and moving stories.  I could go on for days about the wonderful performances of Howard, our theatre chair, or Rendan, who’s on our acting faculty.  Student Mykal was compelling as a (mostly) honest teenager, partying and trying to woo one of his colleagues.  In years past, the films were scored by students from our film scoring program.  But this year for the first time the scores were not performed only by computer or by a few students musicians.  The whole orchestra assembled on the soundstage last weekend(how is that POSSIBLE when we saw the finished product last night?!  You all work REALLY hard.)   The scores were recorded and assembled into the films this week.  I guess I could say a lot about the beautiful scores, brilliant playing, etc.  Just like I could about the acting and photography if I had a better vocabulary.  But here’s what I really want to say:  I forgot I was watching student films.  I forgot there was a score even there.  I went someplace else for a few hours, into Leila’s and Gurk’s imagination.  Along with the imaginations of those other writers, composers, camerapeople, editors.

I could have been on Hollywood Boulevard at the Chinese.  Or sundance…  Can’t WAIT til it comes out on DVD.

Senior French horn player Kathryn is choosing between Belmont University, Juilliard, University of Texas at Austin, Eastman School of Music, USC, NYU Tisch Recording Arts Program, Boston University, Northwestern, University of Miami, McGill, Peabody, DePaul, Manhattan School of Music, Eastman, and New England Conservatory.   Wow.  Once the initial shock of that list settles in you start wondering something.  How did she have the time to apply and audition at all of those schools?!?

Well, we help our students.  We offer a structure to help students hone and polish their auditions, do great applications.  The writing teachers help with essays.  The music teachers make sure the auditions are great and that the player is poised, professional and ready to respond to whatever obstacles are thrown at them.  The transportation coordinator helps book travel so that our students can go to whatever audition they want to go to.  Our faculty invites schools to hold auditions on our campus so that students don’t have to travel.  Academic faculty think of creative ways to give assignments so that students can earn credit in classes while students are on the other side of the country playing for the Juilliard faculty.

We work as a team and the results show it!  I’ll attach the complete and final list of college acceptances here.  If you’re out there in the world wondering whether we’re still accepting applications for next year, the answer is yes!  We’re ready to add your acceptances to this list.

Alfred University
American Academy of Dramatic Art, Los Angeles
American Academy of Dramatic Art, New York
Arizona State University
Art Center College of Design
ArtEZ Dance Academy, Arnhem, The Netherlands
Bard College
Belmont University
Bennington College
Berklee College of Music
Birmingham City University (UK)
Boston Conservatory
Boston University
Brandeis University
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Northridge
California Institute of the Arts
California Lutheran University
Carnegie Mellon University
Chapman University
Cleveland Institute of Music
Codarts, Rotterdam Dance Academy, The Netherlands
College of Santa Fe
Columbia College Chicago
Cornish College of the Arts
Denison University
DePaul University
Dominican University of California
Drew University
Eckerd College
Elmira College
Eugene Lang College-The New School for Liberal Arts
Florida State University
Fordham University
Hampshire College
Hawaii Pacific University
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Humboldt State University
Illinois Weslsyan University
Indiana University
John Cabot University
Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Institute
The Juilliard School
Lesley University
Lewis and Clark College
Lindenwood University
London Contemporary Dance School (United Kingdom)
Long Island University, Brooklyn
Longy School of Music
Los Angeles Film School
Lynn University
Manhattan College
Manhattan School of Music
Manhattanville College
Mannes College The New School for Music
Maryland Institute College of Art
McGill University
Muhlenberg College
New England Conservatory
The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
New World School of the Arts
New York Institute of Technology BA/DO Program
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
Northern Arizona University
Northwestern University
Oberlin College Conservatory of Music
Pace University
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Palucca Schule, Dresden, Germany
Parsons, The New School for Design
Pennsylvania State University
Pitzer College
Point Park
Pratt Institute
Randolph College
Rhode Island School of Design
Rice University
Richmond, The American University of London
Ringling College of Art and Design
Rollins College
Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Conservatory
San Francisco State University
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
School of Visual Arts
Smith College
Southern Methodist University
Southern Oregon University
State University of New York, College at Purchase
State University of New York, Stony Brook
Stephens College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
Texas Christian University
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University College London, Slade School of Fine Art
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Denver – Lamont School of Music
University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
University of Massachusetts, Amherst
University of Missouri, Columbia
University of Missouri, Kansas City
University of New Mexico
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of Northern Colorado
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Portland
University of Puget Sound
University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music
University of Southern California, College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
University of Texas at Austin
University of the Arts, London Central St.Martins
University of the Arts, London, London College of Fashion
University of Jacksonville
University of Miami
University of New England
University of Puget Sound
University of Southern California, School of Theatre
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Vancouver Film School
Warren Wilson College
Webster University
Whitman College
Zacky Gordon Film Institute

I did have a line, though!  I am so impressed by our young filmmakers and their excellent faculty.  I know that’s been a theme lately, but as I’ve spent more time on the soundstage, I’ve really seen how prepared and professional they are.  On Saturday we had to drag the chair of the Theatre department into a cell and then beat him.  Today’s action was earlier in the story, when we arrested him for murder.  I can’t wait to see it after it’s edited and scored.

In other events, we had The Learned Ladies this weekend.  This was witty, smart and visually stunning.  Who knew that wigs and rhyming couplets could be so much fun?

Tonight it’s off to Music in the Meadow.  Tomorrow Rimbo and Kathryn’s recital(I get to play a Brahms Sonata with Rimbo) Wednesday the Writing Chair is giving a lecture in town.  Thursday the Interdisciplinary Show Liquid debuts.  Friday it’s Everett and Mariya’s recital.  Saturday we go to the LA Music Center to see Timmy and Sam in the finals of the Spotlight Awards.

Sunday we collapse.

I dropped by the soundstage yesterday, a student film is in production, and I wanted to spy on the shoot.  It was very cool, darkly atmospheric.  Some of our faculty are playing roles, and it was really fun to seem them put through their paces.  The crew, director, producer, etc are so impressive.  They are organized, know what they want and move very quickly.  No time is wasted making decisions, fixing equipment, messing around.  This is a professional shoot.

I thought they might let me operate the fog machine, or push a button on a microphone or something, but no.  I just watched in the monitor.

But they asked me to come back on Saturday and be IN the film!!!  I’m going to be a prison guard.  I wonder if I’ll have a line to say.  This has completely changed the complexion of the weekend.  I’ll write another entry after the shoot tomorrow morning!

So yesterday, we went to Palm Desert.  Kitty and Timmy were winners in last months competition run by the Steinway Society of Riverside County, and the winners’ concert was yesterday at Cal State.  It was a fun day for Idyllwild Arts not only because we had two winners performing, but we also took a film crew!  8 or so student filmmakers have been working on a documentary all year, chronicling the Steinway competition.  I was so proud of them.  Emily (the director) was bustling about, making sure the cameramen and women got exactly the shots she wanted.  At the same time, they were all completely professional, quiet, and respectful of the fact that they were taping a LIVE performance that still needed to be appreciated by a live audience.  I can’t wait to see the finished product.  Kitty and Timmy played brilliantly, they were at the end of a long concert and were basically completely cold when they took the stage. But they pulled it out like the pros they are.  Sometimes in real life you just don’t get a chance to warm up.

So here we are in April.  That time of year when everything seems to speed up at our school, the end of the year in sight.  We seem to have performances coming more and more quickly, sometimes there is something every night.  We’re already talking about graduation.  But always at this time during the year there are enormous decisions being made.  Life changing decisions for our seniors.  Which college acceptance do I accept?

I’ll give some examples of the decisions in process right now.   Jake is a wonderful writer, choosing between Columbia College, NYU Tisch, Depaul, Eugene Lang and Sarah Lawrence.  Hye Jin plays the flute.  Should she go to Mannes? New England Conservatory?  Oberlin? Boston Conservatory? or Peabody?  She got into them all, and with scholarship, too.

Visual Artist Megumi was accepted at Maryland Institute, University College of London, and the Slade School.  Violist Zsche is choosing between Cleveland Institute, New England Conservatory and Peabody.  Two pianists,  Alan and Gi-Young,  got into Juilliard, but USC, Peabody, Cleveland and Mannes are also vying for them!  Visual Artist Richelle is in at the Art Institute in Chicago, RISD, UCLA, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, among many others.

How do they make these decisions?  Is it better to go to a school with a great name, or a specific teacher with a great reputation, or both?  Is it better to go to a school in the middle of a cultural center so that you can take advantage of opportunities for plays, concerts and work?  Or better to go to somewhere more isolated so that you have the peace to work?

The answers are as individual as each student, but the important thing is that each of our seniors has abundant options to choose from.  The next few weeks will bring big decisions as our students decide which qualities in a college, university, or conservatory will propel them best on the next part of their journey.

Here’s the complete list (as of today)!

Alfred University
American Academy of Dramatic Art, Los Angeles
American Academy of Dramatic Art, New York
Arizona State University
Art Center College of Design
Bard College
Belmont University
Bennington College
Berklee College of Music
Birmingham City University (UK)
Boston Conservatory
Brandeis University
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Northridge
California Institute of the Arts
Cal Lutheran
Carnegie Mellon University
Chapman University
Cleveland Institute of Music
College of Santa Fe
Columbia College Chicago
Cornish College of the Arts
Denison
DePaul University
Drew University
Eckerd College
Elmira College
Eugene Lang College-The New School for Liberal Arts
Hampshire College
Hawaii Pacific University
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Humboldt State University
Indiana University
John Cabot University
Johns Hopkins University, Peabody Institute
The Juilliard School
Lesley University
Lewis and Clark College
Lindenwood University
Long Island University, Brooklyn
Longy School of Music
Lynn University
Manhattan College
Manhattan School of Music
Manhattanville College
Mannes College The New School for Music
Maryland Institute College of Art
McGill University
Muhlenberg
New England Conservatory
The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
New World School of the Arts
New York Institute of Technology BA/DO Program
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
Northern Arizona University
Northwestern University
Pace University
Pacific Northwest College of Art
Parsons, The New School for Design
Pennsylvania State University
Pitzer College
Point Park
Randolph College
Rhode Island School of Design
Rice University
Richmond, The American University of London
Rollins College
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco State University
Sarah Lawrence College
Savannah College of Art and Design
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston
School of Visual Arts
Smith College
Southern Oregon University
State University of New York, College at Purchase
State University of New York, Stony Brook
Stephens College
Suffolk University
Syracuse University
Texas Christian University
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Riverside
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz
University College London, Slade School of Fine Art
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Denver – Lamont School of Music
University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign
University of New Mexico
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of Northern Coloraod
University of Oklahoma
University of Oregon
University of Portland
University of Puget Sound
University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music
University of Southern California, College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
University of Texas at Austin
University of the Arts, London Central St.Martins
University of the Arts, London, London College of Fashion
University of Jacksonville
University of Miami
University of New England
University of Puget Sound (waitlist)
University of Southern California, School of Theatre
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
University of Utah
University of Wisconsin, Madison
Warren Wilson College
Webster University
Whitman College

Mozart Here is some music from my recent faculty recital.  Mozart A minor Sonata.  Just click on the link.  I hope you enjoy it…

Once again I’ve let too much time lapse between blog entries.  This morning I was sipping my coffee and surfing the net and found the following on CNN.  Jane Alexander makes such excellent points about the arts and the economy.  But to me, most importantly, she reminds critics of the arts part of the stimulus package that it’s not just “business” people that are employed in this country.  It’s writers, artists, graphic artists, musicians, concert promoters, people who run restaurants that feed playgoers.  The list goes on and on.  We can wax poetic about the value of the arts in the world, and if you’re reading my blog you’re part of the choir.  But really to the rest of the world it’s about dollars and sense and they need to get the message.   We artists are employed or potentially employed workers.  We need to work, too.  Here is the whole article if you like:  http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/03/04/alexander.arts/index.html