Junior Departments, How much practice? Options

[lilly763]

I think it really depends on what you want to get out of it. I know two people who were involved in the same pre-college (same idea as JD) program - one didn't have any intention of going to conservatory and by her last year was practicing <2 hours a week outside lessons/ensemble commitments (!), while the other was planning to go to conservatory and was practicing 6-8+ hours a day...

How on earth does someone who is still at school manage to fit in 6-8 hours practise a day?

To be honest, I have no idea - I'm sure I couldn't have done it, especially considering that the person I'm thinking of somehow also managed to do very well academically and make a fair amount of money at the same time. The school days around here are generally 7 hours long, not including transportation, but including a lunch period. I don't know how this compares to the UK. Many schools have music/performance related courses which fit into an academic schedule, study halls (periods during the day when no classes are scheduled, theoretically for homework), and most have "physical education" requirements which a determined student might be able to miss, depending on the school. I don't know exactly my friend did, but I think between skipping lunch and any combination of the other things I mentioned, she said she could average about 1 hour of practice during school day, 1.5 before leaving for school, and 4 more in the afternoon after school. Add maybe 3-4 hours of academic work and this becomes ridiculous, but theoretically doable. She's a string player, so fewer physical limitations on practice compared to wind players.

[notmusimum]

I think it really depends on what you want to get out of it. I know two people who were involved in the same pre-college (same idea as JD) program - one didn't have any intention of going to conservatory and by her last year was practicing <2 hours a week outside lessons/ensemble commitments (!), while the other was planning to go to conservatory and was practicing 6-8+ hours a day...

How on earth does someone who is still at school manage to fit in 6-8 hours practise a day?

To be honest, I have no idea - I'm sure I couldn't have done it, especially considering that the person I'm thinking of somehow also managed to do very well academically and make a fair amount of money at the same time. The school days around here are generally 7 hours long, not including transportation, but including a lunch period. I don't know how this compares to the UK. Many schools have music/performance related courses which fit into an academic schedule, study halls (periods during the day when no classes are scheduled, theoretically for homework), and most have "physical education" requirements which a determined student might be able to miss, depending on the school. I don't know exactly my friend did, but I think between skipping lunch and any combination of the other things I mentioned, she said she could average about 1 hour of practice during school day, 1.5 before leaving for school, and 4 more in the afternoon after school. Add maybe 3-4 hours of academic work and this becomes ridiculous, but theoretically doable. She's a string player, so fewer physical limitations on practice compared to wind players.

My daughters college day 7 hours long, She leaves at 7.45 in a morning and gets home around 5. smiilar to your friend the timetable isn't full. She uses some of her frees to practice but others are taken up with general musical things. Luchtimes are packed with college ensembles so no chance of practice then. I would think in virtually impossible to do 1.5 hours before the college day and to do 4 after she would be there until 11 at night on the days she stays an extra hour at college to play in an ensemble.