I'm applying to Berklee, NYU, University of Miami, USC, Drexel, Belmont and MTSU for music production and engineering (each college has a different name for the course) and I wanted some insight on what they expect. I have a solid portfolio and resume when it comes to music production itself, but I'm not as gifted in playing acoustic instruments, which are required for the prescreening videos and audition. Will that mainly be taken into consideration, or does my main focus which is my production ability, matter more? Also how much does the interview matter?
Your production ability and creativity are what colleges value the most in portfolio submissions. Being competent in playing instruments is still important of course, but they are not looking for mastery here. Many people are very skilled at playing instruments - it's your talent in putting all the pieces of a musical work together that they are looking for.
The interview is a very important part of your application. It tests your live performance skills under pressure, which are crucial for the music field, and it demonstrates where your musical talent stands at the moment. The admissions officers know that practice makes perfect, but they want to see how you do without it. Hope this helps!
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Thank you so much, I'll keep that in mind!