<p>I'm a rising junior who's considering UChicago, and I'm a choir geek through and through. So, can anybody tell me more about the choirs and ensembles in UChicago? And, I love musical theater, but I'm not planning to major in music or theater, so is it possible to be in the production without majoring in performing arts? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Hmm. You should look more carefully at Chicago, if not only because you think it has performance majors.</p>
<p>As for performance opportunities, they abound. Take a look at the music</a> department for more specific information.</p>
<p>Ok, great, I wrote a reply and my computer decided that she wants to be mean to me and wouldn't let me post it...
On the university theater website they said something about theater and performance studies, which is an option in interdiscipline studies in the humanities. It's a B.A. degree program. Is that the same thing as a major? My parents didn't go to college in U.S., and I don't have any older siblings either, so I'm rather new at this.
By the way, what are some things I need to look more carefully at, if you don't mind me asking? I'm digging through the UChicago website, but the problem with internet is you have to know what you're looking for first.
EDIT: Nevermind. I found out BA programs are nothing like majors. But I still find it strange that a school like UChicago doesn't have a theatre major. But it doesn't really matter, I suppose, since I'm not considering majoring it anymore.</p>
<p>Theatre majors, much like music performance majors, are not really hard core academic, so they don't fit into Chicago's structure, just like an undergrad business major does not. </p>
<p>You will find across the arts that Chicago's strength is the study of the arts, not the doing of them. </p>
<p>IMHO, it doesn't matter in the long run. No one gets anywhere because he/she has a theatre degree, voice performance major etc. They get somewhere because of talent. Yes, some performance degrees make it easier to hone that talent, but not all. Think of where you'd get more experience, at Chicago, or as a theatre major at Northwestern, where a whole department (probably including grad students) is competing for plum roles?</p>
<p>A BA, or Bachelor of Arts, is one of the two commonly issued bachelor's degrees. A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate academic degree issued upon the successful completion of a specific course of study, called a major or a concentration. It is often seen as evidence of your education.</p>
<p>Chicago does have a "theatre" major, although it is called Theatre and Performance Studies (TAPS). Similarly, Chicago also has a "film" major, Cinema and Media Studies. However, given the fact that the College at Chicago is a liberal arts college, in a very traditional sense of the word, it has no performance majors. That is, the theatre major is the study of theatre, and the film major is the study of film. Likewise, the music major is not performance-based, but rather deals with things like music history and music theory.</p>
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By the way, what are some things I need to look more carefully at, if you don't mind me asking? I'm digging through the UChicago website, but the problem with internet is you have to know what you're looking for first.
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<p>Because you thought Chicago has performance majors when it does not. What if you came to Chicago hoping to major in music, only to find out you were learning about music theory and music history instead of performing? It would be a stupid, life-hampering mistake, especially since Chicago is so expensive. It's similar to those people who think Chicago offers an undergraduate degree in business. Do they really love Chicago is they don't even understand why these sorts of majors are contrary to the stated goals of the College?</p>
<p>Well, excuse me for asking something. I wasn't aware that "life of the mind" involves assuming prospective students knows all about their school, while they're just trying to find out what their school's all about. Though I do admit assuming UChicago has a performance-based major sounds extremely stupid, once I sat down and think about it.
In my school, most of the people are very sports-oriented, and all the other activities takes the back-seat. Are the none-academic activities treated similarly in UChicago? I'm worried that Chicago would be the same, only replacing sports with academics.</p>
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Well, excuse me for asking something. I wasn't aware that "life of the mind" involves assuming prospective students knows all about their school, while they're just trying to find out what their school's all about.
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Don't be defensive. Admit you made a stupid mistake and move on. I don't care, really, except insofar as it shows you might not have looked at Chicago quite as carefully as you should have. This has nothing to do with Chicago per se. I would except a student interested in any given university to know what majors were offered before they went around calling themselves a "prospective" student, especially if said majors were in their field of interest.</p>
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In my school, most of the people are very sports-oriented, and all the other activities takes the back-seat. Are the none-academic[sic] activities treated similarly in UChicago? I'm worried that Chicago would be the same, only replacing sports with academics.
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No, athletics are important although not over-stated on campus. As long as you're not stupid and don't act like a jackass, most people won't care what you do in your spare time.</p>
<p>Don't let Diocletian turn you off the school.</p>
<p>If my posts are enough to turn someone off from Chicago then I daresay they should be turned off from Chicago.</p>
<p>Amen, Diocletian. If you guys don't know it, he recently graduated from the U. of C. and has been very helpful in answering all of my questions about the math department. I would say that he has only expanded my interest in Chicago, not turned me off.</p>
<p>Eirwen,</p>
<p>Chicago is a school that focuses on academics, and things such as musical groups are secondary. There are decent performance groups, though, and I hope to join one on clarinet to keep up my playing. My younger sister is a member of the University Chorus, as music ensembles are open to members of the community; based on performances I have heard, they sound quite good. Bear in mind that most of the members are NOT music majors, though. Chicago gives one the opportunity to continue to perform - but not at the level of schools that offer music performance majors.</p>
<p>Thanks for the helps, everyone. Oppotunities to sing is good enough for me, I know I'm not built for music major. And sorry for my last post, I tend to let my temper get the better of me sometimes. I wasn't doing my research carefully enough.</p>