mamakin

My son is looking at both Chapman and Occidental. He is very involved with music and is looking for a place with clubs nearby where he can go on the weekends. I know Chapman is stronger in its Music department, but how is the local music scene at each? We plan to visit over the summer, but hearing from students and parents would be very helpful.

socalscott

Hmmm...well
Occidental is much closer to Los Angeles, where of course there is a huge music scene. But i'm sure there are plenty of places in Orange County as well.
Both are relatively (ish) close to each other (Occi and Chapman), so I would go where the best music department is, because either way your son will have plenty of places to go enjoy the music scene.
I had a website where you can find all these kinds of music clubs locally...if I come across it I'll make sure to let you know!

funfun

Everyone says Chapman is best in music. I understand they also got a big endowment.

Have you seen Occidental? The place is a dump.

Chapman is ten minutes away from Orange Counties big music center and opera house. It is also better for singers and they don't have to worry about the toxicity of the smog. Occidental is in a really smoggy location.

investorscooter

funfun: I totally beg to differ about Oxy. The campus and much of the immediate surrounding residential area is NOT a dump - Occidental actually has quite a lot written about the beauty of its campus, & my D lives in a house with great views of the surrounding hilly terrain. A few blocks away, Eagle Rock is definitely blue collar, with sketchier parts and all, but I have to say that there's lots of "real life" charm in Eagle Rock. I'm not as familiar with Orange, which also seems very picturesque and human scaled, and I'm sure has it's charms. It seems a bit antiseptic, though, compared to grittier Eagle Rock.

Nothing of the above speaks to the music scene, however. I think Oxy has a noted glee club or something like that, so it's claim to music fame would be vocal, and perhaps not beyond. My impression was that music is stronger at Chapman.

mamakin

Thanks for the replies. My S is a tuba player, so he is not too worried about smog. He has plenty of lung power!