What's up at the conservatory?

wmgan
Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:23:30 +0000

I haven’t visited this forum in a long time, or I would have responded sooner.

I don’t know why the website for applications is not up yet. (I’m assuming you mean the site where you can upload your audition in MP3 format? When I applied here they didn’t have that, so I don’t know exactly how that works.) I wouldn’t worry about it since the application deadline isn’t until January, but if you’re concerned, I would e-mail the Conservatory Office at conservatory@bard.edu.

Currently, we have about 35 students in the undergraduate program. Whether it’s “working” or “fun” really depends on the individual, I think. I came here with the intention of completely immersing myself in everything I’m interested in — I’m majoring in piano and mathematics, and I’m also actively involved in musical theater and other stuff — and I think this is really the right place and program for me. Some students are struggling in academic classes more than others — and obviously each student would have a harder time in some classes than in others (even as a math and music major, for instance, I still have to satisfy my distributional requirements by taking a lab science, a social socience, a second language, a literature class, etc. before I graduate).

The program isn’t perfect, by any means. There are lots of kinks in the system, and it can be really frustrating to have to work around such a tight and often unpredictable schedule. But I wouldn’t have settled for anything less than a double degree, and Bard seems to be more supportive of the double degree than Oberlin and other places (especially since the conservatory requires it).