<p>Can anyone comment about the music department at Hamilton? Specifically the orchestra. We're looking for a top notch orchestra experience at an LAC, and it's hard to find.</p>
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<p>It’s not hard to find. I can’t speak about Hamilton’s music department. But if you want more than a department, if you want a top five music CONSERVATORY and a top LAC all in one, consider Oberlin College. Getting into their conservatory -by the way they now also have a brand new Jazz Conservatory building to go with the classical conservatory- is like trying to get into Julliard. If you are not quite at that level, you can still shoot for for one of the many orchestras, if you can get into the College of Arts and Sciences, which is about the same as getting into Hamilton. Of course, if you are really, really good academically and musically, you could become one of 150 or so students admitted to the double Bachelor Degree program: one BA from the Conservatory and one from the Arts and Sciences–in five years. </p>
<p>My D is a soph at Oberlin. She was a cellist in HS and wanted to continue with her music, but the world-class level of the conservatory was too elite. Fortunately, she was admitted to the LAC as a freshman. She has now worked her way as a new soph into an orchestra, an orchestra led, by the way, by a conservatory instructor/conductor. There are over 400 classical and jazz concerts on campus by students and faculty with world-class talent every year, almost all of them free to all students. My D thinks she’s in heaven. If you have reservations about the midwest location, don’t. Only 9 percent of students are from Ohio. My D’s roommate is from New York City. There are more New Yorkers at Oberlin than Ohioans. Its amazing. New England and California are two other huge contingents.</p>
<p>However, if you are interested in Greek life, forget it. There are no frats or sororities. The students don’t want them. There are Div. III sports but they seem to spark little interest from the student body. And campus politics are probably to the left of Hamilton. I’m not saying Hamilton is conservative, I really don’t know. My impression of Hamilton is of a centrist culture or maybe center-left. Oberlin is solidly left politically. There is no visible Republican presence on campus. That said, the College is tolerant of right wing views. After all, one of Oberlin’s most familiar grads (not counting D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty or 2010 Oscar winning screenwriter Mark Boal: “The Hurt Locker”) is Michelle Malkin, the extreme right wing pundit, author and radio show host. :)</p>
<p>[College</a> of Arts and Sciences & Conservatory of Music - Oberlin College](<a href=“http://new.oberlin.edu/]College”>http://new.oberlin.edu/)</p>
<p>Vassar is another great option - on a smaller scale than Oberlin - but a very strong music department for an LAC. The orchestra is excellent (as I have said in other posts). The strings are exceptional and they rotate the wind and brass players - all are strong and get a chance to play every part. This is the second year S1 has participated in the orchestra and I am always amazed at the performances. The audience is very supportive(locals and students and parents and faculty) and very respectful of the music. Vassar was just what we needed for S1 who was accepted to music schools but wanted an LAC.</p>
<p>I also am interested in any info on Hamilton’s music as Hamilton may be another option for S2 if the music is strong enough there.</p>
<p>As someone in Hamilton’s orchestra, I can attest to its high caliber. Oberlin is another good choice, and if you want to focus more on music than anything, consevatories are also a valid option.</p>
<p>However, for a LAC, Hamilton has a fantastic hall in which we practice and perform with excellent acoustics as well as a dynamic and inspiring woman as our conductor. We play very challenging music: last semester we played Debussy’s Nocturnes, Copland’s El Salon Mexico, Stravinsky’s Petrouchka. This semester, we are playing Schubert’s 9th, as well as two other pieces which our conductor has yet to decide. </p>
<p>The music department as a whole is pretty good as far as I can tell (I’m a biology major so I don’t know with absolute certainty - although I have taken a few music classes) but what I do know is that people who do music here love it. The professors are wonderful, interesting, brilliant people who bring the excitement music deserves to the table.</p>