<p>Is the music department at Middlebury good? And would the music department actively recruit music students for admission? How is the orchestra there?</p>
<p>Thank you. Sorry for so many questions.</p>
<p>I'm wondering this too--anyone out there got anything? </p>
<p>forgotten, you can also listen on their website to recordings of the different groups, which sound pretty good. And when I visited campus, people did say that the orchestra did well and that people actually went to concerts.</p>
<p>I wouldn't mind some info this either. I'm concerned that there's no wind ensemble/concert band. </p>
<p>As a saxophonist, without a wind ensemble, all I could do would be the jazz band, and every other school I've looked at has had a lot more to offer.</p>
<p>But, besides the music issue, I really like Middlebury a lot, so I'd hope someone out there could reassure me.</p>
<p>The beauty of a school like Middlebury is that you can start your own wind ensemble - check out the information on Middlebury's web on starting a new organization. The Department of Music pages are a good resource, too.</p>
<p>If you apply and have an interview, discussing the topic of starting a wind ensemble would show you have done a little research as well as demonstrate enthusiasm for your passion.</p>
<p>My D was accepted to Middlebury last year and is very interested in English and music. She is a top notch musician, even conservatory level (vocalist and instrumentalist). One of the main reasons she decided to go elsewhere was because of the music department, more specifically, the lack of ensembles there. While she really enjoyed the faculty she met in the department, they were very forthright about the size of the department and their offerings. </p>
<p>Of course, the "fit" at Midd depends on what you are looking for and, in some ways, where you came from. In my D's case, she came from a top 100 high school music department and enrolling at Midd and persuing music, even as a non-major, would have been several steps backwards compared to what she had in high school.</p>
<p>Between the small/intimate music department and the isolation, that sealed the deal for her.</p>
<p>On the plus side, I do believe her outstanding music credentials made her a desirable candidate to Midd.</p>
<p>Thank you CollegeMom and flatlander! That was really helpful-about how many students pursue music major every year?</p>
<p>My son is a Freshman at Midd. I can't speak to the Music department, but he says the kids are great (10 days in). My wife and I were there for orientation last week and the facilities are top-notch and the adminstration there really seems to be engaged. Plus there seems to be a great emphasis on studies abroad which is what he's interested in.</p>
<p>The point is, we were much impressed based on our initial experience.</p>
<p>forgottenmuch987:</p>
<p>The music dept at Midd is quite small. Therefore, it is very easy to contact the faculty via email and ask them whatever questions you may have. We found them to be friendly, forthright, engaging and very enthusiastic. The choral person set aside some time to specifically meet with my D on a Saturday morning when we toured there last Fall. He was terrific and indicated that the music department at Midd is "on the rise."</p>
<p>As I said, it all depends on the "fit" and what you are looking for in a school. My H and I LOVED everything about Midd. It is a fabulous school and a very difficult admit for anyone. It just so happens that my D is more of a "city girl" and ultimately chose a more urban campus with a larger, more diverse music department. She also travelled frequently in high school with her various performing ensembles and was looking to do that in college as well.</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the helpful information, collegemom. I've been leaning away from Middlebury, because of the music department issue. The more I hear, the more I feel like it'd be better to be at a school with more ensemble options and more of a music "scene."</p>
<p>Again, thanks for the help.</p>
<p>Hi,
I'm a music major at Midd, and here's my perspective. Maybe this will help a little. There are definitely plusses and minuses about being part of a small department. On the plus side: much more attention from the professors, and the music professors here are some of the nicest, most caring people I've ever met. Also, they have more resources to devote to each student, which means students can get a lot of support for individual projects, and professors are always willing to try something different (e.g. to help a student present a composition with a full orchestra, to let a student direct an opera, etc. - they will often pay for it as well). Students also get to participate much more than they would at larger schools where grad students dominate the best productions and ensembles. On the other hand, as someone who is planning to pursue a career as a professional musician, I can say that it can be more difficult to come from a small department with fewer course offerings and a liberal arts, rather than a technical focus. The music major here does include theory and musicianship, but composition, history, and ethnomusicology are emphasized just as much. In applying to grad school, I do feel like I am at a little bit of a lower level in terms of basic skills, but I think I've gotten a much broader exposure to all different kinds of music, because the department here forces you to think about music outside of the "dead white guys" and to take courses in all areas of music. As a performer, I'm so glad I was forced to experience composition, history, ethnomusicology, etc. Applying to grad school has forced me to do some individual work to get up to par, but the professors here have been wonderful about it and even meet with me individually to help me. Ensembles are limited but are growing every year and are generally of high quality. Private instruction is great. A few times during my college career, I've wondered why I didn't apply to universities with music schools or to conservatories, but, in the long run, I think I can always catch up on the technical skills, but I don't think I could have gotten this same perspective on music anywhere else.</p>