The Curtis Institute of Music is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is one of the country's leading private conservatories.
For anyone playing the violin and looking for an outstanding education, the Curtis Institute of Music offers a unique learning experience that is among the finest in the world. Its focus on individual talent and its renowned faculty make it a top choice for aspiring violinists.
Let's find out more about it.
The Curtis Institute of Music at a Glance
The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, a beacon of musical excellence, was founded in 1924 (it's celebrating 100 years!). Mary Louise Curtis Bok, a visionary in music education, established it.
The institute's unique approach was to provide the highest possible level of music education based on a student's talent rather than their financial situation. This philosophy continues to set it apart.
When it started, the Curtis Institute of Music included incredibly famous and prominent musicians like Leopold Stokowski, the conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Josef Hofmann, a renowned pianist at the time.
Like any famous school, the Curtis Institute of Music's reputation was built on the success of its students, not just its faculty. Some of the earliest graduates, such as composers Samuel Barber and Gian Carlo Menotti and the famous conductor Leonard Bernstein, are testaments to the institute's commitment to excellence.
Over the years, new programs have been added, and many incredibly talented musicians have left the Curtis Institute of Music to win Grammy Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and other prestigious accolades.
A degree from the Curtis Institute of Music (or any other qualification) would be worth pursuing for any aspiring violinist.
The Violin Program at the Curtis Institute of Music
Violinists will be interested in the String Curriculum offered by the Curtis Institute of Music.
The strings department at Curtis offers various options, including the Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Post-Baccalaureate Diploma, and Master of Music programs.
Naturally, the Bachelor of Music is an undergraduate program, while the Master of Music program is for graduates.
Conservatories and private music schools offer education that aligns with universities in many ways, particularly regarding course names. Still, their programs tend to include more of a performance element than fully academic institutions like colleges and universities.
How to Apply to the Curtis Institute of Music
Like many of the country's finest musical conservatories, the Curtis Institute of Music's application process includes two main steps: the application and the auditions.
Some schools like Juilliard call the application process pre-screening, but the general process is mostly the same.
The main difference is the requirements, which you should read carefully for every application.
Fortunately, the Curtis Institute of Music (and all the other conservatories) explicitly details these on their website. The application timeline runs from September to June.
Students looking to apply to the institute must create an application account, which is simply an online account on the conservatory's website.
From there, they can submit their required documents, such as an unofficial copy of their transcript, addresses for parents, guardians, and private teachers, details on their schooling, etc.
Essay Questions for Curtis Institute of Music
A crucial part of the application process is the essay questions. For Curtis, there are four of them:
- Why do you want to study at Curtis? (150 words)
- What inspires you as an artist? (250 words)
- Please tell us how you managed a challenging experience. What did you learn, and how might your experience inform your participation in the Curtis community? (300 words)
- Your application details your accomplishments as a musician. In this space, please tell us about a special interest outside of music that gives you joy. (250 words)
Pre-screening Video
Violin applicants need to submit a video as part of their application. This video must be recently recorded and show the applicant playing pieces from memory.
The Curtis Institute of Music lists the pieces and suggests one slow-tempo movement:
- One movement from a major concerto
- One movement from a Mozart concerto including cadenza
- Two movements from a Bach solo sonata or partita
- A Paganini caprice
If the pre-screening process is successful, the student will be asked for a live audition.
Audition Requirements for the Violin Program at the Curtis Institute of Music
The audition is an essential part of the admissions process for the lucky (and talented) students seeking enrollment on any of the degrees offered by the Curtis Institute of Music.
Applicants are expected to play all major and minor scales and arpeggios as well as various pieces.
For the Bachelor of Music or Diploma programs, students need to prepare the following:
- A complete major concerto
- A complete Mozart concerto
- A complete Bach solo sonata or partita
- A Paganini caprice
Admissions to the Bachelor of Music and Diploma program require these pieces to be played from memory.
The Post Baccalaureate Diploma and Master of Music program applicants need to prepare all of the above requirements as well as:
- A complete sonata from this list: Faure A Major, Schumann a minor, Brahms G Major, or Schubert A Major Duo
- A commission from a Curtis student composer written expressly for the audition, for solo violin and under five minutes in length.
Unlike the other programs, the Post Baccalaureate Diploma and Master of Music program admissions process' extra requirements do not need to be played from memory.
Remember that Curtis's acceptance rate is around 9.7%, similar to the 10.6% of the Juilliard School and the 13% of the Eastman School of Music.
of applicants!
Tuition Fees at the Curtis Institute of Music
Suppose you've looked at the cost of any other prestigious music school like Juilliard or the Peabody Institute. In that case, you might be worried about the cost of tuition and attending such a prestigious school.
However, the Curtis Institute of Music sets itself apart from other universities and conservatories by offering incredibly low tuition fees. After all, that was part of the reason that the school was founded in the first place.
While certainly not free, Curtis charges a $3,500 comprehensive fee. This fee doesn't cover textbooks for students studying at the University of Pennsylvania, health care insurance, residential fees, or other one-time fees and deposits.
Other fees include the $100 library deposit, a $100 instrument deposit, and a $125 graduation fee. The instrument fees are different for piano students for many obvious reasons.
With almost any other top music college, university, or conservatory, you may need to take out student loans to help with the tuition fees for the degree programs.
Here, you can see how the Curtis Institute of Music compares to the other top violin universities and conservatories like the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard, and the Peabody Institute of the John Hopkins University in terms of acceptance rate and tuition fees.
| Music School | Acceptance Rate | Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University | 10% | $19,254 per quarter |
| Colburn School | 10% | $57,500 per year |
| Cleveland Institute of Music | 36.20% | $50,000 per year |
| Curtis Institute of Music | 9.70% | $3,500 per year |
| Eastman School of Music | 13% | $65,870 per year |
| Indiana University Jacobs School of Music | 25% (Undergraduates), 33% (Graduates) | $40,369.16 per year |
| The Juilliard School | 10.60% | $54,400 per year |
| New England Conservatory of Music | 38% | $58,910 per year |
| Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University | 51.60% | $64,730 per year |
| The Manhattan School of Music | 55% | $52,550 per year |
Cost of Accommodation On-Campus at the Curtis Institute of Music.
Students are required to live at Lenfest Hall during their first two years of study, and the cost is $24,012 for a single room or $21,035 for a double room.
Both include a full meal plan, though students living off-campus or with their parents can still choose to pay $3,400 for the meal plan.
Regarding financial considerations, attending Curtis is arguably one of the best institutions for the arts compared to attending private universities, colleges, or conservatories.
Notable Violin Alumni from the Curtis Institute of Music
Jennifer Koh and Karina Canellakis are among the biggest names in the violin to have completed a degree program at the Curtis Institute of Music. Many aspiring players also start with online violin lessons to build fundamentals and prepare for conservatory auditions.
Jennifer Koh
Jennifer Koh attended the Oberlin Conservatory and the Curtis Institute. She graduated from Curtis in 2002 with a major in violin.
As a violinist, she's performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony, and Cleveland Orchestra.
Enjoy this wonderful Jennifer Koh performance away from the many prestigious orchestras that she's played with.
Karina Canellakis
Karina Canellakis graduated from Curtis in 2004, majoring in violin. Both her parents attended the Juilliard School, but she chose to attend Curtis initially. She played violin in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and was a guest leader with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.
She later attended the Juilliard School to study conducting and was the assistant conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. As a conductor, she's worked with orchestras such as the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.
Get Help Playing the Violin with a Private Tutor
Seeing the low acceptance rate at any private college or conservatory, you'll want to do everything you can to ensure you get onto a course at these institutions.
When it comes to a violin degree at prestigious universities and conservatories, enrollment is often subject to pre-screening and an audition. This means you'll be expected to play your violin several times before you even enter a course.
An excellent way to improve your playing and prepare for these kinds of situations is with a private violin tutor.
No matter what instrument you play, you can find piano, violin, etc., tutors on the Superprof website. You can view the private tutors' profiles before shortlisting some potential candidates. For those in San Diego, consider exploring violin classes near me.
Once you've chosen good tutors with excellent reviews, you can contact them to arrange times.
With many private tutors on Superprof offering the first session for free, it makes financial sense to try a few out before choosing the one right for you and your violin playing.
If you're based in Seattle, check out violin classes near me. Just search “violin” on the Superprof website today!
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