What is the music program like at Carleton? Is it for serious musicians or is it more for moderately talented but bright kids who take it up as a hobby?
Definitely more for the latter. Most of our music majors double major with something else. We’re good for if you want to participate in orchestra, a capella groups, choirs, and symphony band, but we’re not designed to make anyone go pro.
The music program at Carleton is definitely both for serious musicians and hobbyists, as you put it. Unlike a conservatory setting, though, even our most serious musicians are serious about things other than music, too. You don’t have to be a major to be in our ensembles and chamber music offerings. And thehangingtree is right about double majors; typically more than half of our music majors are double majors. In addition to our ensembles, we have an unusually broad music program, with diverse offerings in composition, technology, musicology, ethnomusicology, and popular music, and instrumental offerings beyond the usual, e.g. including not just western instruments but Chinese music ensemble, sitar, African drum, banjo, and ukulele, among others. However, we are certainly fully designed to make anyone who wants to “go pro,” and our major alumni include composers, professional musicians, music theorists, musicologists, in addition to lawyers, web developers, biologists, doctors, and (1) veterinarian. You can see a small sampling at https://apps.carleton.edu/curricular/musc/alumni/