<p>D, a violinist, is very interested in Vanderbilt, but not looking to major or minor in music. She does want to continue playing in college. Can someone give us an overview of the different orchestras and what chances a freshman, non-major/minor might have to participate? Orchestra as an extracurricular would probably be better than as a class. </p>
<p>Thanks! </p>
<p>Poohbah…there was a recent thread on this question…dig around to about April/May and I think there is a good thread there. I believe there is a non music major orchestra now. (At Rice, conservatory students lead a non music major orchestra…we raised two decent violists who would not win seats in a symphony with a conservatory on grounds…so this was a question we had at every college.)</p>
<p>Thanks Faline2. Apparently there is a new non-major orchestra at Vandy. She’s going to try and find out more but she likes the fact that it is extracurricular as opposed to a class. </p>
<p>sounds like fun! Duke had no conservatory, so Duke son really found that the Symphony was a great place to meet friends who “used to take lessons” but only practiced once or twice a week while at Duke. Very meaningful set of friends and loved their conductor. Duke son would have gone to Vandy if he was “good enough” for an orchestra seat but in 2005…he just wasn’t able to give enough to deserve a chair in Vandy’s top orchestra. I think it is great that there will be a non conservatory orchestra. Perhaps majors will have a hand in directing it like they do at Rice. Symphony was great for son’s mental health and artistic bent at Duke…glad more Vandy students will have this opportunity altho I perfectly accept that Blair students have higher performance standards for themselves and their symphony.</p>