Does anyone have any information or first hand experience with music at Williams?

College Majors Music Major
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Williams seems to have a strong music department for an LAC but trying to figure out if they attract enough high level players to have a vibrant musical life there. Specifically interested in classical/string player. thx.

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Is this the same student who is looking for premed programs at either an Ivy or LAC?

If so, and this is your kid or you…if you want my opinion, the most vibrant music scene is at Yale. There are tons of talented musicians there who are not music majors and there are plenty of ensembles.

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Yes, agreed. Yale has fantastic music and tons of talented musicians.

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Second hand but I do know a Wiliams grad who got into a top grad school for music.

We actually avoided Yale but that was for a music major. We felt the (graduate) School of Music might actually detract from the experience of undergrads, and that a grad student would probably be the teacher. Yale also had a lot of gen eds.

Since then Yale has added a double degree program with the SOM. Harvard and Princeton have excellent musicians as well, as do many schools. Harvard has the BA/MM with NEC and Tufts has a BA/BM. Princeton has a performance certificate and study in the UK.

Williams, like Tufts, seems to have an extremely active music department with a lot of student participation and diverse offerings. The students and faculty play in the Berkshire Symphony.

I would consider who the teacher will be. At an LAC, it won’t be a grad student. Apparently students audition to get a teacher or join an ensemble Join an Ensemble/Take Lessons – Music (williams.edu)

Music (williams.edu)
Ensembles – Music (williams.edu)

Lessons and chamber music are for partial credit as a 5th course Courses – Music (williams.edu)

Williams allow an honors thesis in the form of a composition or performance plus a 15-20 page paper.

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Thank you for that useful information. May I ask where your musical students attended?

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They would have loved Williams!

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Hi-any chance I could private message you a few specific questions? thx

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I PM’ed you.

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