Chapter 4: Juliard
Tuesday dawned bright and sunny. Ruthie picked out her favorite pink pleated skirt and a pink spaghetti strapped tank top and her tan earth shoe sandals, put them on and walked downstairs.
"Hey Matt," she said. "How do I look?"
"Like Katie Holmes" he said hugging her and giving her a plate of his famous Matt Camden blueberry pancakes.
"I am so excited." she said.
"Ummmm...Matt, you aren't gonna wear that are you?" She asked motioning to his choice of outfit which was a black Larry The Cable Guy tee shirt and a pair of blue jeans with holes in the knees and mismatching socks.
"What is wrong with it?" he asked.
"The tee shirt is too informal, the jeans have holes and them and the socks don't even match."
She stuck a forkfull of pancake in her mouth.
"Oh yeah and you need to shave too."
"Yes oh great little sister of mine."
Matt retreated up stairs to change and shave. He came downstairs a half an hour later clean shaven and wearing black dress pants, a white dress shirt and a black tie with "Get 'Er Done" printed on it. Ruthie looked annoyed.
"What! The outfit is appropriate, the socks match and I shaved. What more do you want?"
"What is it with you and Larry The Cable Guy?"
"Hey don't knock Larry. He's a funny guy."
"Ok, I'll allow the tie."
Ten minutes later they walked out to the car and started off toward Juliard.
"Ruthie," said Matt when they only had another five minute drive left. "I was going save this as a surprise but I arranged for you to meet with the dean."
"OH MY GOSH! Thanks Matt."
"No prob little sister."
They arrived at 9:00. They walked through the big double doors and asked the first student they saw where the dean's office was.
"Down the hall and to the left." Said a sandy brown haired boy of about 17.
"Can you believe that could be me in a few years Matt?"
"That will be you in a few years Ruthie. I am very confident in you."
They walked through the office doors and told the receptionist that they had a meeting with the dean.
"Yes, Dean Martins is expecting you Miss Camden. Hold on one second. She pushed a button on the intercom and said "Dean Martins, Ruth Camden is here for her meeting."
"You can send her in."
"You can go right in."
"Thanks."
"I'll just wait out here." said Matt.
Ruthie walked through a door that said Andrew Martins: Dean Of Students and shut it behind her. Behind the desk sat a middle aged man with brown hair.
"Take a seat Miss Camden. Your brother said you were talented but he did not mention you were beautiful." "Thanks." she said sitting in the padded chair opposite the dean.
"Now as you know we only take seven percent of our applicants so my first question is, is this what you really want? Do you want to commit to Juliard?"
"Yes sir, Absolutely."
"Ok." he said handing her a three page application which she began to fill out almost at once.
"There is also a two day audition. The first day is the informal audition where we will test your music reading, and Ear training. The second day is your formal audition where you will sing a prepared piece for me and the selection committee."
"That will be no problem." Ruthie replied.
"Okay. When would you like to schedule your audition?"
"Um... The final week of school is next week. Nothing goes on the last two days so Thursday and Friday will work for me."
"Ok. Thursday and Friday it is. Here is the room where you will be staying. We prefer our prospective students stay here while auditioning."
"Yes sir." said Ruthie as she handed the application back to the dean.
"Well Let me give you and your brother the tour."
"Okay." She said and they walked out of the office together.
They were shown the main hall which was used for studying and eating, the auditorium where she would have her performances and where her formal audition would take place. She was also shown the choral and musical theater classrooms. The school was huge. Ruthie couldn't wait to audition and she hoped she would get in. Before they left Dean Martins gave Ruthie an official Juliard excuse of absence note to give her headmaster.
The following Wednesday evening was used for packing an overnight bag and practicing for her formal audition. She had to sing three different pieces. For her contemporary pieces she was gonna sing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita and "Please" By The Kinleys. For her formal piece she was gonna sing "Pie Jesu". For her informal audition She was going to wear her best blue jeans and a white blouse and sneakers. For her formal audition she was gonna wear a skirt similar to the one she had worn for her campus tour (this one was baby blue), nylons, a matching blouse and white flats. Ruthie preformed all three pieces in front of Matt and a now very pregnant Sarah. At 9:00 she turned in. She was to report to the admin office at 9:00 the next morning and she still had a few last minute things to do before she left so she wanted to get up early.
Ruthie awoke at 7:30, showered, brushed her teeth, dried and curled her hair and did her make up. She than packed her tooth brush, hair brush, Curling iron, and Make up bag. She arrived downstairs in the kitchen at 8:15.
"You hungry?"
"No, I am too nervous."
"Well, Ruthie, you should at least eat a bowl of cereal." Matt said handing her a box of Lucky Charms, her favorite.
She ate half a bowl. At 20 to nine Matt grabbed the keys to his green Subaru.
"I am gonna give you my cell phone so you can call after you are done this afternoon." he told her as she slid into the front seat.
"OK." she said.
At five minutes to nine she walked into the admin office and smiled at the same blonde haired receptionist they had seen the previous week. She explained when and where her auditions would take place and how to get to the dormitories and handed her the key to her room. Ruthie thanked her and headed off toward the dorms. Her informal audition was to take place at 2:30 in choir room number seven. That gave her time to get settled, take a nap to calm herself down and get ready.
Ruthie's informal audition took about 15 minutes. It consisted of a series of tests to see if she could recognize notes that were being played and sing them back. Also she had to sing a short piece to the professor who was conducting the audition to determine if she could read a piece of music. All in all Ruthie thought she did rather well. Only time would tell. She still had her formal audition to go to. That would take place at 10:30 the following morning. Matt and Sarah were gonna be there. The day of her campus tour he had gotten permission to come and video tape her formal audition for her mom and Dad. Ruthie turned in unusually early. She was more nervous than she had been that afternoon due to the fact that the dean and the rest of the selection committee were going to be there not to mention Matt and Sarah. That night she had an uneasy sleep. She kept dreaming of a giant rejection letter falling from the sky and hitting her on the head. She also dreamt she had forgotten all the words to her songs, but when she woke the sun was shining and birds were singing. She made her way to the shower/bathroom to clean up and get ready. When she entered the auditorium at 10:20 Matt and Sarah were already there.
"You look great Ruthie." Matt told her.
"Thanks I am really nervous."
"I don't blame you." said Sarah.
"Well Since there is ten minutes till your audition I am gonna go put your bag in the car." said Matt.
Four minutes later Matt returned. The Dean and selection committee were right behind him.
"All set Ms. Camden?" Dean Martins asked.
"Yes Sir" She said. She walked onto the stage and began singing her formal piece with butterflies fluttering around her stomach. Despite being nervous she did well. After she was done the dean said
"I assume you have prepared a contemporary piece?"
"Yes, two."
"Ok, you may begin."
Ruthie began with "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and she did an awesome job. On The edge of the stage Ruthie had set a battery operated tape player. She walked to it and put in a cassette. The intro to "Please" began. Like the day she met Jayden, Dean Martins and the selection committee watched with their jaws dropped. In a matter of three minutes and 35 seconds it was over.
"Thank you very much Ms. Camden for choosing Juliard as your school of choice." said Dean Martins.
"You will hear from us within 14 days"
"Thank you sir." This would prove to be a long two weeks for Ruthie.
Matt and Sarah had sent Eric and Annie a copy of Ruthie's audition and two days before she was to hear from Juliard, she received a phone call from them.
"Sweetie," said Annie, "It was very good. We are very proud of you."
The next two days passed in a fog for the almost 16 year old. She came home one day from a movie with Jayden and another friend to find a long thick white envelope sitting on her bed. It was from Juliard. She opened it hesitantly as her heart did flip flops.
Dear Ms. Ruth Camden,
Congratulations. The Juliard School For The Preforming arts has accepted your application for admission.We would like you to enroll in our high school program for the fall semester. We have also decided to also award you a full scholarship for as long as you attend our establishment. Enclosed is a course selection brochure. Please fill it out and return it by August 30th. Your first term is set to begin Monday September 19th 2005. Once again congratulations.
Sincerely Yours,
Dr. Andrew Martins
Dean Of Students.
"MATT!!" She cried calling for her brother.
"What?" he asked walking into her room.
She flung her arms around him crying
"I GOT IN!"
"OH MY GOSH RUTHIE!"
Ruthie handed him the letter.
"Ruthie I am so proud of you. This calls for a celebration."
"Let me call Jayden and mom and dad first."
"What is all the commotion?" Sarah asked walking into the room.
"Sarah I did it! I got into Juliard."
Sarah gave her a big hug.
"Ruthie that is wonderful."
Ruthie called Jayden and her parents. They were all proud of her.
That night Matt ordered what ever Ruthie wanted, this meant Chinese, Pizza and Turkey and Roast Beef and Cheese sandwiches with various types of soda. She had called Jayden again and invited her to spend the night. The two girls were too excited to sleep that night but Matt did not care. They could both sleep in the next morning.