PARTICIPANTS
Do I need to have my own equipment?
Yes, you must have your computer with sample libraries (subscribing to EastWest Creative Cloud for a month is highly recommended if you do not own EastWest samples yet), a midi keyboard and headphones.
Do I have access to NYU practice rooms?
As participants, yes, however—most of our participants elect to compose in the dorms where they can store all of their necessary equipment.
AUDITORS
Can I attend the presentations and activities?
Yes, auditors are encouraged to attend as many of the presentations as they wish.
Do I have access to NYU practice rooms?
No, NYU practice rooms are reserved for participants only. However, we encourage auditors to bring their computers and midi-keyboards to practice and compose in the dorms.
Do auditors receive critiques on their work from the workshop faculty?
No, the critiques are reserved for participants only.
I am wondering what the difference between an auditor and a participant is? What do the auditors get to do in comparison to the participants?
Both auditors and participants get to attend seminars, critiques, and mixing sessions. Only the work of the participants receives comments by the faculty during the critique and orchestration sessions and recordings of their work. All attendees can learn from comments on other participants' work, witnessing the mixing sessions. There is plenty of interaction between all the attendees.
Generally, auditors have access to our one-on-one consultations with our Workshop staff. They can get assistance on the technology and the academic contents of the classes. In addition, they are welcome to ask questions during the seminars and presentations.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Do you think this program is suitable for a high school student?
Yes, it is. The Workshop is a rare opportunity to learn the techniques and aesthetics of scoring as practiced by the professional faculty and to witness the workflow and the development of musical ideas of other participating composers. This can be an eye-opening experience, to see how big the musical world is, how other composers may use different means to achieve the same narrative ends.
Just seems a little intimidating to be with college and grad students! What do you think?
The atmosphere of the Workshop is informal and collegial--the faculty and the fellow composers are accepting and supportive of participants and auditors of all ages. About 10 high school students attend as auditors each year, and during several of those years we have had a high school student attend as a participant. Each year some decide to apply to NYU on the basis of their experience at the Workshop--several current undergrad and graduate NYU composition students were introduced to the school by attending the Workshop and their having attended strengthened their portfolio.
What about housing?
High School students are housed in the same facility as the older attendees but are placed on different floors. Minors are looked after by NYU Housing ResLife staff called PA's. Also the entire building (and campus) is dry, with a no drugs/alcohol policy.
What else is in the works—what other programs do you offer?The NYU Screen Scoring Summer Workshops offers workshops to build skills and introduce young musicians to the exciting field of Music for Media. The NYU Film Scoring Workshop starts it off (May 30 - June 10), followed by the NYU/BMI TV Scoring Workshop (June 13 - June 24), followed by our newest program, Scoring for Videogames Workshop (June 26 - July 1), and concludes with our 4 day NYU/BMI Scoring for Advertising Workshop (July 5 - July 8).