Would I send my child to a similar school? Absolutely! With a son who was at all interested, I would move heaven and earth to give him this experience-- even if it meant sending him to England and renting a small flat there to be with him when I could.
I suppose you could call a choir school's emphasis on music "disproportionate", and the pupils must work very hard on that account in order to do justice both to their talent and their academic program. But they flourish under it; and even more important, they excel later. Not only choir school graduates, but former choristers in general carry themselves with a poise and self-confidence that must be seen to be believed. These schools don't in fact require *unusual* musical talent in an applicant. General intelligence and a good attitude on the part of the child and his parents are more important. Children are more talented than most of us give them credit for, if only we recognized and nourished them. For one thing, the acuity of their ears is still at a peak unspoiled by later subjection to deafening noise.
Perhaps you are unaware of recent research showing that music makes kids smarter. This helps them, as do the small class sizes and individual attention from teachers. I have it on good authority that the cost of keeping a boy at the St. Thomas Choir School, New York dwarfs that of Harvard. Such is the commitment to this kind of program on the part of those who understand it best. Parents must pay at most only 1/3 of that expense, and even that sum is reduced for those who find it a hardship.
What is the alternative? A public school system whose (increasingly common) idea of a proportionate focus on music is zero? Schools which neglect or eliminate music programs in order to spend more time coaching pupils for national standardized tests are making a counterproductive move, and their administrators are incompetent philistines. Although I consider homeschooling a last resort, I'd homeschool my child before subjecting him or her to such a depressing regimen.
Music has always been part of a well-rounded education from early history. It is one of the subjects in the historic Quadrivium. Ancient and medieval people seem to have grasped a thing or two that Americans today have forgotten-- to our peril, I fear.
If you are a parent, then whom you choose to teach your children, what they teach, and how are among the most personal and sacred decisions in your entire life. I urge you to consider these opportunities for their own good. And if you are sitting on the fence, please don't let the environment as portrayed by this film dissuade you. As I emphasized in my review, it's not like that.
reply
share
cdunbar-959-324822
8 years ago
What a beautifully articulated explanation of the merits of specialized education. Your points were right on target and meaningful without adopting airs and graces. Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts. I am persuaded that any commentary you make on a film would be equally incisive and will keep an eye open for your other imdb contributions.
reply
share