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<p>That said, it is an uncommon institution that has so little flexibility that these obstacles cannot be overcome with some effort.>></p>
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<p>Actually, I don't agree with this. Sometimes these obstacles ARE not possible to overcome...period. Remember that students have enough difficulty scheduling required classes....period. AND this could be in core courses or for just one major. It is unreasonable to expect the university to make changes or help a student overcome an obstacle that they have chosen to do (knowing it will be difficult). Ensembles involve sometimes 100 or more students. Those rehearsal times cannot be changed...oh...and neither can the performances. Science classes and labs require substantial time outside of the classroom AND these schedule can also be inflexible. BOTH are required. I can tell you that in DS's ensembles, the expectation is that you will be at ALL rehearsals...no excuses except serious illness, or death of a family member. I can't imagine that the science faculty would excuse a student from required work because of an ensemble rehearsal. This is college...not high school...the departments are not expected to coordinate their schedules, and they don't. I think students who wish to double major in very demanding majors need to consider the extra year or so it might take for them to fulfil their requirements. AND they need to consider the demands of both majors. As someone else said...some majors lend themselves to doubling. Others simply do not. I would say that any hard science, music, education or any therapy course of study (occupational, speech or physical therapy) do NOT lend themselves to double majoring because of the rigor of these course of study.</p>
<p>have you ever actually looked at science requirements? Have you ever seen labs that are ONLY scheduled at a time that conflict with other things? When that lab is required and the only choice? At some schools with some science majors some of the time, yes, it may be a problem. At other schools it is not. </p>
<p>Geesh. There goes the negativism again. This is not a search fro truth or absolutes.</p>
<p>quiltguru-
Not that I'm a shill for Wash U but D and we parents were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the music program and the faculty.When she was recruited to apply there for Grad school our reaction was..Wash U??? but further investigation and visit have changed our perception.She'll be studying with a world class musicologist,their theorists are well known as well.
They are also well known for their funding on the undergrad as well as the grad level.Is your D looking for merit aid opportunities?
There are no graduate level performance majors (only theory,musicology and composition) so any voice performance opportunities would be just for undergrads.
Maybe a visit would be in order if your D is looking at other schools in that part of the US.</p>
<p>"mini I was just pointing out that for someone at a quite accomplished level who basically wanted to be able to continue lessons while getting a liberal arts education, it would be an asset to have music teachers who were associated with a conservatory or a world class symphony.'</p>
<p>Absolutely true. Many of the best piano teachers, however, are also performers, and are NOT associated with conservatories (and certainly not symphony orchestras.) My d. received a scholarship to the Mannes International Keyboard Explorations program this summer. The teachers, all professional performing pianists, come from all over the world. The number who actually teach at a conservatory is a very small fraction of the total: <a href="http://216.71.55.88/iki/%5B/url%5D">http://216.71.55.88/iki/</a></p>
<p>So, yes, it could be an asset to have teachers at a conservatory (if they'd take you in addition to the conservatory students who are already paying them the big bucks). The addendum I was adding is that there are plenty of fine pianists who teach as well, but not at a conservatory (my d. would grab a lesson with Alexander Paley whenever he comes out here, but he's usually in Paris when not on the road.) But I would think it a much greater asset to have a teacher who was guiding your career, if that was where you thought you'd be headed.</p>
<p>But putting the pianists aside, aren't there many terrific college with fine vocal performers on the faculty where you might also get a good science education AND access to outside teachers as needed? I mean (forgetting the women's colleges) I would hardly think of Vassar (or Skidmore for that matter) as chopped liver.</p>
<p>The teacher that my s worked with for three summers, from Mannes School of Music, spoke very highly of the piano professors at Vassar. Definitely not chopped liver. Don't know about vocals though.</p>
<p>For firsthand comments on serious piano (and the music department in general) at Williams I'd recommend contacting HAON who often contributes on the Williams board. </p>
<p>A music major joined our chemE class in 1997 (not sure what has changed since then) when I was a chemE at Northwestern. I heard that she did graduate in 5 years and chemE was probably the most demanding major at NU. The engineering school also requires 3 more classes to graduate than any other schools within NU. So if she could double with chemE in 5 years, I think many can double music with anything else in 5 years too. The quarter system tends to make double-major a little easier since you have more options to schedule your classes and curriculum.</p>
<p>I think the choice of science or music is a common dilemma. My daughter tells me her music friends are all smart and good in science and math. I recently gained a better understanding. I attended her graduation from Saturday, prep classes at a conservatory. Colleges were announced for the 50 or so graduates. About a third were going to the top conservatories. Another third were going to a variety schools, many known for strong music or music education programs. The final third was going to Ivy or other very selective schools. Some of these, like Harvard, have only minimal music opportunities for undergraduates. I was amazed at the number of kids who had acceptances to the ivies. </p>
<p>Many kids who love music need to make some hard choices. They may love music, but it is nearly impossible for all but very best to make a career with classical music performance. My D will be starting a double degree in music and science. It was difficult to find the right opportunity - both music and academics at the level she needs and the possibility of a double degree. I am glad she will have this opportunity. As has been mentioned by others, it will be very difficult to complete the double degree. In fact, if she completes the program she is entering, it will take 5 years with a minimum of 22 credits/semester. Odds are her plans will change and she will gravitate towards a single degree.</p>
<p>What a wealth of replies and suggestions. Thank you! My D's top 10 list included Northwestern, so she was encouraged to hear of the precedent of a combined chem E/music major. She looked at Tufts/NEC, but, for whatever reason, took it off her list. She's taking a close look at Brandeis which has wonderful programs in both!</p>
<p>My college roommate, a mezzo, did her PhD in Voice at Nwestern and was always busy singing for money in Chicago's churches, synagogues and venues plus she got to sing in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As well-traveled military brat who landed in Nashville/Vanderbilt for grad school and early career years, I have to vouch for how very wonderful Nashville is and to say that Blair Conservatory of Music and Vanderbilt are also a great combo. Extremely talented staff, and a town that loves Classical. HCA trustee money is building a whole new beautiful venue on the Cumberland River for the Nashville Symphony Orchestra but the Blair Conservatory is always hosting great talent as well. Vanderbilt classroom instruction is also excellent in sciences.</p>
<p>I'd like to clarify some misinformation re: Tufts' music programs.</p>
<p>First, I'd like to tell the OP that her daughter was right in listing Tufts. The pre-med, natural sciences tracks at Tufts are excellent.</p>
<p>While Tufts does offer a 5-year dual-degree program with the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC), and that program is excellent, the music department at Tufts is also great. So you can certainly major in Music at Tufts without having to do the 5-year dual-degree NEC program. Tufts will also will be completing a brand-new, state of the art music facility before the spring semester starts which will certainly only help an already-strong department (the building is in front of my dorm this year and it looks absolutely amazing). And there IS vocal performance within Tufts' on-campus music department. Also, even if you don't do the dual-degree Tufts-NEC program, you can still take classes at NEC as NEC students may take some classes at Tufts.</p>
<p>The theater program at Tufts is also surprisingly strong, considering how this is a school mostly known for polisci/IR, sciences, and the like. If you go to Tufts' drama website, an impressive number of well-known actors, directors, screenwriters went to Tufts.</p>
<p>skie, I'm not quiltguru but I'm pretty sure her D is at Yale. I haven't noticed that she's posted in a while, why don't you try to PM her and see if she'll respond.</p>
<p>I don't know much about voice (I'm a string player), but I was looking for exactly what your daughter is (i.e. strong science and music). My top choices were</p>
<p>Yale
MIT</p>
<p>These schools both have low key theater opportunities too. I'm pretty familiar with the science and music scenes at both institutions, so feel free to ask questions/PM me if you'd like more info.</p>
<p>I've also met people who were very happy double majoring in science and music at University of Michigan and Boston University.</p>
<p>Okay, so I know that this post was from a couple years back, but it's astonishing how similar my current situation to that of the OP's daughter.</p>
<p>Similarly, I would like to pursue a double major in music (BA in music, with concentration in vocal performance) and something else in the humanities, such as history or anthropology or international relations. Moreover, I'm looking for a very strong liberal arts school with a strong music department with credible and well-versed vocal teachers. </p>
<p>I've learned so much from this post already, and a number of schools have been added to/persisted on my potential list as a result. These schools include:
Brandeis
Pomona
Tufts
Williams
Lawrence
Smith
Swarthmore
Oberlin
Bard
and Northwestern.
** Note about Northwestern: it was already on my original list, and though I understand and recognize the drawbacks of a dual major (BM and BA), it's such a great school that at least for the moment, it's not crossed off my list entirely.</p>
<p>However, I was wondering if you guys could help me identify the strength of the music departments of the following schools, as you did for the OP:</p>
<p>Middlebury
Dartmouth
Amherst
Reed
UChicago
Whitman
Macalester
Brown
Lewis and Clark</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I really, really appreciate it!</p>
<p>As far as science goes, you prob. can't get any better than that. But, I mean...vocal performance? It'd be very dismal it's very theory based at the se schools.</p>
<p>Yes, I understand that their music programs are mostly academic, however, schools such as Williams appear to offer wonderful music resources to non-majors, such as top rate private teachers and various high-quality performing ensembles. So, while I understand that there isn't a specific vocal performance major at any of these schools, instead I'm looking to assess the strength of their music departments. If it helps, use Williams as a prime example of the music department quality I'm searching for.</p>
<p>Does this help you to understand what information I'm looking to obtain?</p>
<p>You might have better luck getting information from students at those schools in the "colleges" threads. Most of the folks on here are students and parents of students looking at/for performance programs. Another good source of information would be the school websites, which will describe music departments and what they offer.</p>