<p>I'm psyched to have been accepted at both my top choices! Now comes the hard part: deciding between Williams and Middlebury. </p>
<p>I don't plan to major in music, but I'm a serious musician and I know that the musical opportunities at Williams and Midd will play a part in my decision. I compose in contemporary style and not-so-contemporary, and I definitely want to play cello in an orchestra. I'd also like to have some fun with chamber music- string jazz, anyone?</p>
<p>What do you think about the two music departments? Has anyone out there been involved with both?</p>
<p>I’m sure you’ve heard about the Berkshire Orchestra, which provides an amazing opportunity for elite student musicians to play with professionals. </p>
<p>There are a TON of musical performances occurring each week at Williams, here is a typical calendar (the school was on Spring break until today, by the way, hence a few days of more limited activity):</p>
<p>This thread is right up my alley! S is a HS junior who is very interested in Williams. He has enough training and experience musically (we think) to play with the Berkshire Symphony Orchestra and the possibility of doing so is one factor in making Williams so attractive. My question is – Since there are professional musicians in the group, will my son get good parts? In other words, do students come after the pros or before them? When he visited Williams, he met with a private teacher for his instrument who plays regularly with the Orchestra. Will that mean that the teacher will automatically get the better parts?</p>
<p>(Yes, we should ask the teacher directly, and we will. We didn’t think of this question until we visited another LAC this weekend – the first that comes close to S’s enthusiasm for Williams – and that school has so few musicians who play S’s instrument at his level, that S will definitely get good parts.)</p>
<p>I think students begin in lower seats in the Berkshire, but there is a student symphony as well run by students. Some really good musicians play in both. Of course, in the student symphony the best players get the best seats.</p>
<p>If the student is at the caliber of the professional, I’m sure he will be seated appropriately. </p>
<p>A young friend auditioned as a prospie and was immediately told she would be seated with the first violins, so she was not immediately shuttled to the second violin section.</p>
<p>Look at it this way: there is no ceiling at Williams. The professional orchestra insures that the player will not outgrow his surroundings.</p>
<p>Our son is a freshman at Williams, and he was looking for a LAC that was strong in both academics and music. He applied to nine schools (having looked at all the top LACs) and Williams had the strongest combination in these two areas hands down. He has had many playing opportunites - Symphonic Winds, Berkshire Symphony, Chamber music groups and currently, he is also working with a small group on a newly commissioned piece.</p>
<p>I will also say that I was absolutely amazed by the quality of the performance groups when I visited in October. The number of very talented musicians at a school with 2000 students was astounding.</p>
<p>Our son has had a great first year and has worked harder than he’s ever had to both academically and musically. For him, Williams was the right choice.</p>