Connecting with Prospective Teachers
By Ben Price
Are you really interested in studying with someone? Do you have burning questions that someone holds the answers to? Doth that which you covet be the domain of yet one eminent individual? I have good news for you! While it may seem intimidating to reach out to a professor, especially a prospective teacher, take comfort in this: they want to hear from you. It is a huge part of any professor’s job to communicate with prospective students! Moreover, you are asking them about their work – this is something that all people are delighted to be asked about. They will be more than happy to help you.
All of this being said, here are some simple tips to help you put your best foot forward. This is still a professional interaction, and it’s best to make a good first impression.
E-mails are not text messages.
Just as one must play to the room in music, one must write for the medium. While your meaning may still be conveyed with alliterations, abbreviations, and vernacular terms, it is best practice to avoid these. Start your email with “Dear”, and end it with “Sincerely”, “Best”, or another sign-off that leaves the reader feeling happy. In the body of the email, make sure everything is spelled correctly (ESPECIALLY names), and read the email out loud to yourself to see if anything feels awkward. If it does, revise it!
Names matter.
Odds are, you’ve never met this person before. Even if you have, it is best practice to assume nothing and address them by their title. This means Honorific, Last Name (ex. Mr. Wong). Until explicitly told otherwise by a professor, continue to use this way of addressing them. It is a small thing, but it will leave a good impression. If you’re unsure how to address someone, go by what their e-mail signature says!
Be candid and excited!
Remember that the entire purpose of this first communication is to establish who you are and why you are writing to this person. To that end, my best advice is to keep it simple! Something as concise as “I’m an admirer of your work and would love to have a lesson with you at your convenience” can do the trick. Additionally, if you’re writing to them at the behest of someone who knows them, be sure to include their name.
Attach work samples to the email, if you have recordings/pieces you’re very proud of. It gives whomever you’re writing to a great idea of ‘what you’re about’.
Now that you have all these tips in your back pocket, you can see them in action in a sample e-mail I’ve written below.
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Dear Mr. Wong,
My name is Ben Price, and I’m a musician from Portland, Oregon. I’m interested in applying to Curtis for composition and was recommended to write to you by my private teacher, Mr. Nick DiBerardino. I would love to have a lesson with you at your convenience.
Best regards,
Ben Price
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You certainly don’t have to copy and paste this template, but following this general format will help you make a great first impression. If you have a recording or other sample of your work you’re particularly proud of, feel free to attach it to the email!
Once you’ve reached out, the time will come to schedule sample lessons. There is some strategy to consider when doing this. If you are seeking sample lessons from multiple schools, you have to consider travel. Try to bunch together any lessons at schools that are geographically close, to reduce travel costs.
Alternatively, if that’s still too limiting, you can request Zoom. When I applied for my undergraduate degree in 2021, all of my sample lessons (and all but one of my auditions) were on Zoom. If in-person lessons are not exorbitantly more expensive than Zoom, I would recommend them solely because it is much better to meet someone for the first time in person. That being said, Zoom lessons are still very effective and are a great resource if you’re outside of the Northeast/Upper Midwest (where the vast majority of conservatories in the United States happen to be located).
I hope you feel more confident as you take your next steps towards music school. If you stick to these simple guidelines, you’re sure to make a good start to what can be a very fulfilling lifelong relationship.
Ben Price (they/them/theirs) is currently Principal Oboe at Symphony in C and a fourth-year student at the Curtis Institute of Music.