<p>Are there ample opportunities for people outside the Shepard school, interested in music but not particularly wonderful at it, to get involved? I've played clarinet for six years and been in choruses for a while and would like to continue music for fun in college, but I'm not particularly talented musically.</p>
<p>And an unrelated question--I'm mostly looking at campuses outside of urban areas, because I've lived in NYC all my life and want something different. Obviously Houston is a large city, but is there a campus life not centered around it? One thing I really don't want is a place that's like, say, NYU, where there's no real campus or campus life and everything centers around the city.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>From the Shepherd School of Music:
[quote]
For Nonmajors—Students who are not music majors may take the
following courses designed for the general student (other music courses
require the permission of the instructor and the approval of the dean of the
Shepherd School).
• MUSI 111 Musical Lives
• MUSI 112 Great Literature in Great Music
• MUSI 117/118 Fundamentals of Music I and II
• MUSI 317/318 Theory for Nonmajors I and II
• MUSI 327/328 Music Literature for Nonmajors I and II
• MUSI 334/335 Campanile Orchestra and Rice Chorale
• MUSI 141–197 for individual instruction in all instruments
• MUSI 340 Concert Band
• MUSI 342 Jazz Ensemble
• MUSI 345 Jazz Improvisation
• MUSI 415 Band Arranging
[/quote]
There are also classes like "clarinet for non-majors", which require departmental approval to get in. You can also play in the MOB... that's a good way to continue music for fun.</p>
<p>Second question: Rice may be right in the heart of the fourth largest city in the country, but we actually have the opposite setup as NYU. Everything is centered around campus life (there are a number of students who rarely go "outside the hedges" of Rice). We have a great setup because we have a the campus life AND the resources of a huge city (including the largest medical center in the world right next door). Houston is at your disposal, basically, but you can choose whether or not you want to take advantage of what it has to offer.
Either way, you really won't miss out on the college experience... a benefit of having a dynamic campus in a huge city.</p>
<p>Cool, thanks. I guess I was wondering, more anecdotally, whether it's impossible to get into ensembles (even non-Shepard ones) for people who aren't as musically talented, because of the generally very high level of musical ability around from Shepard. I'm not so much looking for formal classes or opportunities for non-majors within Shepard. Thanks again.</p>
<p>My Dd was in one of the many musicals that was put on by the colleges (not the shepard school). The whole pit orchestra was non-shepard students, except for one guy. There is also the MOB band - they don't march, and I think they accept all comers. There are other informal bands, and such - lots going on for kids at all levels of ability.</p>
<p>I was also going to mention the college musicals (put on by the residential colleges- they are still excellent and even have some community actors and actresses). I think you would find plenty of performance opportunities. The Shepherd kids are very busy with their requirements and the Shepherd ensembles. </p>
<p>Rice has an awesome campus without a city feel at all, but the good parts of the city are easily accessible (museums, parks, shopping etc). When you are on the campus you feel very "college-centered".</p>