<p>Was wondering about the chances of S playing as a violinist in the LSO. S is a non music major, but wants to play in a good orchestra, which is one of the reasons S is considering Lawrence.</p>
<p>There was a similar thread in the Oberlin world.</p>
<p>D is in the con at Lawrence and the orchestra and plays violin. She says there are non-majors in the orchestra. Hard to say what the competition would be in any given year but if he's a solid player, chances are probably good.</p>
<p>music momic, are there auditions for the LSO each Fall? I know a con member there who said she never auditioned - since, she said, that all con members get a place in the LSO.</p>
<p>Solid player? S is the concert master in a small HS pond, and doing violin since 5 yrs old, and made the state honors of competition (IL). Pretty solid if he puts his mind to it, but with 5 APs, it is hard to practice as much as is needed.</p>
<p>We thought he could apply for the Ensemble scholarship, but when he saw the requirements - several pieces by memory - he is probably not going to do it.</p>
<p>S and wife saw the LSO in chicago today (at the Auditorium). Both said the LSO was VERY impressive. They also related that they were told that there are <em>15 non music majors</em> out of the 100 LSO seats.</p>
<p>Those are not good odds for a non music major. Smells like you'd need to be a genius doing very good violin as well as the LAS curriculum. Ironic that S Might choose Lawrence for their music culture, then would not be able to participate in it.</p>
<p>joecollegedad, there are auditions in the fall for placement in the orchestra and music is sent out each summer so I'm assuming that is the expectation. Sounds like S would do fine in the orchestra. </p>
<p>Note that Lawrence is not a big place so the fact that there are 15 nonmajors is less problematic when you consider the size. You also don't know if all who tried made it! Maybe that's 95%...</p>
<p>I would not rule it out at all and would certainly encourage your S to audition. I would think his odds are very good. D is a an instrumental music ed major (many of the string players are NOT performance majors). She is not a genius violinist (voice is her primary instrument) and she was NOT last chair... </p>
<p>Contact David Becker and provide some context and get his feedback then go from there -- he is the best one to judge the odds.</p>
<p>Hope it works out. Lawrence is a great place.</p>
<p>We like what we have seen at Lawrence - except for this musical question, and the financials. S's son had no (merit) money pledge in his acceptance. I assume that Lawrence usually gives that up front as other colleges do; and so, by not having it, I sense it will be too pricy. Out of curiousity, musicmom, was any merit money given to your D at acceptance time?</p>
<p>By genius, I meant a non music major doing two academic majors IN ADDITION TO preparing for the audition, as well as the continuing extra work to deliver the violin work for the LSO. In fact, the concertmaster was a physics major a few years ago. When I heard this, it sounded 'like genius' - <em>physics?</em>, and not a good example to trot out to a person asking about non music major violinists.</p>
<p>I think the financial package came much later than the acceptance for Lawrence- possibly even as late as March...</p>
<p>I honestly don't recall the sequence but I don't think March would be unusual in terms of notification.</p>
<p>D was told after her auditions that she was going to be recommended for a talent scholarship for voice but I don't recall the particulars. Her acceptance letter and the merit award letter were separate. She didn't audition until mid-February so I know the merit award was not earlier than March. I'm not sure if this would be similar to an academic merit award but my guess is that March is typical and I know that was true for some other schools. Only one of the schools to which D applied included the merit award in the acceptance letter. I think a simple call to admissions would clear up that question regarding the timing of award notification. </p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>In another cc thread I see that at least some people received (merit) pledges at admission time from LU. </p>
<p>Other accepted schools of S's made $ pledges also (ripon, IU, Iowa (legacy grant), augustana, earlham, cornell college, knox, and UDayton); so I feared that LU was gonna be a financial aid pkg w/ all loans since our EFC is $20k - I was told by someone that at that EFC one gets loans, and not grants, to meet need.</p>
<p>Does anyone know about the violin faculty and if they are accessible to someone who is not in the conservatory? D would like to double major (not double degree-too intense?) and is a decent violinist (won several scholarships to competitive summer residential festivals over the past 3 years, one of top 3 players in local youth symphony, plays in a chamber group). She is also looking at pre-med or bio (perhaps teach in a college eventually). She got her package from Lawrence yesterday with academic merit scholarship.LU seems like such a kind, attentive school. </p>
<p>Additional question. We are in the south (it was in the 70's here yesterday). How cold does it get in Wisconsin? D is not a snow lover but feels she could tolerate it.</p>
<p>My son grew up in the southern Mediterranean region (it is 85 here today) and loves LU. He says it is warm inside and easy to navigate during the winter months in fact he didn't use his snow shoes and heavy socks until this year and he didn't know what snow was until he went to a school in Wisconsin. He says Larry U is a special place. Don't know about the violin faculty. Write to them. Everyone seems accessible.</p>
<p>I agree that your D should write to the violin faculty directly with her question. Both faculty members are very intense -- and very good -- but I'm not sure about their studio requirements. My D is off on spring break so I can't get a quick response from her.</p>
<p>Winters are very cold and snowy. D grew up in the midwest and she's not a big fan of the winter weather in that part of the world but she tolerates it with the right clothing and boots. You can get anywhere on campus in 10 minutes for the most part.</p>
<p>Thanks musicmom and overseas. I will share your thoughts with D and nudge her to contact the faculty. We plan to visit next month during admitted the student overnight and, if the violin faculty is available, perhaps one could meet with her. D has been playing since age 8 (piano since 6 but stopped several years ago to focus on violin). She feels most at home with musicians and literally weeps when we pick her up to return home after a summer festival. She knows a couple of LU students she met at EMF last summer and they love being at Lawrence.
How cold is it in April?</p>
<p>I am going to find out shortly when I visit the end of April! Brrrrr.....I am basking in 85 + temps right now. My son told me to bring my big warm coat. Never mind, I have never been on campus when students have been there except the handful that are there during the summer. This is a special visit: a one and only except next year for graduation.</p>
<p>does anyone know if there are any non music major violinists in the LSO who have NOT received the Ensemble Scholarship?</p>
<p>cancel that - I learned that it is next week, sunday, monday. darn, I see that the overnight option is closed. I wonder if it is still possible for d to do an overnight next sunday?</p>
<p>what is LU's rules regarding overnight visitors in dorms? </p>
<p>[this is a general question outside of admitted student days]</p>
<p>The official rules are 3 days I think but I've known guests to live in a room for weeks. As long as you aren't bothering anyone, nobody will care.</p>
<p>does the guest or the dorm host need to get some kind of permission from the LU admistration, or can the guest just come on over pending permission of the dorm host? </p>
<p>also, does the dorm room mate have to give permission? I never was in a residential college environment, so I am curious about the dynamics.</p>
<p>oops, op. sorry for hijacking. just learned that word.</p>
<p>anyone else can answer op thread about lso chances?</p>
<p>I heard from someone at the LU music dept that they do not turn away violinists from the LSO. How true is that statement? </p>
<p>Anyone, a violinist specifically, ever get turned away from the LSO?</p>
<p>idic5, you can stay in someone's room as long as you want if you aren't bothering anyone. The most excessive example I knew was a student's mom living in his room for like a month, this was right next door to me. I hardly ever saw or heard her and she never bothered anyone. Now if she had been loud all the time I might have spoken up at some point but honestly who would behave that way?</p>