<p>I know music majors have an ensemble requirement for undergrad, but is there still an ensemble requirement for most graduate programs? I’m talking about grad programs for performance majors, in Masters & Doctoral programs. Thanks!</p>
<p>I believe that most grad performance programs have ensemble requirements. If you check the websites, you can confirm this. Son did a MM in cello performance and was required to be in orchestra each semester as well as chamber music requirements. I know the requirements were similar at all the school to which he applied.</p>
<p>Ok, and my major would be performance, specifically piano. I have several years to go yet since I’m just going to undergrad this fall, graduating from high school next month…but I have to get a new, higher level instrument for my other instrument, which is clarinet, and I’m just wondering whether it would be worth it to spend a lot on a really nice one, like if I’ll be using it beyond undergrad.</p>
<p>If piano is your major instrument, then in grad school you won’t have ensemble requirements that require you to play clarinet.</p>
<p>So violindad, in your experience, ensembles in grad school are only required for “ensemble-ish” instruments if you’re majoring in that…so it would be optionable for me.</p>
<p>At Rice piano graduate students either participate in chorale or do 2 semesters of collaborative piano - that is where the voice students get their accompanists 
They must also take 4 semesters of Advanced Chamber Music. But not in another instrument. I think this may be one of those things that is school dependent. I can’t see graduate school requiring another instrument. BTW undergrad pianists do no the chorale, too.</p>
<p>iluvpiano: You are right that there would be no ensemble requirement for you to play clarinet. You may indeed have ensemble requirements as a pianist (normally in the form of collaborative piano/accompanying or chamber music/duo piano), but you won’t be required to play a second instrument in order to fulfill your ensemble requirements. So having a clarinet (or any other second instrument) is not necessary for graduate study in music. </p>
<p>If you are an accomplished clarinetist at the grad level (in addition to majoring in piano), then you might be permitted to play clarinet in an ensemble, but some schools would not allow playing clarinet in an ensemble to fulfill the graduate ensemble requirement of a piano major. They want your ensemble requirements to more directly develop your piano skills.</p>
<p>The level of playing and study required in good graduate programs means that very few graduate students can play a second instrument at a sufficiently high level for the playing to qualify for graduate credit. I am sure that there are lower-quality graduate programs out there that would be happy to add a musically-literate graduate clarinetist to one of their predominantly undergrad bands and that would give you credit. </p>
<p>Graduate programs tend to be very specialized (in all fields; not just music). Even at the undergrad level, very very few good programs in music performance require a second instrument. Many studio teachers actively discourage or totally forbid the study of a second instrument. Of course, if you are studying music education, then a second instrument is quite a common requirement.</p>
<p>Well my undergrad school just requires a second instrument for 4 semesters, and then your ensemble requirement for piano for the last 4 semesters is accompanying. I don’t think non-pianists have to have a second instrument; it’s just that there isn’t an ensemble for piano.</p>