Links: Table of Contents

NVOT Music Links | Instrument/Accessories Suppliers | Ensembles beyond NVOT | Music & Brain Research
Music Theory/History | Saturday Prep Divisions | Summer Camps
College Music Scholarship Info | College Music Departments

NVOT Music Links

• Read the full Instrumental Handbook. Once downloaded, go to page 2 and click on any subject heading to be taken directly to that topic.
• Click here to if you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Directions to Northern Valley-Old Tappan High School

Instrument/Accessories Suppliers

• Charles Music (double reed specialists)
• Wiener Music (clarinet specialists)

Ensembles outside NVOT

• Music Educators of Bergen County, Inc. (MEBCI - Bergen County Band and Chorus information)

• North Jersey School Music Association (NJSMA - Region I Band, Choir, and Orchestra information)

• NJ Music Educators Association (NJMEA - All State Band and Orchestra choir information, this site has links to solo lists, each region page, and lots of music websites)

• Bergen County Youth Orchestra

• New Jersey Youth Symphony

Music & Brain Research - Why do music students do better on the SAT's?

• http://www.amc-music.com/brain.html

• http://www.music-research.org

• http://www.music-research.org/Publications/researchnotes/

Music Theory/History

• Blank Staff Paper - Many different sizes, just click and print!

• Essentials of Music - History, Composer Bios, and a large Glossary

• Music Notes - Music History Page - Period by period breakdown

• Music Dictionary - Virginia Tech's Multimedia Music Dictionary

• MusicTheory.net - Lessons, practice activities, and theory resources.

Saturday Preparatory Divisions

• The Pre-college program at The Juilliard School, New York, NY

• Preparatory program at The Manhattan School of Music, New York, NY

• Preparatory program at Mannes, New York, NY

Summer Camps

• Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, CO

• Eastern Music Festival, Greensboro, NC

• Encore/Coda Music Camp, Lake Sweden, ME

• French Woods Performing Arts Camp, Hancock, NY

• Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, Oneonta, NY

• Interlochen Music Camp, Interlochen, MI

• Kinhaven Music Camp, Weston, VT

• New England Music Camp, Sidney, ME

• Tanglewood Festival, MA

• Westminster Choir College, Lawrenceville, NJ

College Music Scholarship Info

• Apply for financial aid at all schools using the FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid, a U.S. Department of Education program, (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/)  If it is a private school, they may ask you to use the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile is the FAFSA counterpart for many private colleges.

• Interested parties are encouraged to visit the College Board site and fill in the EFC (Estimated Financial Contribution) calculator.  For more information, please visit: http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp

College Music Departments

• Boston University, College of Fine Arts

• Cleveland Institute of Music

• The Curtis Institute 

• The Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY

• Hartt School of Music, Hartford, CT

• The Juilliard School

• Manhattan School of Music

• The New England Conservatory, Boston

• Northwestern University, IL

• University of Maryland

• Montclair State University, The John J. Cali School of Music, Montclair, NJ

• Oberlin College, the Conservatory of Music, Ohio

• Rice University, The Shepherd School of Music, Texas

• Rutgers University, The Mason Gross School of The Arts

• University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

• West Chester State University, Pennsylvania

• Westminster Choir College, Rider University

• William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ

Senior Recommendations

I am happy to write letters of recommendation for you. Please bring me the following materials at least two weeks before the deadline for which they are due.

To request a recommendation, please bring me:

1. A list of all schools for which you want recommendations.
2. All appropriate recommendation forms:
   • If you are using the Common Form, give me  a completed Common Application form for each school.
   • If you have a unique recommendation form for a particular school, give me a completed information required from you on that form. 
   • If there is no specific form, simply note that all you need is a letter.
3. A  stamped envelope for each school's recommendation. It should be typed. Be sure to include the NVOT Guidance Department, 140 Central Avenue, Old Tappan, NJ  07675 as the return address. Be sure to write your name on the inside of the envelope flap, so I am sure of whose envelope is whose!
4. If you like, provide me with a reminder list of the NVOT ensembles, county, region, and all-state ensembles, leadership positions you have held during your years at NVOT, and any other relevant information that will help me to write the most helpful letter possible.

I need a minimum of two weeks to complete recommendations. I cannot guarantee completed letters without that time to prepare.

Strategies for Success

This list could also be called "How to work toward your goals," or "An easy list of things to do to show respect toward others," or even "How to get your teacher to notice you in a positive way." 

• Develop a consistent pattern of being on time. This gets things done, achieves goals, and establishes trust between you and everyone you interact with.
• Listen carefully -- don't just hear. Listen for concrete details in the sound.
• Find creative ways to practice. Make a commitment to avoid "performing" your exercises and repertoire over and over. This just reinforces your mistakes.
• Look a person straight in the eye when he/she is speaking to you.
• Address adults as "Mr. Smith," "Ms. Jones," etc. I consider calling teachers only by their last names to be disrespectful..
• Look for clues to develop a sense of appropriate behavior depending on the situation. You cannot always assume that how you think you should act is the right way to act.
• Learn to know that what lies between what you want and getting it is the conscious act of working toward earning it.
• Recognize that the rules you break today will probably be the rules you will try to enforce in the future.
• Time is the most incomprehensible commodity in the universe. The sooner you accept that, the happier you will be.
• Parents and teachers are strict because they love you. Accept it and get over it. You'll be that way someday as well.
• Understand that success is 90% perspiration and 10% talent & knowledge.
• Be ethical. Translation: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
• Take responsibility for your actions. Before and afterwards.
• All the technology in the world will never replace books. Read.
• There are many things that can be said or done that can never, ever be taken back.