By Ellie Porter ’25 / Reporter
A cello student engages in his music lesson.
Why workout when you can rock out? This year, the Arts Department says you don’t have to. They have made two significant changes to their programming: students can now take weekend music lessons and pursue music practice as an afternoon activity.
In the past, music lessons were limited to weekdays as Choate classified them as an academic pursuit. However, dialogue between students and faculty regarding the difficulties of incorporating music lessons into a class schedule has prompted Choate to reconsider this policy. Farrah Mcqueen ’25 expressed how tough it can be to have weekday music lessons. “If you are taking six classes, you have three free blocks per week, and two of those are lessons,” she said.
However, there are a few caveats to this new opportunity. The first is the logistics of scheduling with an instructor for weekend lessons. Head of the Arts Department Mr. Matthew McLean stated that while weekend lessons are an excellent opportunity for students, “there has to be a teacher with a schedule that can accommodate a weekend lesson. If the teacher is not available on weekends, they are out of luck, I’m afraid.” Additionally, if it is a Choate-mandated music lesson, it can only be scheduled on a Saturday when Choate hosts academic commitments such as sports and clubs.
In addition to the new weekend schedule opportunities, The Arts Department has created a new afternoon activity: music practice. Students must start the afternoon by meeting in groups to discuss practice strategies before finding a room in the Paul Mellon Arts Center (PMAC) or Colony Hall for independent practice. Allowing students to rehearse after school has been helpful to boarding students especially, as they are unable to practice in their dorm without disrupting others. “Twhe response has been great,” Mr. McLean stated. “Students are already trying to figure out how they can take it in the winter and spring terms.”
Mr. McLean’s next step is to extend the policy that allows for students in the Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus to qualify for weighted GPA credit. He is also currently finding a way to get a third hour of practice for students who play in other groups such as Jazz or Wind Ensemble. Mr. McLean hopes that with these changes, the music program will become more accessible to many more students.
