<p>I have looked at the last 2 years of final decisions and can't find anyone from CC at DePaul. My S is considering transferring to this school for Percussion Performance. He is most interested in the orchestral side of percussion. Does anyone have any experience with DePaul?</p>
<p>I’m local to DePaul (and an alum, tho not in music), and while I don’t have any direct experience with their orchestral percussion program, I do know that their music school is very good and is connected with the CSO and other such organizations here. My S is also applying there, although for jazz trumpet. He attends a fine arts high school, and several of the music grads from his school have attended DePaul in the past and had good experiences. You might want to visit and have your S take a lesson with a teacher.</p>
<p>While I have found the folks on this board very knowledgeable and supportive, there is definitely an east coast and freestanding conservatory “skew” here. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.</p>
<p>My son does not go to DePaul but he did audition there and seemed a fine school, especially on the jazz side but also good orchestral professors. Very nice urban campus. Only issue from my perspective if I recall is that they follow the Quarter system so can be difficult to transfer credits should you decide to change schools later. Also, seem to remember some of the required Gen Ed classes were about Chicago so again difficult to transfer. Neither is a real issue if you complete your degree at DePaul though.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. Taking a tour/lesson next week. New music building in the decade plan! @ Trumpet-CSO musicians are the lure for S! Do you know if this is a “commuter” school like NIU is?</p>
<p>My d visited last year…great flute prof. She did not like the “commuter” feeel to the campus. I seem to recall that they only promise housing to freshman.j</p>
<p>My son had an apartment for a year in DePaul’s neighborhood - he liked the area a lot. And D3 had a friend from a summer program who was very happy as a music major there.</p>
<p>Hawk, I wouldn’t say that DePaul is a commuter school like NIU, in that the place empties out over the weekend. So many DePaul students live in the neighborhood. Plus it’s in the heart of the city, it’s not like DeKalb, where there’s nothing around so everyone leaves. One of my student workers has a friend at DePaul and he is quite happy there, he lives in Seminary and doesn’t feel like the place is abandoned on the weekends, in fact it’s more common for my (suburban) student friend to go into the city and spend the weekend there. DePaul also does a great job acclimating their students to the city. I got a chance to hear a presentation at a conference a couple of weeks ago about their First Year Seminar class (Explore/Discover Chicago), that program really engages students with the school, college learning, and the city. My S is applying, too, but one of his priorities is to get out of Chicago for a while, so we’ll see. </p>
<p>Have a great visit, happy to provide tips if you’d like.</p>
<p>When we visited DePaul in Spring of 2009, we were told a new music building was coming. Might not be a good idea to expect that any time soon.</p>
<p>Actually, CLRN8MOM, they have torn down the old building that was on the site of the new performing arts center (the Baby Factory!) and are prepping the site now. It won’t be ready, probably, in the next year or even two, but it is underway.</p>
<p>I think the new building is up. My son has an audition in Feb. and I can update. Anyone have any input on percussion at DePaul?</p>
<p>Hadn’t even started construction when we looked there this summer. S was considering DePaul for master’s but after hearing their prof…not impressed</p>
<p>drumdad what did you think after the audition? S is now serious about transferring for fall.</p>
<p>My impression coming out of the audition is–evolving. I have to say we are giving it some time since my son hit a home run at the audition and the professors really put on the hard sell. It does seem as if the percussion program can be a reasonable choice. The school practice/percussion facilities are fine. The professors do seem to have something to offer. However, this is not my son’s top choice. He auditioned at Indiana, FSU and Kentucky–all schools with better reputations for percussion. However, if he did not get in to his top choice I would not necessarily have a problem sending him there. Where is your son transferring from? Ultimately the question is whether this is a step up for him in preparing for Grad school. Several of the Professors there work at the CSO and I have to say that I do think the school of music and percussion program are a rising one. Also, the new building won’t be done for another 3 years. PM me if you like or I would be happy to provide more info–(I did go to DePaul for Law school…).</p>
<p>S is at NIU and had his transfer audition Saturday. Last person to audition. He was encouraged to audition by one of the instructors after my S had a lesson with him. S picked NIU over UNT due to the size of the percussion studio. If your S is interested in being with a larger studio then those other schools would be great. My S felt like he would be a number at a larger studio. Now S wants to concentrate more on classical and he is in Chicago every weekend as it is so DePaul fits in the plans. Of course the $$ doesn’t fit in my plans!</p>
<p>My son was concerned about NIU as the head percussion guy there left/retired recently? Not sure about the details but perhaps that is another reason to transfer? Is your son considering any other possible transfer schools? Cost is always an issue. I do know that the percussion studio decisions are done (S got an email from the professor) and the acceptance/award amount letters go out in the next week or two (as of March 17).</p>
<p>My D auditioned the first weekend of March and we were told the music building (practice building) would be demolished next spring. The new building looks quite impressive and the total project will involve gutting the current building that holds the professors offices etc. and rebuilding that as well. They will be temporarily moving the practice rooms to the old theater building (which we heard was an old elementary school). They will then gut the church like structure to build an opera hall with pit etc. They are building underground parking, and putting in a large green where current parking is. D didn’t think this would be a big deal at all, but husband and I felt all this could impact her college experience.</p>
<p>Apparently DePaul is using the former Children’s hospital too. Makes me think they are going to buy that property too. Northwestern is also getting a new music building so the Chicago schools must be doing ok!</p>
<p>Does anybody know that how is the grad program of human-computer interaction at DePaul?</p>