<p>Throughout the admissions process I rather let my interest in music be swept under the rug, because I simply didn't think I'd have the time to actively engage myself in the musical scene at Cornell. However, as it's something I love, I still think it's something that could fit into my life, however unprofessionally.</p>
<p>So, my question: how is music, namely instrumental winds, at Cornell? The website isn't very enlightening and there are no designated professors listed (that I can find). I play the trombone (and a little baritone) and I'm interested in some recreational ensembles or groups.</p>
<p>I'm still not sure how much time I'm willing to devote myself to music in college, but at the very least I could acquaint myself with the department and keep track of some of its rising stars.</p>
<p>I'm grateful for any replies, in advance.</p>
<p>i am in kind of the same boat as you. Music has been a big part of my life throughout high school, but I know i do not want to do it professionally. (i play clarinet).
When I visited cornell over spring break, I met with the director of the wind ensemble (cynthia johnson turner) and explored the music building a bit. The director was very nice and made me see that there are many opportunities for music at cornell. Plus, there is a conservatory at ithaca college which can always be a resource for lessons and stuff, but it seems that the instrumental professors are well regarded at cornell. I assume you were looking at the music department website, but check out cuwinds.com. Dr. Turner gave me this website and it was a little more informative than the music department website.<br>
When you get so many smart kids together in one place, there are bound to be many opportunities for music, particularly for non majors. My final decision came between cornell and carnegie mellon (which has a true conservatory). Ultimately, the opportunities available for non-majors led to choose cornell.<br>
I hope this was informative!</p>
<p>Vivace, as far as your potential to follow your interest in music, you made the right choice. Generally speaking, if you don't want to major in music but continue to participate, going to a college with a conservatory is a bad idea. The faculty and courses may be great, but non-majors typically get the crumbs from the table. A conservatory is a professional school, whose mission is to educate performers, teachers, and composers, not provide musical opportunities to liberal arts students. I'd been given this advice in high school and attended two colleges, one of which had a conservatory and the other of which did not. (The latter was in fact Cornell.) This assessment was right on the money. The Cornell music scene involves a lot of students who aren't majors, and Cornell does a very good job in catering to their interests. You'll have more opportunities than you'll have time for... Enjoy!</p>