I am frequently asked if a school should add co-curricular programs, and if so, of what nature. To work toward an answer to this question, let me go through a process. To my way of thinking there are 4 factors that influence students' choices about admissions: faculty, core curriculum, price and location/facilities. Depending on each student's needs the priority order of … [Read more...] about Music Schools in Transition, VI, ii
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Music Schools in Transition, VI.i
There's a bit of a scramble on: to create co-curricular programs and to add value to the BMus by facilitating double (even triple) majors and double degrees. Part of the reason for these developments results from the undergraduate degree in performance being so tightly packed, and with so many other needs have been identified, that the only way to address the situation is with … [Read more...] about Music Schools in Transition, VI.i
Music Schools in Transition, Part VI
Many music schools have added valuable co-curricular programs. A working definition of co-curricular would be that these programs offer non-required credit for courses, a certificate for participation and completion of a set of expectations, or experiences or courses that significantly pair with a curricular requirement (and designed as such). The latest spate of … [Read more...] about Music Schools in Transition, Part VI
Music Schools in Transition, Part V
The term, professional school, has always puzzled me. Taken literally, it must mean that the school prepares you for a defined profession. And when there were, more or less, stable professional opportunities for musicians, the idea of strong, focused professional training combined with substantial courses in the liberal arts made sense. Now, however, with music professions in … [Read more...] about Music Schools in Transition, Part V
Music Schools in Transition, Part II
Below I've copied my post from last week, as then I was not connected to Facebook and Linkedin, but now am. There are short-term approaches to present challenges to music schools, and long-term, more radical ones. For now I will concentrate on short-term ones, then later on the others. Also to note: I will not address the question of supply and demand, as I lean toward a … [Read more...] about Music Schools in Transition, Part II