Any experiences with Honors Private Music Study?

[crobinpa]

<p>D will be a freshman at UD this fall, and as an Honors Program student she has the opportunity to take free private music lessons either in the fall of spring of her freshman year. An audition is required. If accepted, the lessons constitute a 1 credit course for a letter grade. Participation in a Music Department ensemble is also required. D is a well-trained pianist who plays at an advanced level, but she really is not passionate about it. She also sings very well and has had some formal vocal training. In high school she both sang in and accompanied an exceptional choir, but she is not as strong a vocalist as she is a pianist. </p>

<p>She is thinking about doing this but is concerned about the level of commitment this will take. I like the idea of her engaging in a community outside the inevitable dorm gang (which I value very highly, btw). Is there anyone out there with thoughts or experience with this program? I believe that her preference would be to sing, but she thinks that she will not be able to compete, whereas with piano it is likely that she would qualify.</p>

[the_mom_1]

<p>DD did this her freshman year spring semester. Then one could do both semesters but she had a conflict with the group rehearsal in the fall. You had to do both the lessons and the performance group. I got the impression that given a basic level of proficiency (seemed like most Honors kids had been playing an instrument for years) the audition was more for placement (ex. first vs second chair).
At least for her group, it seemed that most of the members were music majors. While she enjoyed playing and wished that she could have done it for the whole year, it wasn’t as much “fun” as her various ensembles and orchestras in highschool.
I wouldn’t hesitate to call the music department. We meet with the professor in charge of her area during Delaworld and he was most helpful.</p>