<p>Oops…</p>
<p>Didn't mean to imply that you could only do one or the other, only that there are options out there so if you are musically inclined you can do as little or as much as you desire and that the Academy does have a full slate of music programs, both vocal and instrumental..</p>
<p>While on the subject of music (and even woodwinds!) ... are there woodwind ensembles or something of the sort? Or would I need to take up an instrument other than a woodwind to be in an instrumental music group? (I'd learn brass, but like my band teacher said, more spit somes out than sound!) I don't remember seeing something like that on the website but I could be wrong.</p>
<p>theres an informal jazz band, and a pit orchestra for the musical. I'm pretty sure midshipmen get together to play music by themselves to. You could always organize a group.</p>
<p>The Academy organized a full [and that term is used relatively speaking] Orchestra last year. Any Orchestral instruments are welcome to participate.
The spiffy new gigantic organ fills in for whatever pieces are missing.
Apparently the group has been quite succesful, playing Beetoven's [sic] seventh [or was it the sixth? could have been the eighth] symphony. [Which was describe to me as " a lot of music by an orchestra teacher]. Apparently it makes Mrs. Supe very h appy. [and you know how that goes, if it makes Mrs. Supe very happy, it makes Supe VERY happy.]</p>
<p>Well, we certainly want to keep Mrs. Supe happy! How is her health right now?</p>
<p>What kind of opportunities for piano players? Would this basically be your only ec activity?</p>
<p>I don't think [in fact I am 98% sure] orchestra is a BSA [Brigade Support Activity]; it is most likely something like the religous choirs, i.e. the Catholic and Protestant choirs, that you may choose to participate in if you want. Thus, you would still be required to participate in a daily activity other than orchestra.
Contrasted, for example, with D&B which is a BSA and, therefore, "counts" as a required "ec."</p>
<p>I am aware of several pianos being available in the yard. And, apparently, some VERY accomplished piano playing mids. I have not asked whether the orchestra includes a piano as we have not been able to catch a concert. The organ? THAT'S another issue altogether. The organ, and I know very little about organs, is supposedly one of the most sophisticated in the country. Installed last year, it has hundreds [?] of tubes, bells, or whatever you call those pipes.</p>
<p>My mid is also a piano player, there are piano's on the yard that the Mids can play and I have sent some of his music to him. He made the jump to percussion in middle school, concentrating on "auxiliary" percussion, bells etc where you need to be able to read music scales as opposed to drumming.</p>
<p>He was the mid who "played" the organ at the fall concert. He also said that the organ is extremely sophisticated. Lots of programming involved! I do not believe that there was a piano as one of the orchestra instruments, although that does depend on the music selection. </p>
<p>He participates in intramurals for "daily" activities. I am not sure exactly when orchestra meets as sometimes he will be talking to me at noon time and will end our conversation as he has to get to Orchestra, and sometimes its about 4pm in the afternoon. I will try to get an answer although with the onset of finals, phone conversations and e-mails are almost nonexistent.</p>
<p>In short, they don't call him the "Singin' Supe" for nothing. He has wholeheartedly supported all the music programs at the Academy.</p>
<p>How about just a good ol' band, the kind with a trapset, bass, guitar, all that?</p>
<p>There is a mid-band that plays at miscellaneous events. The name escapes me at the moment.</p>
<p>isn't the Nine or something? like in my earlier post, an informal jazz band.</p>