Spring Break
Music ensemble classes deserve more credit for their workload
Cindy Luo
Issue date: 2/5/09 Section: Commentary
Many students begin the year scouring for classes that will get them the requisite amount of credits necessary for them to be full-time enrolled students. There is deliberation over whether to scrape by with the bare minimum, or go above and beyond what is required of them.
Either way, students want to maximize their classes and credits. They want credits according to the amount of time they put in for the class. A typical 3-credit class meets more than two hours a week while a 4-credit class meets even more frequently, thus the reason why it is worth the extra credit. So why is it that the musical ensembles, which meet on average at least two and a half hours per week, are only worth a single credit?
Every Monday night, Festival Chorus meets for two-and-a-half hours. For the entire time span, the students sing and work on their voices. Every Wednesday night, the Symphony Orchestra meets for two-and-a-half hours. For the entire time span, students play their instruments, constantly trying to improve their ensemble play. Suffice it to say, these students usually exert more effort and energy in their respective ensembles than other students who barely manage to stay awake, let alone do work, in two- and-a-half-hour lecture classes. Why do the former not get the credit they deserve?
Some students may say that a music ensemble isn't a "real class." They may say it is not as challenging or they say that it does not involve work. But this is simply not the case. Students in musical ensembles, whether it is symphonic band, wind ensemble, symphony orchestra or chorus, are engaged for the entirety of their session. It's virtually impossible to be distracted while the ensemble is playing, virtually impossible to goof off and ignore the conductor.
Being a member of an ensemble means that there are also strict attendance policies. Arriving five minutes late means the same amount of discipline, if not more, for the offending student than not showing up at all. In many ensembles, music majors are not allowed any absences (save for emergencies). Non-music majors are allowed one absence. The ensembles even have office hours and "lab" sessions, which are usually divided into sections.
Either way, students want to maximize their classes and credits. They want credits according to the amount of time they put in for the class. A typical 3-credit class meets more than two hours a week while a 4-credit class meets even more frequently, thus the reason why it is worth the extra credit. So why is it that the musical ensembles, which meet on average at least two and a half hours per week, are only worth a single credit?
Every Monday night, Festival Chorus meets for two-and-a-half hours. For the entire time span, the students sing and work on their voices. Every Wednesday night, the Symphony Orchestra meets for two-and-a-half hours. For the entire time span, students play their instruments, constantly trying to improve their ensemble play. Suffice it to say, these students usually exert more effort and energy in their respective ensembles than other students who barely manage to stay awake, let alone do work, in two- and-a-half-hour lecture classes. Why do the former not get the credit they deserve?
Some students may say that a music ensemble isn't a "real class." They may say it is not as challenging or they say that it does not involve work. But this is simply not the case. Students in musical ensembles, whether it is symphonic band, wind ensemble, symphony orchestra or chorus, are engaged for the entirety of their session. It's virtually impossible to be distracted while the ensemble is playing, virtually impossible to goof off and ignore the conductor.
Being a member of an ensemble means that there are also strict attendance policies. Arriving five minutes late means the same amount of discipline, if not more, for the offending student than not showing up at all. In many ensembles, music majors are not allowed any absences (save for emergencies). Non-music majors are allowed one absence. The ensembles even have office hours and "lab" sessions, which are usually divided into sections.
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