Taking Orchestra all 4 years of HS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone's kid take Orchestra all 4 years of high school? DS isn't planning to major in music but enjoys his Orchestra class. It is a bit like down time. He likes his instrument and is involved in Youth Orchestra outside of school. I am just curious if it's a waste of an entire class period (x3) to be taking it every year after the required 1 year for fine arts. Makes me wonder how colleges sees this if the student is not planning to minor in music in college.

I feel sorry for your kid that he has a parent who thinks playing music beyond the requirement is a waste of time. I still play music as an adult.

Relax! No need to twist your undies into a knot.

And no need to feel sorry. It is not like he is deprived of music just because he isn't taking all 4 years of orchestra. He enjoys music, but does plenty outside of school. He has other interests but recently asked me if I think doing 4 years of Orchestra is worthwhile when he also has other classes he might want to take.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let him do what he enjoys and have a little downtime in the day, a well rounded, self-directed, less stressed kid really is more important

YES!!

[Anonymous]

Another parent who said absolutely to my kid’ taking 4 years of band in HS. He was planning to do IB diploma and then had to choose because of a curriculum change, and I was totally supportive of mixing the diploma in favor of band. He loves it. He loves music. Any college that doesn’t want him because he took 4 years of band would not be a good fit for him on that account, so ther is no conflict there.
If music brings your kid joy, celebrate that and let the other stuff fill in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone's kid take Orchestra all 4 years of high school? DS isn't planning to major in music but enjoys his Orchestra class. It is a bit like down time. He likes his instrument and is involved in Youth Orchestra outside of school. I am just curious if it's a waste of an entire class period (x3) to be taking it every year after the required 1 year for fine arts. Makes me wonder how colleges sees this if the student is not planning to minor in music in college.

I feel sorry for your kid that he has a parent who thinks playing music beyond the requirement is a waste of time. I still play music as an adult.

Relax! No need to twist your undies into a knot.

And no need to feel sorry. It is not like he is deprived of music just because he isn't taking all 4 years of orchestra. He enjoys music, but does plenty outside of school. He has other interests but recently asked me if I think doing 4 years of Orchestra is worthwhile when he also has other classes he might want to take.

We’ll do you think it’s worthwhile? You haven’t answered that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone's kid take Orchestra all 4 years of high school? DS isn't planning to major in music but enjoys his Orchestra class. It is a bit like down time. He likes his instrument and is involved in Youth Orchestra outside of school. I am just curious if it's a waste of an entire class period (x3) to be taking it every year after the required 1 year for fine arts. Makes me wonder how colleges sees this if the student is not planning to minor in music in college.

I feel sorry for your kid that he has a parent who thinks playing music beyond the requirement is a waste of time. I still play music as an adult.

Relax! No need to twist your undies into a knot.

And no need to feel sorry. It is not like he is deprived of music just because he isn't taking all 4 years of orchestra. He enjoys music, but does plenty outside of school. He has other interests but recently asked me if I think doing 4 years of Orchestra is worthwhile when he also has other classes he might want to take.

We’ll do you think it’s worthwhile? You haven’t answered that.

If it were me, I would explore other classes since orchestra is available outside of school. If he wants to take other classes then he needs to make room for it other than filling his summer up with more school. Can't have it all! But there is a sense of camaraderie that he probably enjoys in a school orchestra environment as well.

[Anonymous]

Mine did 3 of 4. Her orch class conflicted with her math class soph year, and both were 1 class specialty courses. She sat in on some rehearsals and performed occasionally that year. But, otherwise it worked out to take orchestra every year.

[Anonymous]

Same pp again. Just saw your q about college admissions. Mine got into her top 2 schools and 3 Ivies/T10.

But, that is likely because of her passion. Consider what your kid is passionate about when he selects classes, not just what looks good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine absolutely would if they weren’t in an IB program that doesn’t leave any free slots for electives in 11th and 12th.

This is one reason (along with commute and other reasons) my current 9th grader decided against an IB program and also the CAP program. Band is important to them, and those programs were too constrained in their requirements.

My IB kid took summer school classes to open up elective slots to allow for orchestra all 4 years. Not a prodigy by any means, but it brings him joy and I am here for that.

This is what we plan to do. Child will start summer classes before entering 9th for credit in summer so they can do more electives.

I’m the first PP. Mine tried to make that work, but with only two elective slots, those were taken up by IB language and ToK. Taking grad requirements over the summer allowed 2 years, but not 4, because they don’t offer IB courses over the summer.

[Anonymous]

Depends, not at the expense of skipping 3-4 years of foreign languages

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine absolutely would if they weren’t in an IB program that doesn’t leave any free slots for electives in 11th and 12th.

This is one reason (along with commute and other reasons) my current 9th grader decided against an IB program and also the CAP program. Band is important to them, and those programs were too constrained in their requirements.

My IB kid took summer school classes to open up elective slots to allow for orchestra all 4 years. Not a prodigy by any means, but it brings him joy and I am here for that.

This is what we plan to do. Child will start summer classes before entering 9th for credit in summer so they can do more electives.

I’m the first PP. Mine tried to make that work, but with only two elective slots, those were taken up by IB language and ToK. Taking grad requirements over the summer allowed 2 years, but not 4, because they don’t offer IB courses over the summer.

When DC got into RMIB, our music teacher said the IB program is the death of orchestra students. He was a bit dramatic but wasn't wrong. I don't think doing IB allowed for school orchestra for four years due to all the course requirements, plus I am told the overall music program is not as good at RM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mine absolutely would if they weren’t in an IB program that doesn’t leave any free slots for electives in 11th and 12th.

This is one reason (along with commute and other reasons) my current 9th grader decided against an IB program and also the CAP program. Band is important to them, and those programs were too constrained in their requirements.

My IB kid took summer school classes to open up elective slots to allow for orchestra all 4 years. Not a prodigy by any means, but it brings him joy and I am here for that.

DS also taking whatever summer classes he can, has taken comp sci x2 and Health A. Will take Health B when it’s available summer after his junior year. Those are the only courses he can knock out though. Not sure if that will allow for 3 years of orchestra or 4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone's kid take Orchestra all 4 years of high school? DS isn't planning to major in music but enjoys his Orchestra class. It is a bit like down time. He likes his instrument and is involved in Youth Orchestra outside of school. I am just curious if it's a waste of an entire class period (x3) to be taking it every year after the required 1 year for fine arts. Makes me wonder how colleges sees this if the student is not planning to minor in music in college.

I feel sorry for your kid that he has a parent who thinks playing music beyond the requirement is a waste of time. I still play music as an adult.

Relax! No need to twist your undies into a knot.

And no need to feel sorry. It is not like he is deprived of music just because he isn't taking all 4 years of orchestra. He enjoys music, but does plenty outside of school. He has other interests but recently asked me if I think doing 4 years of Orchestra is worthwhile when he also has other classes he might want to take.

We’ll do you think it’s worthwhile? You haven’t answered that.

If the kid is in something like MCYO, then enrolling in a school orchestra is required.
If it were me, I would explore other classes since orchestra is available outside of school. If he wants to take other classes then he needs to make room for it other than filling his summer up with more school. Can't have it all! But there is a sense of camaraderie that he probably enjoys in a school orchestra environment as well.