<p>Hi, I'm interested in Cornell and would like to know a bit more about it. I just have two questions. For one thing, how is the music program at Cornell? I'm a viola player and am quite good, so I was wondering about that. Also, I was wondering how the foreign language/linguistics programs are at Cornell, with the primary languages of interest being French and Czech. Not counting on a lot of Czech stuff. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Music program - there are 2 orchestras. PM me if you want more info on those (I've discussed them a few times on here).</p>
<p>what do you want to focus on? music or language? cornell is not a music performance oriented school, though alot of students here play at least one instrument very well. all of the orchestras and other music ensembles are quite professional, and alot of people get involved in those.</p>
<p>my other question to you is, do you want to focus on a language, or do you want to do linguistics? they are both excellent. foreign languages are taught with zeal here. and from what i've heard the linguistics department is one of the best in the nation.</p>
<p>Aside from the actual music program, there is JAM, which I plan on joining as an out-of house member. It has a lot of practice rooms and stuff.</p>
<p>lincoln hall is open 24/7 for a small fee, and there are over a dozen steinway baby grands in there to practice on, drum rooms, even a gamelan room. There are tons of music ensembles: classical, jazz, ethnic, you name it. A cappella is huge too.</p>
<p>The music program is really flexible as well, so whether you want to focus on composition, theory, history, performance, or do music a double major, it's all possible here. The staff members are great. I had a TA last semester who is now a professor at Cambridge in England.</p>
<p>Czech is offered as a directed study course through the Russian Department. <a href="http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/Courses/CoScourses.php?college=AS&dept=Russian%5B/url%5D">http://cuinfo.cornell.edu/Academic/Courses/CoScourses.php?college=AS&dept=Russian</a>
You can check out the Linguistics and French offerings in the same catalogue.</p>