Dropping orchestra to do two languages in high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD is in eighth grade and announced today that she wants to drop orchestra in high school and learn French. She has been doing Spanish since fifth grade so will continue with that, but she now says she wants to do both languages.

I hate to see her drop orchestra because she enjoys it (although she's not a star player in her instrument or anything). I think she'll be more well rounded to do orchestra and continue Spanish rather than add another language just because it sounds fun. But when I was in high school I didn't do languages or orchestra so I don't know what the implications of this are.

Is doing two languages in high school considered a bad idea? Do colleges look on this unfavorably versus someone who is more well rounded?

My DC is into music and quit French and Spanish and kept orchestra. I think it comes down to what you child enjoys. The person who mentioned arts credit is correct. For many students, orchestra can balance a child's schedule with a class that doesn't have a lot of homework.

I suggest you talk with her daughter, explain the graduation requirements, show her what qualifies as arts credit and let her decide whether she wants to get that credit from orchestra or another arts course.

I encouraged my kid to continue with orchestra to have a class that did not have a lot of homework. She is a freshman in college now and it was definitely the right call. OP, if your kid is good at languages French I & II are not going to be hard for her. Having upper level French and Spanish in 11th & 12th could be a lot. Seems like keeping orchestra for freshman year makes sense she'll need the arts credit. See how it goes. If she doesn't enjoy it, she can drop it after freshman year.

[Anonymous]

I think it would be smart to do orchestra ninth grade to help make friends in high school

[Anonymous]

Does she take private lessons in her instrument? If so she could audition for one of the local youth orchestras to continue playing in an orchestra. Those orchestras typically require that kids participate in their school music programs too, but they might make an exception if there's an unavoidable schedule conflict.