Can anyone comment who has a student involved in the music program at Elon, University of Denver or Denison? Looking at all three of those schools for potential major/minor in music performance along with a general Liberal Arts degree. Thanks and feel free to DM.
Elon is in person with some online (professorās choice or alternating schedule to keep class sizes down). My FS is in marching band & orchestra (both in-person) and 2 instrument lessons (both Zoom or whatever online system they are using). From what I understand, orchestra is just strings & practicing ~14ft apart. Marching band is practicing outdoors at ~18ft apart. Trumpets have covers.
No decision from my sonās school yet, either āall remote or some in-personā or āpriority in-person classesā for spring semester but they are considering to modify an academic calendar, like late start without spring break. A decision will be announced by Thanksgiving at latest. Usually, classes are in session during a live audition week but his school is unlikely doing live auditions form2021-2022 but encouraging applicants to submit video auditions and virtual interviews (on certain programs).
In the mean time, his school is requiring all students to get flu vaccination by offering free flu shot at any Walgreens in US that would automatically give a school proof of vaccinations. Without a proof of flu vaccination, students wonāt be able to enter campuses for any activities / practices in this semester or spring semester.
Dean thinks that it will be āclose to normalā in Fall 2021.
Long time, no post from me! We just got word today that Berklee is re-opening the campus for hybrid learning for spring (theyāve been completely virtual for fall). And I honestly have no clue as to how to advise my son on this. He is saying that it āwonāt work,ā and that it will end up closing down again. And Iām in no position to tell him that heās wrong; I told him that some schools are making it work quite well, but on the other hand it looks as if another major spike is starting. I HAVE suggested that he apply to transfer to NYU or somewhere in NYC so that housing isnāt an issue no matter what happens (he can easily commute from here). We had already decided that if Berklee remained all-virtual in spring he would just take the semester off, as heās exhausted all of the courses that we consider to be worth taking online in order to get his degree.
On top of all that, he was assaulted by some miscreants on the night of 9/11āthey hit him from behind with something and gave him a subdural hematoma (he has no memory of the 4-block walk home as a result). Thank God, it seems to be healing on its own (the doctors in the ER the night it happened gave me good cause that night to think that he might not survive the night, or could have brain damageāI fell almost completely apart!). For a while he was considering a medical leave of absence, but so far heās getting back to normal and is still able to play, and attend virtual classes.
2020 sucks in SO many ways!!!
Iām so happy that Berklee will be in person for spring semester. @AsMother my older daughter went to college for fall semester. Tulane has a hybrid plan. She was initially very anxious about it. Also afraid that they would have to shut down mid semester. It has worked out very well. They have managed to keep the numbers down. There were initially issues with student compliance but that was very short lived. Berklee has had time to consult with and observe all the other schools in the area. Those schools seem to be doing ok. Iām feeling very confident about sending my younger daughter for spring semester. She is currently in NOLA with my older daughter. She packed up all her gear and drove up there. My older D lives off campus. She is doing all her classes from there they will drive back home together for thanks giving.
Iām glad she did this. It gives her a bit of ācollegeā experience. Also, they donāt need to get on a plane to come home.
@AsMother oh my gosh, thatās awful about the incident with your son! I am glad he is recovering smoothly! Was this in Boston?
It seems like we all have to become epidemiology experts this year - deciphering school testing plans and dashboard data. With that admission of near total ignorance, I will say that Berkleeās plan looks pretty good, it really does look like theyāve put into practice some of the learnings of other schools from this fall. The schools using Broad Institute for testing seem to be getting quick successful turnarounds, and in general they are keeping their numbers down so far. I hope (for all our sakes!) that Berklee is successful in implementing hybrid learning for musicians.
Thatās wonderful about Berklee! I understand your concerns, but I think these smaller schools with no/very little Greek presence are going to be fine. I am hoping my D goes back in Januaryā¦ I think she most likely will.
@stringbird , thank you for your kind wishes. No, it didnāt happen in Bostonāit happened in our little square-mile town in NJ, just across the river from Manhattan. Iāve lived in this town on and off since about 1987, and I have never worried about anything happening (even when I was in my 20ās and wandering around among bars and clubs alone late at nightāactually, I never worried in NYC eitherā¦!). It was just a group of randomly violent jerks who came into town that night and went on kind of a spree (pulling knives on people, getting into fights with others, etc.). My son was just in exactly the wrong place at the wrong time. It makes me so. Damn. ANGRY!!!
But anyway, I just watched Berkleeās little Instagram video about spring, and it sounds as if they are really taking it very seriously. I still think that they made a very responsible decision by remaining all-virtual this fall. @murray93 , I actually mentioned the point about the lack of Greek-ness at Berklee to my son as a āproā aspect of returning safely.
Iām leaving it up to him, but Iāve asked him to think about it carefully, and to give a lot of thought as to what his options might be, and where he wants to go from here. I feel really confident that Berklee will take all necessary precautions, based on sound research and looking into what worked, and what didnāt, at other schools that opened for fall. But he has to feel comfortable.
Itās so frustrating that every single decision has become such a crap-shoot lately!
AsMotherā
I am very, very sorry to hear about your sonās terrible experience. I am very worried and angry at those ācrimesā I hear recently in US metro areas on top of the Covid spreadā¦
But I am so glad that Berklee is going to do hybrid semester!!!
My son had another great gig outside of school recently. I could watch his show in a recorded video ($ streaming ticket). This semester is all online / remote for him but he has been having great music / performance opportunities plus paid gigs because he is back to his school town. If he stayed home, he wouldnāt had any of those live music opportunities yet. I havenāt heard any of his school friends got sick from the Covid yet. He sounds like maintaining his pod small enough and play music with same people to be safe.
Because my son lives in an off-campus apartment and many of his friends live in nearby apartments, he doesnāt sound anxious about his schoolās spring semester decision. But I feel for other students who really want to get back to school. His school town seems doing fine 6 weeks after reopening āindoorā business with limited capacity so I can imagine some in-person ensembles / lessons would be very possible at campus in spring semester but dorm / housing remains questionable. No significant local virus spikes in a half way in this semester may encourage students and families who have been observing by stay in their hometown this semester. However, his school thinks that a second wave spike between now to winter season is "very likelyā so they are waiting to make a final decision for spring semester until Thanksgiving at latest. According to his school president, school is financially OK even they lost money in 2020-2021 (and spring 2020). So, I wouldnāt be surprised if his school takes a very conservative approach until vaccine is widely available, like a very limited or no dorm openingā¦
Vaccine may start getting distributed from January / February to those healthcare workers / first responders, then essential workers so I am hoping that vulnerable / older faculty at schools will be given earlier in spring.
This from Mayor Walsh in Boston this week. Not to be a downer, but seems like students from some of the bigger schools are not helping the situation. I know that 11 students from NE were expelled in September due to a house party. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-mayor-marty-walsh-covid-19-update-watch-live-stream-today-2020-10-15/
So sorry about your son - glad heās on the mend!
My son is pretty frustrated at NEC - the only thing in person will be his Choir ensemble which starts next week. Heās actually thinking of withdrawing from it - the course work for all of his classes is crazy. And beyond typical NEC/conservatory level so itās not just a matter of college and conservatory - many are overwhelmed and complaining. Dean Tatar responded to FB group about situation.
Son is struggling with connecting with his studio teacher but learning great life skills (by living off campus) and by advocating for himself and talking to his professors. Weāre not feeling confident about in-person classes in Spring, but hoping things settle down in Boston so that they can return to the buildings - he only goes to campus for COVID testing.
Sorry to be a downer - weāre trying to stay hopeful and positive. I am glad that some students are able to have richer experiences and hope everyone can get back to that way of existence soon!
My D recently said to me something to the extent that if she were in college at this time she would hope that I would tell her to take a semester off and wait. She received silence from meā¦as Iām quite sure that it she were in college she would have returned and fought me if I had suggested that she take time off. She then laughed and saidā¦yeah that probably wouldnāt have worked. At that time, she was determined to keep up with her peers.
I have no experience with thisā¦but I will say thatā¦I really think itās about the kid. While an 18 or 19 year could certainly use some āsteeringā, I think the older ākidsā should make the call (unless a parent has a reason, particularly medical, to be concerned). Some kids will be OK with it; others will not. Thatās FINE. And by 20, there really are no longer kidsā¦they should dig deep and decide for themselvesā¦and deal with the ups and downsā¦bc there is NO right answerā¦there is only enduring a difficult situation no matter their choice.
I remember just agreeing with my D (I still do this) no matter how inconsistent. I would agree with one thing one day. And the next day she calls me up with a totally different opinionā¦and I sayā¦yea totally that makes sense. I havenāt been called out yet on my inconsistencies. I really think she just needs a sounding board.
I hope that your kids can make those decision going forwardā¦and good luck to the sounding boardsā¦itās a hard job keeping your mouth shut when so much seems at stake. I so hope in a year things will be better for all your kids.
My sonās choir at UNT has their first concert tonight. No live audience, only a livestream and the choir will be masked and very distanced. They are also only performing four piecesāall rehearsals are 30 minutes to keep any possible exposure short, and I think the performances are the same. Iām really looking forward to seeing him perform again and glad theyāve made it this far with no issues.
NEC announced no dorms and continuation of hybrid/online - which is really just online/online for Spring 2021. UGH.
@ClassCompMom , Iām sorry to hear that. I wonder whether Berklee will follow suit and backtrack on re-opening campus, now that the numbers are creeping (or leaping, in some places) back up.
In a related twist, we found out today that my son had been taken off of the on-campus housing wait-list that heād gotten on before Berklee decided to go all-virtual for fall, and can live in a dorm for spring, if he wants to. It seems that he thinks he wants to, now that we wouldnāt need to worry about a lease if everything shuts down again. Heās ambivalent, but he does want to try to get his undergrad degree sometime before he turns 30 
. Here at home, he does work on his music day and night whether or not heās in school, but it would be nice for him to be able to participate in some small ensembles and get some in-person instruction for those course that seem kind of pointless without it.
And, as Iāve said before, Iāve been impressed with Berkleeās caution so far, and it really looks as if theyāve gone to a lot of trouble to study what works, and what doesnāt, and come up with a comprehensive, detailed plan. So Iām cautiously optimistic.
P.S. I have officially deleted the words ārobustā and āpivotā from my vocabularyāI am so sick of reading those words!!
@JeJeJe I am glad to hear that your son is having a good semester. My son (sophomore) is at UMKC living in an off campus house with two other Conservatory students. It was definitely the right decision for him. His classes are evenly split between online, hybrid, and in person. He also has had a few gigs outside of school, mostly outdoors. I do feel bad for the freshmen living in the dorms though. I follow a parentsā FB page, and it sounds like a lot of them are struggling to make friends in the current situation. We did have him get a Covid test before coming home for a visit a couple of weeks ago though!
My sonās conservatory has been allowing off-famous students for āsoloā practicing since beginning of fall semester and now is allowing chamber ensemble rehearsals as well on campus (particular rooms by reservations, up to 60 minutes) for up to 5 people together but limiting to only strings, piano/keyboard, guitar, harp and percussion with strict face covering and 7.5-foot social distance requirements. I wonder if some faculty joins in ensemble rehearsals. If so, some in-person private lessons may be allowed soon. Winds or voice musicians arenāt still allowed yet except solo practicing at this time on campus. School continues not to limit off-campus ensemble activities.
I just skimmed thru some of the latest on this thread and want to send virtual hugs to all of you navigating this!
My D āgraduatedā in May. She has many friends still in school and sees what theyāre going through. She initially felt a little sorry for herself because of missing out on the big final events of senior year, but now she says she just feels lucky to have completed school and gotten a solid (almost) 4 year experience. Sheās very relieved.
My D is navigating the āhow to launch during COVIDā chapter, which is also a blast. lol
My sonās conservatory sent out an update regarding Spring 2021 plan to be āhybridā for now. In-person classes are for applied lessons and ensembles. All other academic classes remain as remote. All students who would like to be back are welcome but dorm priority is for freshmen. Sophomore on-campus housing isnāt guaranteed but students have an option to live off-campus by their own. All grab-to-go meals. This sounds exactly same as Fall 2020 plan that school announced in end of June but changed to 100% remote without dorms in end of July.
Additionally, all undergrad students will be tested twice a week. Grad students, faculty and any regular staffs who step in campuses will be tested once a week. No tuition discount for hybrid semester but school continues expanding financial aids (institutional grant). No firm academic calendar yet but spring break is unlikely by spreading 5 break days in the second half of the semester. Students are strongly discouraged for non-essential travels and will be required to get permissions from school for essential-travels beyond of the area during spring semester. And the in-person audition week sounds like happening.
However, this part is most important.
ā A final determination about whether public health conditions will allow school to safely carry out plans will be made in early January, if not sooner.ā
A new case number is going up everyday. Positive test result is now above 3%. Very discouragingā¦
@JeJeJe , yeahāin spite of our initial optimism about my son returning to Boston and having a SOMEWHAT normal semester, with the on-campus housing safety net, weāre tempering our expectations now that the numbers are really starting to climb again.
Dear God, will this thing EVER end?!
@JeJeJe This sounds almost identical to my Dās SLAC re-opening plan. We have not yet heard specifics from the music school, though. I really hope she can get her lessons in-person and even better, play with other musicians. Itās been too long.