While most seniors spend their first semester of senior year cranking out dozens of essays and filling out countless forms, those who apply as music majors must leap another daunting hurdle: in-person auditions.
Seniors David Kim, who plays viola, and Brandon Wang, a violinist, both applied to Northwestern University in the Early Decision applicant pool as classical music majors. Both were accepted to the school’s dual-degree program with the Bienen School of Music in December.
Applying for a music major often requires a pre-screening audition with specific repertoires they must prepare. This preliminary round is typically completed by video, and, if the student passes the screening, applicants audition in front of members of the music department faculty. Throughout this process, both Kim and Wang struggled to prepare for video and live auditions, but they were ultimately happy with their applications.
Kim finds his musical voice through competitive environments
Kim started playing the viola at age 6, and he is now the principal violist of Saratoga Strings (SS) and Saratoga Symphony Orchestra (SSO). He attributes his success in the instrument partially to the fact that his older brothers were already learning violin and cello. His parents therefore wanted him to learn a different instrument.
And learn it he did. In his junior year, he was recognized as one of the four winners of the 2023 Saratoga High Concerto Competition. Outside of school, he has participated in the California All-State High School Orchestras.
Additionally, Kim is a part of the Gran Quintet with his school friends and MUSE Ensemble, a non-profit organization where talented musicians form a chamber music group and raise money every year from benefit concerts and help world crises.
Though these accomplishments suggest a natural passion for music, Kim admits he initially started playing the viola without much enthusiasm or desire. Being placed in a competitive music program, however — both in middle school and high school — motivated him to continue playing at a high level.
“Being in these environments, it’s inevitable to be constantly compared to other musicians. But being motivated by other musicians drove me to practice more,” he said.
As a senior, Kim began searching for colleges that would allow him to pursue both his academic and musical passions. Northwestern’s dual-degree program, which enables students to earn two separate degrees within five years, stood out. The program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to complete coursework in two Northwestern schools concurrently and receive bachelor’s degrees from both schools.
Kim was most influenced to apply for Northwestern because of his key mentors, music directors Michael Boitz and Jason Shiuan. Shiuan invited Mallory Thompson, the previous band director for Bienen School of Music, to be a guest conductor for Saratoga Strings at the 2023 Midwest Clinic in Chicago.
Kim said, “She conducted one of our pieces, ‘Be Ever the Hope’ that her husband, Jay Kennedy, composed for a world premiere at the clinic. From her conducting, I was able to tell how passionate she was about teaching, which made me inspired to learn the piece deeper.”
Kim will start a new chapter of his life at Northwestern as a double major in Viola Performance and Biology, a recommended major for a pre-dental school track. He understands the rigor of pursuing two degrees at once, yet, at a school where this route is encouraged, he is determined to pursue both passions without dropping a degree.
As for any hidden secrets behind admittance, Kim believes that his relaxed and easygoing approach to the college application process played a key role.
“Just have fun. This might sound ambiguous to some, but one of the main reasons I succeeded in this application is that I didn’t put stress into it,” Kim said.
Wang’s perseverance allow him to balance violin and academics
For his part, Wang started playing the violin at age 5 after receiving encouragement to do so from his piano teacher.
His passion for the violin grew by joining multiple music programs, such as the California Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (CPYO) in his elementary years. His private teacher simultaneously encouraged and pushed him to play at a higher level.
Wang leads the second violin section as a principal violinist of the SS and SSO. He won the 2022 Saratoga High School Concerto Competition as only a sophomore, performing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with SSO. Additionally, he was named a Young Artist Guild, of the Music Teachers’ Association of California member, the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition finalist and the Ysaye International Music Competition semi-finalist.
Wang said he found the music school application process stressful, particularly preparing and recording his prescreening repertoire.
“I spent hours in the recording studio for over five sessions to record for my pre-screening,” Wang said. “Recording difficult pieces like the 16-minute Tchaikovsky violin concerto in one take was time-consuming, and I had to learn new repertoires two weeks before the pre-screening deadline.”
Music schools are known to have myriads of pieces to prepare, and while preparing for the application, Wang found a workable practicing strategy to succeed and balance his time wisely.
“My practice strategy was to focus on one piece each day,” Wang said. “It’s tempting to practice only the pieces you like, but balancing your time is crucial. In addition, I found mock auditions useful, whether that could be your friend, teacher or your family member.”
Another hardship that Wang encountered was balancing both his pre-screening and his first semester of senior year course load, noting it was difficult to maintain his grades and practice music at the same time.
Wang plans to pursue a dual degree in Violin Performance and Computer Engineering — although the violin is what Wang truly wants to study, engineering piqued his academic interest throughout high school, so he intends to choose it as his academic major.
Pair to support each other up as roommates and best friends
Though Kim and Wang began their musical journeys on different instruments and paths, their shared passion for music has helped bring them together as close friends.
“Our friendship only started in sophomore year, but the past three years with him were entertaining,” Kim said. “Fast forward three years and we’re rooming together in college. Together, we jumped over so many hurdles throughout high school and we’ll motivate and support each other in our academic and musical endeavors.”
Boitz completed his graduate degree at Northwestern, while Shiuan spent his undergraduate years at the school, both for music. After immersing themselves in the Northwestern music community for years, they understand the rigor of the double degree program alongside music, yet believe Kim and Wang will succeed in college.
“Knowing the challenges of the program intimately,” Boitz said, “It makes you feel excited when you know one of your former students will be in the same place where you were. Kim and Wang are the ideal students for the Northwestern community because they are both bright and understand hard work as they will be surrounded by the most bright and hard-working students you will ever see in life.”
