Here I am at 25 years old, a college drop-out, just beginning to climb out of a year that was pretty miserable and tough for me in many ways, and I think I’m starting to see a glimmer of what it is I’d like to really be doing with my life.
I’ve been doing theatre (accompaniment and music direction) for a number of years now, and in some ways am officially a big fish in a small pond here in VT. I’ve struggled to sustain interest and succeed in many things in life, but theatre has been the one constant, and when I look at my life ten years from now, the only thing I know about it is that I’ll still be doing theatre.
Anyway, enough about me!
So, with that in mind, and knowing that the options for making a living in theatre here in VT are pretty sparse, I’m beginning to think about going back to school for music. I’m pretty good, but not good enough to compete with most of the folks down in the city I imagine, and I’m ready to get phenomenal and persue this career seriously.
With that in mind, are there any suggestions for schools? Like I said, theatre is where it’s at for me, whether playing or conducting. Are there schools that are specifically geared toward music for theatre, or is a strong jazz or classical training with personal interest in theatre generally the way to go? I also figure going to NYC is the way to do it for the sake of making contacts/connections with people ‘in the business’. Am I right? Are there colleges out of NYC that would be good places from which to start a career in musical theatre?
Due to commitments I’ve got, I’m looking to start this probably in the fall of 2007, so I’ve got time to do some research here. Help me out! 