Klarinet Archive - Posting 000618.txt from 1996/03

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Non-performance majors in college ensembles?
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 1996 16:04:31 -0500

On Sat, 23 Mar 1996, Nate Burk wrote:

> I've already decided that I could never survive as a performance major in
> college -- my interests lie in biology. I still plan to study clarinet
> through college, however, which means I'd be hoping to play in college wind
> ensembles/orchestras. Can anyone out there tell me if my chances of getting
> into these groups are limited if I'm not a performance major?

Depends on what school you select. At the school where I teach, we have
100 music majors, and about 250 students participate in major ensembles
(2 bands, orchestra, string ensemble, 5 choirs, 2 jazz bands, etc., etc.).
We encourage that sort of participation, and fortunately for all
concerned, the president of the university is elated when the ranks of
the ensembles are filled up with non-majors. Among the students
participating are those majoring in business, education, engineering and
computer science, nursing, theatre and all the liberal arts disciplines.
Sometimes the students have to be pretty insistent in dealing with their
academic advisors - there is always a group of them who try to tell their
advisees that they don't have time for such frivolity, and in fact that
they don't have time for anything but studying in their major areas. But
our experience has been to the contrary, especially in the case of the
academically better qualified students.

Some of these students also study privately, for academic credit, and we
give small tuition rebates for ensemble participation which nearly cover
the cost of the applied music fees.

I have been associated with other schools where it doesn't work this way,
but I don't think it is uncommon in the smaller colleges and universities.

So, my advice would be to be very cautious in selecting your school, and
ask a lot of questions of current students.

Good luck!

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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