<p>While it would be next to impossible to find a violin program without orchestral and chamber requirements or one that would waive them for a student, it could be worthwhile to examine the extent of the requirements, both in terms of number of semesters and the number of rehearsal hours per week. </p>
<p>Chamber music at some places is a requirement for all 8 semesters. There are other schools that only require it for 4 semesters.</p>
<p>Orchestra is usually required for all 8 semesters, but rehearsal hours per week vary widely. Rice, for example, which has excellent orchestras and alumni that have been doing very well in orchestra auditions, has quite a high number of hours per week for orchestra. On the other hand, the McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer has a relatively low number of orchestral rehearsal hours per week for students that get admitted to the Center (string students that don’t make it into the Center have a higher number of hours); the Center tends to have more flexibility than many larger programs. </p>
<p>From what I have seen, the number of orchestra rehearsal hours per week varies from a low of about 2 to a high of about 10. Most of the really good schools tend to be in the 6 to 10 range. </p>
<p>I don’t have a good handle on the number of chamber music hours per week, so if someone else does, please let us know. I know that a really keen quartet will voluntarily practice tons, particularly if they have an upcoming competition, but I don’t have a good idea as to the minimum required hours of rehearsal (or perhaps it is like private practice: however much it takes!).</p>