I have written administration of my kid’s college twice in recent days. They are not taking any action. I believe that schools with money will be able to switch online but less endowed schools are lagging. My kid lives at home right now, and I am almost 70, so no matter how much I limit my contacts, she brings her many contacts home!
@indeestudios it’s so hard to believe he’s graduating already! It seems like only yesterday… 
I hope he’s doing well, in spite of all this, and I’m so sorry that the year has to end like this for him. Just try to assume that good things are only just beginning for him (and your younger one, too)!
To the others that pointed out that it may be better for students in somewhat less-affected communities to stay put, more or less, I stand corrected. It’s all, to use another parent’s excellent word on another thread here, a crapshoot at this point!
Anyway, I wish all of you and your “children” (I hate the word “kids,” for some reason) the best in this difficult and chaotic time. It will pass, but in the meantime, to quote indeestudios, it really, really sucks.
Temple is going online starting Monday. Kids need to be out of the dorms by 3/21 (although they will grant extensions)…we are still waiting to see how Boyer handles lessons. All will be revealed over the next few days.
S is bummed, but also pretty pragmatic given he was home last week (Seattle) and was hearing the news daily about how bad the outbreak is. Hopefully he will get into one of his summer programs and we are looking to schedule some lessons with symphony/MT folks out here.
My son is VP major at FSU. FSU has spring break next week, and after that is going to online coursework until April 5. Students can stay in the dorms but only if they do not leave Tallahassee, including over spring break. My son is off campus and plans to stay, as of now. His voice teacher is working with them to find the best teaching arrangement. Piano will be via skype. He’ll use his keyboard. He’ll get details from other classes as he attends them today and tomorrow. Luckily he did not audition for the Spring opera due to another performance conflict that is now passed, so he does not have to worry about that.
There seems to be some misunderstanding of my post about Colgate. I have no opinion about their approach. I just noticed in post #8 that Colgate was asking students to stay, when other schools are asking them to leave. I have no idea if this is a good idea and don’t know if any other schools are doing this. It was just a detail I noticed in that one post. Encouraging kids to stay would, I guess, assume no danger in the location where the school is located. Hope that’s clear.
My D is a vocal student at SUNY Purchase - she is very disappointed performances are only being done in front of a few faculty. She is questioning why they are staying and is nervous that New Rochelle is only 15 miles away. All students right now are on campus but classes are trying to go online. Some classes have successfully done but voice lessons so far are cancelled. I suspect at some point they will have students leave campus.
UNT is on break this week. They have cancelled all in person classes for next week. Online classes and field work (student teaching and such) are continuing. Classes are transitioning to online wherever possible after that. We are awaiting further word from the school of music. The university has said “ Faculty are still working through what courses will look like to ensure learning outcomes are met. There are instances where some courses may become hybrid, but that will be limited.”
Dorms are open but they are encouraging students not to come back next week if it’s not necessary.
I’m going to change his flight back to campus for now and he will see if he can borrow a cello from the string shop for a few days.
UMKC is closed tomorrow and moving to online classes next week. Not sure what that means for performance classes like jazz combo and big band yet. The following week is spring break. Kansas City is only two hours away. The dorms and dining hall are remaining open next week. My son will probably come home on Tuesday. No word on what happens after spring break yet.
Initially Boston Conservatory/Berklee said anyone who LEAVES campus for spring break will have to self quarantine for the very reason of making sure they don’t bring their home community back to campus. That lasted two days and after realizing that was impossible to monitor and enforce they are also switching to online instruction. We are all more than aware of how difficult that will be for arts students but they will do the best they can.
The devastating part is the number of senior thesis/recitals/concerts and graduations that our deserving children will miss out on. As adults we can try to rationalize things and we know they will have amazing opportunities in the future but after spending years working up to your senior recital, having it cancel is a lot to bear. These are experiences they will never get back. My daughter has had an incredible run at her conservatory but the number of things taken from her these next weeks and months are making it hard for me to keep it together and be strong for her. Best we can do is hug our kids, keep them (and us) safe and pray for a better tomorrow!
@pohsmom - right there with you and we are in good company. There is disappointment and grief to work through. As my daughter put it - “It will not be the recital I’ve dreamed of, presented to an audience of those who I love.”
We’ll figure out a way to celebrate her - maybe a summer recital in her hometown with family and friends.
Yes, let’s keep praying for perspective, a better tomorrow and global healing and peace.
The administration and faculty at NEC has been incredibly responsive and sensitive to students during this crisis. The NEC Asian students are having a benefit recital online tonight if you would like to tune in. I’m sure there is info on the website.
My daughter is sad but it has been good for her to see her community come together like this.
Hugs and prayers for all of us riding this out. Stay safe!
This is this generations first experience with a national crisis (they probably couldn’t feel the financial crisis - certainly not like their parents - and were too young or not even born for 9/11 - when EVERYTHING came to a sudden standstill). This isn’t a good thing at all, but they need to understand what’s really important. We are sooo fortunate in this country that we haven’t faced things like massive war on our soil, a great depression like 100 yrs ago, etc. This virus is bad but it’s going to be very temporary. In a matter of months things will be back to normal.
Hard for them to appreciate but they need to. We’re all affected, every one of us!
@compmom In answer to your question, Eastman is continuing all classes, including private lessons, online. My S will start Wednesday on the same schedule he had up in Rochester. Classes will be run on the Zoom app, as will lessons and assessments. He is taking saxophone, clarinet, oboe, and piano lessons in addition to his theory and humanities classes; the school is allowing all students to keep borrowed instruments until September.
Although Eastman isn’t set up for online learning, as I understand it, U Rochester was, so the transition should be fairly smooth. S’s classes are all tiny, one to ten students at most, which also makes things easier. As others have said, the hardest thing is cancellation of the ensembles as well as the social component at life at school. S is sad, but since all his high school friends are returning from their respective schools as well, he sees some compensation.
Since the Eastman kids were on break when all of this was announced, the biggest issue we are facing now is whether to go back to Rochester to empty out his dorm room. Wonder how others are handling this?
Now it looks like Temple might allow percussionists to have access to the practice rooms so S is planning to stay, if possible. He’s definitely better off in Philly than home (Seattle) so while we’d love to have him back here - it’s better he stay there for the next 6 - 7 weeks.
Campus is allowing students with extenuating circumstances to stay in the dorm - and I think he can make a good argument for why he needs to be there. His classes will be online and potentially they can have lessons at the professors’ homes.
All fluid, just taking it day-by-day.
My S is a voice music education major.
All of our K-12 schools and state system universities in PA are closed for two weeks (his spring break was extended by two weeks).
I am hoping this will help slow the virus’ spread.
My older D’s university is switching to all online classes but is still determining how best to handle labs, studio classes, etc.
I am hoping he will be able to finish his music classes after break.
I assume music theory and skills can be taught online, his LA classes as well.
He has a diction class and strings class, along with private voice and piano.
We don’t have a piano at home, nor any string instruments.
I feel bad for the students about cancelled concerts and performances but especially the seniors, I hope they can complete their juries.
UMKC announced yesterday that they will do online courses until the end of the school year. For now residence and dining hall is still open. With this new decision we will probably go pack up his dorm room for the rest of the year in the next few days. Sad for him on so many levels. But, we will make the best of it.
We just picked our son up at airport. He is fine but sounds very sad by sudden campus closure. He has absolutely no ideas about how online / remote classes would work from March 23rd and is a little skeptical about getting performance educations through online. We only hope now that his classes (instrument, keyboard and singing) won’t start until 9:00AM in our time (PST). He cannot make “musical” noise in our condo before 9:00AM. He left some stuffs in boxes / suitcases (with his name on) in a dorm room per his school direction. But he knows nothing what would happen to his stuffs if his school decides to extend campus closure until end of this semester. Currently, his school says until “at least” April 12th but he thinks more likely until end of this semester.
I feel very, very sorry for all seniors in college and high school…
I saw a tiny clip on Instagram of NEC having an impromptu graduation ceremony. So sweet and sad.
@mommdc , are you able to buy a small digital keyboard for your son to use at home? I got really lucky (luckier than I knew at the time!) a few months ago when I saw that someone was selling a really good one on nextdoor.com (and my son is picky) for like half the price that it would cost new. I also got a text from Guitar Center today about discounts that they’re offering on stuff if you call. Ours doesn’t take up much room (it’s a Roland), and the sound is really good.
@Asmother, thanks for the suggestion. He does have a keyboard. But it is not the kind with the weighted keys so it doesn’t feel like a piano.
He uses it sometimes when he is home but says it’s not the same.
We are in a holding pattern here. We will have to see what his school decides to do after break.