Certain music schools, colleges, and conservatories stand out for any aspiring violinist. One of the country's most outstanding music schools is the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
Let's learn more about this private music school and its violin program.
About the Peabody Insitute of the Johns Hopkins University
Founded in 1857, the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University is a private music school. It's the oldest music conservatory in the country and one of the most reputable.
This music school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, along with its parent institution, Johns Hopkins University.
The Peabody Institute was founded by the philanthropist and merchant George Peabody, who also founded the Peabody Trust, a housing association in London, UK.
The institute was established to promote the arts and culture in Baltimore through public performances and exhibitions, which directly result from the high-quality music and arts education offered there.
As one of the country's earliest music conservatories, the Peabody Insitute gained a reputation for the excellent music education it provided. The curriculum was expanded to include dance, theater, and other performing arts.
The Peabody Conservatory is the institute's higher education division and the part of the music school that has produced many famous alums.
In 1977, the Peabody Institute joined forces with Johns Hopkins University. The Peabody Institute remains one of the country's oldest and most prestigious music conservatories.
About the Violin Program at the Peabody Institute
As a music school, the Peabody Institute has entire departments for different musical instruments. Naturally, the violin programs belong to the strings department.
The department offers violinists a wide range of opportunities, including chamber artists, soloists, orchestral principals, and recording artists. Peabody students have held important positions in the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, Houston Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and Los Angeles Philharmonic, showcasing the diverse paths available to aspiring violinists.
Degrees Offered at the Peabody Institute
Violinists applying to the Peabody Institute can choose from programs at differing academic levels. These programs include undergraduate degrees, master's degrees, doctoral studies, certificates, and diplomas.
Bachelor of Music
The undergraduate Bachelor of Music degree programs offer training in various areas, including performance, composition, computer music, music education, and recording arts.
Degrees include:
- BM in Music Education/Violin
- BM in Recording Arts/Violin
- Minor in the Business of Music
- Minor in Musicology
- Minor in Liberal Arts
- Five-Year BM/MM Program
- Master of Music
The Master of Music degree at the Peabody Institute is a postgraduate program for students who want to further their knowledge of performance skills and music literature.
Doctor of Musical Arts
A Doctor of Music Arts degree is the highest level of professional musical performance and musical composition program offered by the Peabody Institute.
Performer's Certificate
The Performer's Certificate is an undergraduate qualification for students who don't complete the academic components of the Bachelor of Music Curriculum.
Graduate Performance Diploma
The Graduate Performance Diploma is a graduate-level qualification focusing specifically on performance. This offers more performance than the Master of Music and the Doctor of Musical Arts programs, which include more academic components.
Artist Diploma
The Artist Diploma from the Peabody Institute is for “exceptional and experienced” performers and focuses on repertoire.
This is more of an option for violinists looking to further their performing careers within the industry than for those seeking academic studies.
How to Get into the Peabody Institute
The Peabody Institute application process, while similar to that of other prestigious performing arts conservatories, has its unique requirements and considerations. However, they're very similar to music schools like the Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard, and the Curtis Institute of Music. Understanding these details will help you feel prepared and confident as you navigate the application process.
The Peabody Conservatory offers several opportunities for applicants to apply, but they don't allow deferrals. You should only apply for the academic year you intend to enroll in.
Since each course has different and specific application requirements, we'll focus on the Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Performer's Certificates requirements.
Here are the full dates for applications and the various requirements:
| EARLY DECISION | REGULAR DECISION | LATE ADMISSION | |
|---|---|---|---|
| APPLICATION AND FEES | Nov. 1 | Dec. 1 | May 1 |
| PRE-SCREEN REQUIREMENTS | Nov. 1 | Dec. 1 | May 1 |
| UNDERGRAD ESSAY | Nov. 1 | Dec. 1 | May 1 |
| ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCORES | Nov. 1 | Feb. 1 | May 1 |
| FAFSA | Nov. 15 | Feb. 15 | Apr. 1 |
| CSS PROFILE | Nov. 15 | Jan. 15 | Apr. 1 |
| TRANSCRIPTS | Dec. 3 | Feb. 1 | May 1 |
| RECOMMENDATION LETTERS | Dec. 3 | Feb. 1 | May 1 |
| RECORDED AUDITIONS | Dec. 3 | Feb. 1 | May 10 |
| LIVE AUDITIONS | Dec. 3 | Feb. 10-11, 18-23 | mid-May |
| DECISION RELEASE | mid-Dec. | Apr. 1 | Jun. 1 |
| ENROLLMENT DEADLINE | Jan. 15 | May 1 | Jun. 5 |
The application can be completed online, and the prescreening requirements for every course and musical instrument differ.
Recommendations
Applicants will be required to provide the email addresses of those providing recommendations. These recommenders need to be able to speak to your performance ability, and they'll be automatically emailed with the information on how to complete their recommendations.
Teacher Preferences
For the degree program, students are strongly recommended to list their studio and music teacher preferences on their applications. Due to demand, Peabody Institute recommends that students list two or three faculty choices.
Test Scores
Like many of the top music conservatories in the country, Peabody Institute is interested in talent over a student's academic results. Calling itself test-optional, students can still submit their test results for ACT or SAT. However, these scores are not a requirement.
In fact, most of the top music schools and programs around the country including Juilliard, Curtis Institute of Music, etc. barely look at students results from high school.
International students need to submit verified TOEFL or IELTS results. The TOEFL requirement is 79, and the IELTS requirement is 6.5.
Repertoire List
Students should include a repertoire list for their primary instrument (the violin, for example). The Peabody Institute asks that public performance pieces be denoted with an asterisk.
Application Essay
The application requires a short essay between one and two pages in length. The prompts for these essays are as follows:
- Describe your most memorable musical experience (or dance, for dance applicants).
- Choose a time that you encountered an obstacle, and describe what you did to overcome it.
- Please explain your academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and/or special/challenging circumstances, including but not limited to disabilities, low family income, first-generation college student, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal or family situations or circumstances, refugee status or veteran status.
There are no specific prescreening requirements for the violin.
If getting into this music school sounds difficult, compare its acceptance rate to the other top music schools and conservatories in the country.
After all, the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University has an acceptance rate of 51.6%, while places like the Juilliard School and the Curtis Institute of Music are closer to 10%.
Here you can see how the major music schools and conservatories' acceptance rates compare to their 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 |
Peabody Institute Audition Requirements
For violinists, the audition requirements vary according to the program:
Bachelor of Music
- One movement of a major violin concerto with cadenza if applicable
- 1st movement of a Mozart concerto with cadenza
- Two contrasting movements of Bach
- One Paganini Caprice or other selected Etude like Kreutzer, Dont, Rode
- Any contrasting movement or work of the applicant’s choice
Master of Music
- 2 Contrasting movements of a major violin concerto with cadenza if applicable
- 1st movement of a Mozart Concerto with cadenza
- Two contrasting movements of Bach or Chaconne
- A Paganini Caprice, Wieniawski Caprice, movement of Ysaye *Sonata or equivalent
- Any sonata or solo piece that represents the applicant's ability.
Graduate Performance Diploma
- 2 Contrasting movements of a major violin concerto with cadenza if applicable
- 1st movement of a Mozart Concerto with cadenza
- Two contrasting movements of Bach or Chaconne
- A Paganini Caprice, Wieniawski Caprice, movement of Ysaye *Sonata or equivalent
- Any sonata or solo piece that represents the applicant's ability
Doctor of Musical Arts
- Complete Major Violin Concerto
- 1st movement of a Mozart Concerto with cadenza
- A complete Bach Sonata or Partita
- One Paganini Caprice, Wieniawski Caprice, or equivalent
- Choice of any sonata or solo piece
- Any work from the late 20th or 21st century
Artist Diploma
- Complete Major Violin Concerto
- 1st movement of a Mozart Concerto with cadenza
- A complete Bach Sonata or Partita
- One Paganini Caprice, Wieniawski Caprice, or equivalent
- Choice of any sonata or solo piece
- Any work from the late 20th or 21st century
Peabody Institute Tuition Cost
As one of the best private music schools in the country, Peabody Institute is costly for undergraduate or graduate violin programs, but there is a lot of financial aid.
The Degree Program costs $64,730 per academic year. The Artist Diploma and Graduate Performance Diploma Programs cost $56,287.
Part-time study costs between $9,164 and $28,771, depending on your choice.
Other fees include:
- Application for degree program: $120
- Matriculation: $700
- Health Service Fee: $625
- Student Technology and Activities Fee: $350
- Health Insurance: $3,116
The Peabody Institute has also calculated the typical costs for students:
| On Campus | Off Campus | Living with Parents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $62,380 | $62,380 | $62,380 |
| Living expenses: Housing | $10,564 | $9,014 | $4,177 |
| Living expenses: Food | $8,662 | $4,731 | $3,600 |
| Misc. Personal Expenses | $2,246 | $2,246 | $2,246 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | $1,054 | $1,054 | $1,054 |
| Transportation | $1,391 | $1,391 | $1,391 |
| Loan Fees: Direct – Undergraduate | $61 | $61 | $61 |
| Loan Fees: PLUS: Parent | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Health Services Fee | $625 | $625 | $625 |
| Technology Fee | $350 | $350 | $350 |
| Health Insurance | $3,116 | $3,116 | $3,116 |
| Matriculation Fee | $700 | $700 | $700 |
| Total | $92,349 | $86,868 | $80,900 |
Notable Violin Alumni of the Peabody Institute
Any music school or college's quality of teaching and programs is evident in the students it accepts and the alums who graduate.
With any conservatory, you want to look for the best violinists, ideally those whose studies included the violin program. After all, the level of graduates from the Peabody Institute means that plenty of famous musicians are likely great violinists but actually completed their major on another instrument. Prospective students can also take online violin lessons to prepare for auditions or strengthen their repertoire.
The notable alums of the Peabody Institute Strings Department to have studied violin include:
- Becky Starobin, President and Owner of Bridge Records.
- Bing Wang, Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic
- Igor Yuzefovich, Concertmaster of BBC Symphony Orchestra, Professor at the Royal Academy of Music
- Juliette Jones, Chief Operating Officer of Alamo Records, Co-Founder of RootStock Republic.
- Maggie O'Connor, a Grammy Award-winning fiddler/violinist
Of course, if you wish to join them, you must complete your application and ace your auditions. After all, every top music school, conservatory, or university will likely require an audition.
Why not brush up on your violin playing with the help of a private violin tutor?
A private violin tutor can do more than help you get into a top music school. They can also help you work on your playing for performances or help you with the music theory from your academic classes.
Just search for violin classes near me on the Superprof website today!
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