Can anybody speak to the music scene at Reed? Quality and/or barrier to entry for performing ensembles? Opportunities for private lessons in one’s instrument of choice?
I see that their list of ensembles lists an orchestra and a jazz band, but no concert band.
http:// www.reed.edu /music/performing-ensembles.html
Firsthand experience welcome.
The PAB (Performing Arts Building) is pretty dope.
I’ve attended performances for both jazz ensembles and classical orchestral and vocal ensembles. They were all amazing.
With regard to jazz, there’s a few things you can do. People jam all the time in the PAB I’m guessing, and you can join some bands like “The Band Formerly Known as Prince”, or “Doctor Boctor’s Medicine Band”, or anything else. Also, there are often concerts in the common room of Chittick, which is currently the music appreciation dorm. I don’t know if the music theme will be there next year, but the shows happen anywhere from once every couple weeks to once every month, and they are very good.
Also, Portland is pretty up there in the jazz scene. I couldn’t go because I was under 21, but Wayne Shorter was in the city some months ago, and on campus, we had some famous musicians play Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn pieces.