<p>I'm highly considering applying to W&M ED this fall. I'm pretty certain I'd like to major in music, and perhaps something else as well. I really love the campus and everything I've heard about W&M, but I don't hear much about the music program. I was a little confused by this quote from the website:</p>
<p>"Many of our students do not major in music, but rather study music as a life-enriching activity; as such, our program is designed to function as an integral component of the undergraduate curriculum. At the same time, however, we prepare many of our students for further academic work in the discipline, and in the last ten years have sent graduates off to some of the best musicology, composition, and performance graduate programs in the country."</p>
<p>That last part about sending off students to graduate programs- is that usual? I know a lot of the ensembles are made up of non-music majors, but is the Music Department in general motivated to help aspiring musicians become professionals, or do the majority of them tend to focus on giving the student a general knowledge of music as an activity as opposed to a career? I know a lot of private lesson teachers do one or the other. I understand that there isn't a conservatory or separate school for music, but I'm impressed by the teachers' credentials and current positions in orchestras.</p>
<p>I hope this doesn't come off as too critical; I really do love William and Mary, but I'm also quite serious about music, and I want to be sure I'm making the right choice before I apply early decision.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I do not think it is usual. That said, it is not a reflection of the faculty. It is a reflection that most W&M students that are involved in music are involved because they love to play their instrument or sing, but they are not planning to make a career out of it. The course offerings in the music department do not compare to the course offerings at schools with larger music programs. Most students do not spend hours a day in the practice rooms, because they have other coursework to take care of, and they are involved in other activities as well. In my experience the private teachers are quite talented. There just aren’t that many music majors at W&M… probably 15-30 per year, and many of them double major in something else.</p>
<p>I hope that helps somewhat… feel free to tell me it didn’t or ask different questions so I can hopefully give you the info you are looking for. I was in the Wind Symphony all 4 years, was a guest soloist at one concert with the Orchestra, and was in the Pep Band for 4 years (1 year as director), so I was fairly involved in the music department. I also took private lessons on two instruments.</p>
<p>It also seems that you aren’t completely set on your goals, since you asked about faculty support for aspiring professionals and also mentioned that you might want to double major. I feel pretty confident saying that most professional musicians were not double majoring in college… they were putting their free time into practicing their instrument (I have friends who went to Cleveland Institute of Music, Ithaca, Juilliard, Indiana, and New England Conservatory for performance). The environment at the schools I just mentioned is obviously completely different from W&M.</p>
<p>Have you met with or talked with any W&M music faculty? If you can come to campus and visit a class that might help answer some of your questions. If that’s not possible, consider contact the department and asking for a faculty contact.</p>
<p>If you do apply, you might want to take advantage of our music submission ([William</a> & Mary - Arts Submissions](<a href=“http://www.wm.edu/admission/undergraduateadmission/applicationprocess/artssubmissions/index.php]William”>http://www.wm.edu/admission/undergraduateadmission/applicationprocess/artssubmissions/index.php)) where you can submit your music work be it vocal or instrumental and have the faculty review it. That faculty review becomes part of your application file.</p>
<p>soccerguy315; It does help, and you’re right about me, to be honest! It’s my dream to be a musician, but I’m worried about getting a job when I get out of college… I want to study music, but I think I might need a back-up plan (since I want to be a performer rather than an educator). That’s why I thought I might major in something more practical in addition to music… but then again, you bring up a good point; I don’t know many professionals who did that in college. And I should take a closer look at those course offerings… thanks for your help!</p>
<p>W&M; Thanks for the advice. I do plan to make an arts submission, and I hadn’t really thought about it, but going to a class would surely be a great way to see if it will fit for me; I’ll look into that.</p>
<p>no problem… i’m pretty sure W&M doesn’t have a “music education” major, so that would not be a viable backup plan. I do know people that went to W&M and now teach music, but they got graduate degrees.</p>
<p>If you want to be a professional musician, go to a conservatory. W&M does not provide that kind of music education.</p>