Yes we received same email from NEC, and I contacted Tufts to make sure that D will have a place to live just in case Tufts doesn’t open at the same time as NEC (they assured me she would). I was worried it might be a ghost town over there, but some students have stayed on campus because they couldn’t get home. I hate the thought of D’s first year being lonely 
It will be interesting to see how classes and lessons go with the new protocols in place.
How are they going to do this: “With regard to student housing, we are planning to open NEC’s residential facilities, as well as our dining services, with provisions to reduce density and create a safe and supportive environment for all.” Is NEC renting apartments locally? Hotel?
I agree that a smaller school might be easier to manage (if still difficult) but I would also think a standalone conservatory would have less of a financial safety net and more to lose financially. Not sure but speculating.
I think a lot of schools are going to go hybrid. Larger classes can still be online. Lessons could still be online, at least part of the time.
Big question for me is performance: will they stick to small ensembles, solos, duets, and how will vocal, brass and woodwind be handled? Apparently flute sends droplets pretty far…
And housing and dining questions, as I wrote before. How many of you have kids living off campus? In that case, NEC does not have liability I would think, but not sure.
Schools could get sued either way: by holding classes that result in kids getting sick, or by offering classes online (people have already filed suit). Offering hybrid might mean that kids and families choose, which could, perhaps, avoid the liability of either choice by offering both at the same time and leaving it to families.
I also wonder what provisions will be made for kids with medical disabilities that put them at risk.
ps @ClassCompMom interesting to think about effect on composers: will performances of works be limited similarly? And one of the best ways to develop is to collaborate with musicians, will that be possible? Online lessons seem to go well…
pps and also wonder what accommodations there will be for faculty and staff who are more at risk…
I’m curious whether any of the conservatories will entertain a deferral request - as compmom points out, they can’t really forego the tuition/housing for an entire year for too many students. Has anyone tried it?
^^^^Not to be cynical, but my first thought on reading NEC’s letter was also that they probably can’t afford to forgo tuition/housing.
I know several of the instructors who are over 70, actually closer to 75. I wonder if they will be giving in person lessons. I suppose teaching could be done in a classroom or larger space than the studios. This must be upsetting. The individuals I’m thinking of are quite dedicated and feel very responsible towards their students.
It will be interesting!
We did not hear anything from CIM. They have about 60 incoming freshman. Small school but I am thinking classes will be online. I do not know how they can keep the social distancing and keep the teachers and the kids safe.
I guess we will wait and see.
Everything seems to be opening up - whether wise or not - from hair salons and retail stores to theme parks (Disneyworld in July).
What options do parents have with conservatories at this point? If your child has been admitted, what information are you receiving from the schools regarding fall semester? Obviously, the level is not going to be the same and is going to be much lower, due to the virus and distancing distractions/new rules, the social aspect is also going to be difficult since making music is very social and learned via performance at the conservatory level. The whole experience is lessened by a huge percentage all the way around. Plain and simple, students cannot social distance and live in a dorm together. And what of the high risk students (my child) who have been admitted, are the conservatories offering a gap or deferment option to keep them protected? Do we have to pay the same price for a damaged system just because that is the way the cookie crumbled and we need to support the conservatory? “Nimble distancing” what even does this mean? I think the legal choice should be with the students and parents, as how can a student and teachers/staff concentrate on very difficult and sensitive music making when feeling constantly at risk? Does anyone here know of other feeds discussing this topic? If so, please do share. Thank you.
I think that NEC announcement is very encouraging for all conservatories. Does NEC approve a gap year / leave of absence for any Covid related problems, like health, travel and / or financial? At least, they should give the option for students and faculty.
My son’s conservatory gives a gap year / leave of absence option only for 2020-2021 even though they don’t approve requests in normal years. It isn’t a “meet need” school so I don’t expect them to give a lot more financial aids for all students who have been hit by Covid severely. But they had much more “committed” in-coming students (both undergrad and grad) who paid for deposit than they expected. So, even with 20% of students take a gap year, I am sure his school can move on, online, hybrid or in-person.
At least, both NEC and my son’s school can reduce dorm / cafeteria density by giving sophomore an option to live off-campus apartment (they need to change their 2-year on-campus housing requirement). Or they should change a policy to “freshmen priority” for 2020-2021. It would be a simpler solution than arranging and managing hotels near by for schools. Schools will lose some revenue from housing & meal plans but their revenue from tuitions is a lot more higher. I think that most sophomore students are ready for off-campus and some basic meal cooking.
I still think that my idea of 1/2+1/2 intensive in-person training by ensembles and semester-long online classes for all students is better to reduce the whole campus (and community) density, not only dorm / cafeteria. With my idea, freshman class cannot start as a whole class together in dorm which I feel bad for them especially at small schools. But what we (students, families, faculty) all want is quality of in-person training and safety until vaccine comes out.
I can visualize that all ensembles need to be re-formed in size and a placement (position) to rehearse and probably perform together with social distancing requirements. That would be a small problem for smaller ensembles. I still can’t see 100+piece orchestras…Let’s observe how European orchestras move forward in this summer.
Re #85 - CIM will probably need to coordinate with Case. There will be more considerations than 60 incoming freshman. (Not to suggest I don’t sympathize with anyone anticipating CIM for fall. Just an observation that more schools are still searching answers than have made decisions yet.)
IU announced students will be housed largely in singles. Glad D has already secured an off campus apartment! They are omitting fall break, will go face to face until Thanksgiving, then finish off the semester on line. No word yet on ensembles, opera, and other things of importance to music students.
@Musicaspirant yes they need to coordinate with Case for sure. Either way we did not hear anything. They were supposed to get a brand new dorm this year. I think they will be online or some kind of hybrid solution for the sake of the teachers and students.
@songbirdmama interesting idea to have a preplanned switch to online after Thanksgiving…
One of my kids is teaching on Zoom (an academic class) and I think that many instructors are starting to understand and use the potential. This doesn’t address concerns for musicians for performance and training but for academic classes. online is going to improve.
@compmom I agree that online academic classes can work. Younger high school D has had Zoom classes since April 1. It is surprising how engaged and productive they have been (I get to listen in, since she is in the dining room). Her teachers pivoted on a dime to accomplish this, so many kudos to them. I can only imagine this will get smoother as everyone adjusts to the format, though screen fatigue is beginning to set in…
My son got an email last night from UNT opera program. They had an elaborate production of The Bartered Bride in the works for this fall, which has now been pushed back a year. It (and the rest of the year’s program) has been replaced with what appears to be a well thought out series of small cast operas with small or no chorus (flexible options depending on how things go) and some creative orchestrations using small ensembles. The shows themselves are well thought out to incorporate themes relevant to the current crisis. They are making plans to be adaptable and use technologies and such to keep cast and audience safe. They already double cast the shows to give more role opportunities and it sounds like that will continue. I’d assume there will still be fewer roles by necessity. I was really impressed though. It gave me hope in the creativity and thoughtfulness of those who are working to address the issues the music schools are facing.
S is also is hearing some talk about what is being discussed for fall. Smaller ensembles are definitely being considered. It doesn’t sound like anything is finalized. He has a small leadership role in a music Ed choir that all choral music Ed students participate in—designed for conducting practice for those who will student teach soon. He had a Zoom meeting a couple of days ago and said they are certainly looking at breaking that up into several smaller groups with a different schedule than previous years.
As a violist’s mom, wasn’t thinking about “droplets” and slowly slogging through the 2 hr NATS YouTube video re “Conversation … Future of Singing” mentioned previously by Parentof2014grad. Then this morning got a link with a Virtual Choir (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTCfNMI2hWA&fbclid=IwAR2fY21BgfvyjONVbquAarPcM01Hb4Gg1hNEJgLSHu4k2w4_UFoH3ocH2oM&feature=youtu.be). Good to see more experience for Music Technology students!
I enjoyed the video by Elon students- great voices. It was mixed and mastered in a professional studio in Durham. The sound quality is excellent. Do they use a click track for these things?
If these students were on campus, and sang in a room that was shared by a roommate, would the lingering aerosols endanger the roommate? If they use a studio, one at a time, could one singer infect others by leaving something behind?
These individual videos were done at their homes, I assume. Just wondering if it could be done safely on campus. Outside? Or maybe they will have singles!
Am I overthinking this?
Temple just announced it’s back to school at the end of August. Just as we all surmised - large classes online or moved to small in-person breakout sessions. Small ones in-person. No news yet from Boyer, but my guess is they will proceed with small ensembles.
USC is going to open a campus for fall semester earlier this August and end at Thanksgiving. Some online and some in-person classes. Majors like Dance will be fully in-person but some majors can be fully online.
CIM is planning to open 8/10. Of course this might change. We did not hear from Case yet. We will wait and see I guess.