Why Choose the Longy School of Music?

Trying to decide where to go to school next year? Want an inside peek into being a student at Longy? We interviewed some current Longy students to get their advice about how to choose the right school and to find out what they feel makes Longy unique.

Nicholas Upton, Undergraduate Diploma, Cello Performance, 2005 graduate; Master of Music, Cello Performance, Class of 2007
Student of Terry King

Michelle Vachon, Master of Music, Vocal Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Jayne West

Elizabeth Knight, Undergraduate Diploma, Composition, 2005 graduate; Master of Music, Composition, Class of 2007
Student of John Howell Morrison

Jessica Sherer, Master of Music, Flute Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Robert Willoughby

Paul Saunders, Master of Music, Modern American Music, Class of 2006
Student of Charlie Banacos and Ken Radnofsky

Damian Berdakin, Undergraduate Diploma, Double Bass Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Pascale Delache-Feldman

Colette Gagnon, Master of Music, Opera Performance, 2005 graduate;
Student of Robert Honeysucker

Nicholas Upton, Undergraduate Diploma, Cello Performance, 2005 graduate; Master of Music, Cello Performance, Class of 2007
Student of Terry King

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

It is really important to think about who you want to study with. If you can, you should try to meet the teacher before you make your decision. I was studying at a big university program before I transferred to Longy. I did not like all the general education classes I had to take and had started to become pretty unhappy. My current teacher at Longy came to do a masterclass, and I was amazed at how my playing changed with just five minutes of being able to work with him. I think it is so important that your teacher does not only teach well but also is able to perform well. I was really impressed when I first heard my teacher play.

What are your thoughts on moving to Boston?

It was really challenging. Lots of things are different. In Nevada, where I moved from, air conditioning was a standard feature in all apartments. This is not the case in Boston! When you are trying to decide on an apartment, look for something that is simple and works for you financially. It is so important to find a good balance between rent and location. Also, as soon as you decide to attend Longy, you should begin your apartment search. With such a big transition to a new school, you should aim to get that out of the way as soon as you can.

What has challenged you the most being a student at Longy?

The expectations here are very high, especially in theory and solfège. Longy’s approach is to make each student as well-rounded as possible. It is so great to work with a teacher like Longy’s solfege teacher, Judy Ross. Putting together keyboard harmony with Harmony class is also very challenging but a very interesting approach. I also am challenged by the other musicians here. We are constantly pushing each other to be better which is very inspiring.

Why be an undergraduate student at Longy?

To be an undergrad here, you have to have an open mind and be ready to be thrown into lots of different stuff. I accepted a position working with young music students in Longy’s Preparatory Division. I have enjoyed it so much that I am now thinking about working with kids as part of my career. Longy offers its students a wide spectrum of classes with rigorous training, which is great because the class sizes are small. You get a lot of personal attention here.

You are graduating this May with your Undergraduate Diploma in Cello. Why did you choose to apply for a Master of Music degree at Longy?

I really want to continue with my current teacher. Because I transferred to Longy, I only was able to study with him for three years. I would really like to expand upon that. We are just starting to get into more advanced repertoire, which has been exciting. You also can’t beat the performing opportunities in Boston. I also love the masterclasses here, and not only the ones in the String Department. It is really cool to see these huge pedagogues in all these different areas coming to share their ideas with the students here. I have also seen a lot of change in Longy over three years. When I first got here, there was a really wide variance in the level of students. Longy has become immensely more popular and the students get stronger and stronger every year, which is exciting.

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Michelle Vachon, Master of Music, Vocal Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Jayne West

How did you approach your own decision process about where to go to school?

I was interested in finding a place where I would have room to grow, and where my growth was supported by the faculty, staff, and my fellow peers. I was also looking for a environment that was intense yet still supportive. Geography was also an important part of my decision.

Why did you choose Longy?

I decided on Longy because there is something special here that is not found at other conservatories. Longy offers such an amazingly supportive environment. You can also explore almost anything you want here – opera, early music, chamber music, jazz, Alexander Technique, etc. When I was trying to decide between schools, Longy seemed to offer a spherical expansiveness vs. the almost box-like approach you find at other schools. The possibilities here are so much more plentiful.

What has challenged you the most your first year as a Master of Music student?

Definitely time management! As an undergraduate, your time is much more limited because of all the classes you have to take. On the Masters’ level, you get the respect of an adult. You are able to do what you want to do, which is both a freeing and a learning experience. It has been a challenge to learn how to say no. It also has been interesting to learn how to structure the things you say yes to and build professionalism in those relationships.

What is it like living in Boston?

Boston itself is such a fun city. It has a youthful feeling to it with all the life that is here but it is also rooted in its rich history. The weather here is challenging and definitely has a personality of its own! I have found the city to be very safe. I have yet to meet any of the crazy Bostonians that I heard about before I came! Everyone seems willing to help.

What are you most looking forward to in your second year?

I think I am most looking forward to continuing the collaboration with fellow musicians. My Masters recital will be coming up next Spring. I am also looking forward to my continued growth. Every single day at Longy, I notice real growth in my singing. I am looking forward to trying out so many of the new ideas Longy has opened me up to as I continue to learn who I am as a musician and as a person.

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Elizabeth Knight, Undergraduate Diploma, Composition, 2005 graduate; Master of Music, Composition, Class of 2007
Student of John Howell Morrison

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

In order for the things you read and especially your college visits to count, you have to be hyper-organized. Establish before you visit what things are important to you, and take notes on everything—write down specifics as well as general impressions. You may think you'll remember, but after seeing two or more schools things start to blur together. When I was trying to decide, I used a ranking system with categories like location, size, faculty, etc. to help make things more visual. Even if you choose a different school than the one your rankings point to, going through the process helps you feel which school you are really leaning toward, tangibly or intangibly. Finally, make every effort to visit department seminars or classes to get a real feel for how the students and faculty in your area of study interact.

Why did you decide to transfer from another school to Longy?

I originally attended a small liberal arts school in a rural area that did not have music as its focus. At the time, I hadn't decided to pursue music, so this made sense; however, once I decided to study composition, I craved a more supportive environment, where I would have plenty of fellow composers as well as many opportunities to have my pieces played. I like how Longy is a small environment with the resources of a big city. In my composition audition, the composition faculty were straightforward and approachable. I felt I could talk to them and didn't feel put on the spot or formally judged. At Longy, you know your professors on a first-name basis right away. People are amazingly friendly, and will tend to come up and talk to you whether they know you or not, which is very comforting when you first arrive in a new place—you will never ever be left awkwardly eating lunch alone!

What has challenged you the most being a student at Longy?

Definitely Judy Ross, one of Longy’s solfege teachers! In general, it challenging to balance your major focus with your class work: I have to be aware to set aside time to compose, do homework, and still have free time, too. Sometimes it seems like a lot, but thanks to theory gurus Judy, Paul, and Peter [members of the theory faculty] I am always confident that no other school has a program as intensive or well-rounded, and that feels pretty good!

What is it like being an undergraduate at Longy?

No one really thinks of themselves as specifically an undergraduate or graduate student here. The students are very spread out in age, experience, and cultural background; there is no standard age per class. Because of the focus of the core undergraduate theory and history classes, I see a lot of the other undergraduate students, and we all quickly become pretty close. Plenty of elective classes in all departments are a healthy mix of grads and undergrads, however, so by the end of your first semester you will immediately recognize any Longy student when you run into them outside of school.

You are graduating this May with your Undergraduate Diploma in Composition. Why did you choose to apply for a Master of Music degree at Longy?

Because I entered Longy as a transfer student, I was only here for two years. I like Boston a lot—and I'm not even a city person at heart! I've made good friends with students and professors that I am not ready to part from, and I am really excited about the graduate level analysis courses. I studied with John Morrison for both years, so I also wanted the opportunity to branch out and study with another composition professor. Overall, I simply found that, on many levels, I was not done with Longy yet.

What are you most looking forward to as you look to begin a new program here?

Working on my independent study project, which I have already begun; I am developing a teaching method for one-on-one composition lessons for 4-5 year old students. I am in the middle of research now, and will start adapting it to my first students this fall. I had a really great brainstorming session for it a few months ago during composition department seminar, which helped jump-start my research and got me thinking in all kinds of directions. Everyone had useful suggestions, and they all want to hear how the actual teaching goes next year.

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Jessica Sherer, Master of Music, Flute Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Robert Willoughby

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

It is really important to get to know the environment and to know what you want. For example, do you want a city environment or a town environment, a big school or a small school, a competitive atmosphere or a more supportive atmosphere, etc.

Why did you choose Longy?

I did my undergraduate training at a big school. For my graduate training, I initially went to another big school. I kept feeling like there was something missing. The big school environment just felt too institutional and corporate. I love that Longy is small and independent. I also like that there are no teaching assistants. All the students here study with full faculty. Longy just felt like the right place. I love that the Dean’s door is always open, and that both he and President Kim knew my name within the first week.

What has challenged you most about being a student at Longy?

Learning how to budget my time has been really challenging. I am currently working full-time and going to school full-time, which has been hard. But the faculty and staff here are all so approachable, and everyone has been so supportive in helping me work out a flexible schedule.

What is like to work with Robert Willoughby?

It has been amazing! Mr. Willoughby is a legend in the flute world. He has been a mentor to so many of the top professional players. His approach to music is really organized; he knows exactly what to say about everything you bring to him. His teaching is unique in that he doesn’t just tell you specific things to change; he teaches you how to approach music methodically, so that once you’re without a teacher, you feel comfortable sorting through pieces on your own.

What do you think of the other students at Longy?

They are all so wonderful. There is healthy sense of competition here but without the bad aspects of it. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming; I think we are all very comfortable in our little community. The flute studio is especially close. We play for each other all the time and trust each other to give advice and support.

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Paul Saunders, Master of Music, Modern American Music, Class of 2006
Student of Charlie Banacos and Ken Radnofsky

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

I think it is really important to consider timing. Instead of thinking should I go to this school or that school, it might be better to ask is this the right time to go to school at all? It is also important to look at faculty and get a feel of them. Are they helpful? Inspiring? Are they people you have heard of or know? Really make sure you look at each school very carefully! Once you have been accepted, don’t stop practicing! The stronger a player you become in the summer, the better off you will be once you start classes.

What are you most looking forward to as you enter into your second year at Longy?

Exploring the next level with my current teacher and taking my studies with him even deeper. Now that I have had a chance in my first year to figure out how things work, I can be more focused in my second year on improving my performing. I also am really looking forward to working with the new students that are coming in for Fall 2005.

What has challenged you as a student at Longy?

There is such a volume of available work to do! It has been initially hard to find a balance between the academics and performing. I have learned to take one thing at a time.

What do you feel makes Longy’s Modern American Music program different?

The small size of the program is great. Because you can’t hide, the focused size of the program brings a focus to it. You are playing with the same people, and you get to know their styles. In many ways, that is what professional jazz playing is like, working with a group of trusted colleagues. The level of the other students here is really high.

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Damian Berdakin, Undergraduate Diploma, Double Bass Performance, Class of 2006
Student of Pascale Delache-Feldman

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

Make sure to know what you are looking for in a program – chamber music, solo player, big orchestra works, etc. It also is important to know what each teacher offers.

What advice do you have to offer international students as they consider what school to attend in the United States?

You should be aware what the environment of the school is like before you come. Everything is so different. You should think about how you will deal with your various relationships. Expect them to change.

What has challenged you most about being a student at Longy?

Every teacher here challenges you to a self-review. The faculty make sure that you pay attention to what you are doing and help you carefully evaluate where you are at. The environment here is really friendly so it is also important that you balance your school work with everything else.

What are you most looking forward to next year?

I am really looking forward to preparing for graduate school auditions. Now that most of my main undergraduate classes are done, I am also looking forward to focusing more on performance and teaching.

What is it like being an undergraduate at Longy?

The undergraduate classes are very tough, often stressful, challenging, overall a very full experience. All of it is well worth it. I can see that now that I have made so much progress.

Why did you choose Longy?

Originally, I was not looking to leave Argentina. I knew about Longy through a friend in my family. There is not a school like it where I am from. Back home, in order to take lessons, I used to have to take a bus 10 hours to see my teacher. I really enjoy working with my current teacher at Longy.

Anything else you would like to add?

Be ready for the weather. Make sure to bring your coat!

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Colette Gagnon, Master of Music, Opera Performance, 2005 graduate;
Student of Robert Honeysucker

What advice do you have to offer prospective students as they make a decision about what school to attend?

I think it is so important to know what you want, to really think about what kind of educational experience you want. Geography should also be an important deciding factor.

Why did you choose Longy?

A big part of my decision was based on finances. I was really looking for a school where I could get the most out of my money. I love the individual attention Longy provides. As an opera student here, you are not lost in the chorus, you are an important part of the program.

As you approach your graduation from the Master of Music program, what are you most looking forward to?

There is still so much to learn! I am looking forward to my continued growth as a musician as well as professional auditions. Truthfully, I am very ready to be done with academics!

What has challenged you as a student at Longy?

As an opera student, I have had to work hard not to compare myself to others. We each have something unique to offer. It is also hard not to get overwhelmed with the academic workload here because it is so intense!

The amount of individual attention you receive combined with a good, healthy environment of competition. Your training and work with the faculty is very specific your growth as a musician and person. You have amazing access to the faculty. You learn not only from your voice teacher and vocal coach, but from many other teachers, creating a real wealth of perspectives.

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