<p>I know Rice is pretty well-known for its music school, but aside from that, I don't know much about it. Are there any music opportunities or easily accessible resources for non-music majors?
- any orchestras?
- music library?
- practice rooms?
- instruments?
- classes?
- etc</p>
<p>Yes. The Campanile Orchestra is open to music non-majors (and is actually quite good). There are also college musical orchestras, so that's kind of fun. Not really serious music, but it's a good time. The Rice Chorale is the large ensemble choir that all the Shepherd students are in, and it's open to non-majors as well. I got to sing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra as an engineering major.</p>
<p>The music library is in Fondren and is open to non-majors.</p>
<p>The practice rooms at Shepherd are open to non-majors.</p>
<p>Regarding instruments, there are pianos in the practice rooms at Shepherd. Brass/woodwind instruments may be checked out from the bands department if you're a member of one of the bands (MOB, jazz band, symphonic band-- all populated almost entirely by non-majors).</p>
<p>There are classes that you can take through Shepherd. I actually ended up with more music credits than engineering credits until I was about a junior.</p>
<p>There are plenty of musical opportunities available. Just about the only things that aren't open are a lot of the higher-level music courses, the majors-only ensembles (Shepherd Symphony, Shepherd Singers, Chamber Orchestra, maybe a few others), private lessons with the professors... Probably some other stuff that I can't think of right now, but if you're not planning on being a music major, you're not going to starve.</p>
<p>thanks, that was very helpful.</p>
<p>Also there is the Rice light opera, and other vocal performance opportunities like a cappella groups.</p>