Submitting CDs with Your Application
 Although
not required, the department strongly
encourages prospective students to audition for a faculty member
or to submit an audition CD or tape. Colby's applied music instructors
and faculty are delighted to meet with prospective students during
campus visits, and we encourage students to remain in contact with
the appropriate teacher during the admission process. Artistic talent
is one of many factors considered in admissions, and students with musical
abilities can frequently strengthen their application by submitting
evidence of musical accomplishment. CDs (preferably good quality audio
tapes or CDs rather than video recordings) should be submitted directly to the music department (see contact information below),
labeled with your name, the class to which you are applying, and the
titles of the musical selections (typically two works in contrasting
styles). You may also include the Arts Supplement from the Common
Application if you wish.
For further details concerning the submission of CDs,
contact Vivian Lemieux in the
music office.
Participation in Ensembles by Non-Majors/Minors
 Music department classes, lessons, ensembles, recitals, competitions,
and other activities are open to all students, regardless of
major. Colby students' involvement in music ranges widely -- from
taking a single class or semester of lessons to fulfilling the music
major. Some students, including numerous first-chair players and section
leaders, prefer to participate in the music department only through
lessons and ensembles while pursuing an entirely different major in
the classroom. A recent winner of our concerto competition, for example,
was a pre-med student, who devotes himself as intensely to his voice
studies as he does to biochemistry. Music majors, too, are often deeply
involved in other academic work in addition to their music; nearly
half our current majors are declared double majors with music and
other fields. One recent graduate finished majors in both music
and math while earning state certification in teaching.
Meeting Faculty Members
Members of the faculty are delighted to meet prospective students,
and applied music instructors are happy to talk with students
and give short coaching sessions during a Colby visit. Contact Vivian Lemieux in the music office
to schedule an appointment.
Academic Credit for Lessons and Ensembles
Colby grants academic credit for lessons, participation in
ensembles, and chamber music once you have completed a music theory
course (MU181, MU153 or the equivalent).
Lesson Fees
Lessons for
music majors in good standing are subsidized by the College; the current fees (2006-07) for non-majors is $250 per semester for one half-hour
lesson per week, and $500 for hour lessons. Some scholarships for music study are available to
students with financial need.
Credit/Placement for AP Courses
 We work
carefully with incoming students to ensure the appropriate
placement in music theory. The department generally grants credit for MU 181 to students
who score a 5 on the AP music theory exam; placement is in MU
182 (offered spring semesters). Students who earn a 4 on the AP exam receive credit for
MU 153, but may also be able to place out of MU181 by examination. If you earn AP
credit for MU 153 or MU 181, you are also eligible to receive credit for lessons
and participation in department-sponsored performing groups. (The granting
of academic credit for AP courses is handled through the registrar's
office; for information on Colby's placement exam, consult the music department office.)
Life after Colby
Colby's music students have been successful in a variety of
career paths. Some attend graduate school and earn advanced degrees
in performance, composition, music history or music theory. Some
teach privately or obtain certification to teach public school music.
Others have worked in radio, film, recording, or other facets of the
music industry, sometimes after studying arts management or earning
an MBA. Still others have chosen careers outside music where the skills
that they learned from their music studies (including abstract reasoning,
aesthetic sensitivity, and analytical skills) serve them well.
View the Music Department Alumni Page
Contact information
Department of Music
Colby College
5670 Mayflower Hill
Waterville, ME 04901-8856
For Additional Information
The department's administrative secretary,
Vivian Lemieux, can be
reached at 207-872-3236 (fax 207-872-3141). If you need information concerning
department-sponsored ensembles, the name of
the appropriate contact can be found via the performing
groups page. Contact information for individual faculty members
is listed on the faculty contact
page.
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