by Wren Williams
In an interview with Olivia Villa, soon to be a CMPI Alumna. Olivia Villa talks about her auditions and college application experiences, as well as her plans for further education and possible career paths.
Olivia is a senior who plays the flute and has been part of CMPI since her freshman year. Last year, she had the amazing opportunity to expand her experiences by taking a year off to study abroad in Germany. This opportunity helped solidify Olivia’s desire to attend college outside of the U.S.
We talked about college applications and choices. Olivia explained how she made her initial college list with help from her former CMPI student navigator, Jade Garcia, and her flute teacher, Ms. Levitin. Jade supported her with mock auditions and creating the list. When Jade was promoted, Becca Dora gradually took over and also helped Olivia prepare for auditions. Olivia couldn’t have done it without their support.
Her school options included European schools like The Hague, Maastricht, Codarts, and Antwerp, as well as Canadian schools like the University of Toronto and McGill, suggested by Ms. Levitin. For U.S. applications, she considered schools like the University of Colorado Boulder, Lawrence University, and Oberlin College to name a few of the colleges on her list. At first, she wasn’t sure which colleges to choose. She did a lot of research on teachers and where they taught.
CMPI provided support with mock auditions and informational sessions. Her student navigator even met with her for a mock audition and gave her pointers. CMPI was very involved and made her feel supported, especially since music is a niche field. They were there to help at every step.
As she awaits responses from her remaining applications, Olivia is definitely considering further education, potentially pursuing a master’s degree. She is particularly interested in Baroque music, even on a scholarly level. So, there’s a chance she might pursue a doctoral degree. She is really interested in exploring Baroque music further. She expresses a passion for traveling and discovering and reviving lost music, envisioning herself performing for audiences worldwide.
While unsure about her future involvement in teaching, Olivia is open to various opportunities. She is keeping her options open, including playing in a major orchestra and expanding her craft and mastering her instrument at the college level..
Olivia’s dedication to her musical journey shines through, highlighting her commitment to pursuing her passion for music and exploring the possibilities that lie ahead.
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Olivia Villa