Graduate/DMA Study in USA/Canada? HELP!!!!!!!!

[Andybob]

Hi, I've got some serious questions for you guys about study in the usa etc. Would really apreciate it if some of you could take some time to help me out. Ok, some background: I'm form the UK (scotland) and I'm about to finnish a bachelors degree (BMus Hons) in music at the University of Glasgow in a couple of weeks (final recital's on the 25th!!!). I'm starting a graduate programe (Postgraduate Diploma) at a nearby conservatory (Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) after the summer and then I'm planning to go to another conservatory in the UK (hopefully in London) and do a masters degree (MMus) in performance. Anyway, I really want to continue study after this because I by the end of it I'll only have done 2ish years of performance study and I feel like I've missed out and need a bit more time before I'm ready to launch a career. This is because my undergraduate degree has been mainly academic (musicology, counterpoint etc), I didn't start playing sax untill the age of 16 and started my undergrad degree at 17. So, now that I've given some background, what do you think would be my best way forward? Which are the good schols/teachers for straight sax (I'd also like to keep up some Jazz and doubles too)? Other stuff I'm concerned about are finances, auditions, visas, courses of study etc. I really don't know where to start. I just know that I'm only scratching the surfaceof what Ifeel I can do and that I need some more time and opertunities before I can really fly. Ok, that was a bit long winded but I'd really love to get some advise,

Thanks!

[Tonehole]

AndyBob tough call without knowing how good a player you are but I suggest you get your chops up before you get your Masters. In Canada we have Humber College in Toronto. I don't know the cost for foreign students but it's about $4,000.00 CDN for residents. Lots of opportunity to play in the big smoke {Toronto}. You get to study with the like's of Pat LaBarbera. Great music scene in TO. and a lot of great players like Kirk McDonald and the top US players like Potter, Brecker, Bergonzi and Garzoni play the local clubs. Cheaper to live then the UK or the US.

You could pick up private lessons reasonable as well with the chance to gig in a few Big Bands and some weekly Jam sessions where you can throw it down and meet other players. There have been older local Pro players who have gone through the program to get some letters added on the end of their names.

Other option is sign up for a cruise gig if you have the chops. After 6 or 8 months and your sight reading skills and the practice you do because there's nothing else to do and you might be at the level you are striving for.

At McGill here in Montreal they have pretty tough performance standards. In 2003 my 1st year only a player from Washington DC. and myself made it through the saxophone auditions. McGill is the only University in Canada that grants a Masters in Jazz Performance so we have some pretty killer young players here. We get a lot of East coast American players here, it costs only about $19,000.00 CDN for out of country students. We are pretty close to NY city as well.

If I can help drop me a line.

ToneholeBb@netscape.net