<p>Any recent reviews of this summer program? The only discussions I could find were a couple years old.</p>
<p>D. was recently offered a spot there for flute and she is trying to decide between NHSMI and another smaller university-based program that seems like it would have individual attention and small chamber group opportunities.</p>
<p>Her main priorities for a summer program are to play with an orchestra, play with some smaller chamber groups, and work with university faculty-especially for an evaluation to narrow her college search. (She is currently a hs sophomore)</p>
<p>Do all students at NHSMI play in the orchestra? The website says there are 24 performing groups- does that mean chamber groups? Is the atmosphere competitive or encouraging? What does a typical day look like? There isn't much on the website.</p>
<p>I am a Chicago based musician and know several professional music teachers who have worked the NHSMI program. It is geared to high school students who want to see what it’s like to be a music major in college (but just for 5 wks.) Since your D is a flute player, she could be in orchestra or she could be placed in wind ensemble, for large ensemble. She would also be in a chamber group. She’d have private lessons and could perform on the solo recitals. I know that NU’s flute professor teaches so she’d have a first class teacher. If you go to the music school website, you should be able to find out more.</p>
<p>I’m going this year for tuba. Those 24 groups are chamber groups, and every student is in at least one, I think, but the orchestra is selective for wind players. They audition, and either join the wind ensemble or orchestra. There are about 150 kids that go each year, so there would definitely be individual attention from the instructors. In the acceptance packet, I believe there was a mock schedule to show the normal activities in a day.</p>
<p>D will be attending this summer (trumpet) as a rising HS senior. The main attraction for her was the opportunity to completely immerse herself the college environment (vs a camp environment) of a music major for what amounts to half of an academic quarter. I agree that the website isn’t particularly informative…we picked up more background when we visited the campus. From what I’ve been able to gather, this is a generally high-quality program with access to strong faculty, but not as competitive an environment as some of the biggest name summer camp programs (which suits D just fine).</p>
<p>Thank you for the replies. I called Northwestern and spoke with someone in the NHSMI office who was very helpful and patient with all of my questions. Here is what I found out for anyone who doesn’t know the scoop:</p>
<p>Auditions are held every two weeks. Wind players might play in the orchestra, wind ensemble or both, and this may change as well as seating as a result of the auditions. Students also have plenty of chances to perform in small groups and masterclasses. Staff members present one session on applying to college in general and one on applying to NU.</p>
<p>Off hours, students are placed into groups of 8-10 with a counselor, who is either an undergraduate or graduate student at Northwestern. The counselors live in the dorm with the students and take turns planning recreation and social events- volleyball, dances, concerts in Grant Park, etc. </p>
<p>They have things planned for the 4th of July weekend for the students who stay (The person I spoke to said some go home for the weekend). My D will be one of the students staying.</p>
<p>I think my D finally made her decision to go to NHSMI. Now I have to make the travel arrangements from Virginia.</p>