How to stay with the Music

[bklittle]

I'm a highschol senior and I'm planning on attending McGill University in Montreal next year and I was wondering what were some ways that I could still be involved with performing. I'm in the college of science for either a psyc or bio major so I can't do a double major or minor in music performance, so that limits my exposure to the groups in the school. I think I can still audition but I think priority goes to music majors. How can I keep playing? And does anyone know what the competition for McGill's jazz is like, and what the jazz scene is like in Montreal, any club names would be awesome to know as well.
Thanks

[sessionsax]

If the school doesn't have the programs that you need or you have difficulty getting into a band class then get a private teacher and do some gigging to keep your chops up.

Make your opportunities.

[TH]

Thats unfair that they give priority to Music Majors :cry: If you're good you're good, be it music major or not they should let you join.... Where's the "social" variety in a band of music students?!.... oh well, their loss!
Im a doing a Bio PhD and I think If I wasn't able to be in my 2 Uni bands I would wilt :-(
Sorry I can't offer you and new information/advice.
Good Luck mate, and like sessionsax said, you could always do some external gigging.
THx
Bio major is a good choice :wink:, I majored in Biochem, and I loved every minute :P

[kcp]

McGill University in Montreal has a great music program, perhaps some will argue but from what I'm told it's one of the best in Canada. From what I know, they allow students from other Majors to play in their BigBands, combos and other formation... assuming they pass the audition. Competition is tough though.

Montreal is is known for it's famous "Festival International de Jazz de Montréal" breaking crowd record attendance year after year.

Some good jazz clubs:
- "La Maison du Jazz" (formerly known as Biddle's)
- Upstairs
- "L'air du Temps"
- "Le Saint-Sulpice"
- "L'Ours qui fume"
- "Le Bistro à JoJo" (for some blues)
... and lots of other places can be found strolling along rue Saint-Denis in the Latin Quarters and near rue Crescent in the Western part of Downtown.

Hope this helps.

[SaxyAcoustician]

I was in your shoes back in 1993 when I began college and later attended graduate school. I had been admitted to the Michigan School of Music but my parents flat out said no to music. Needless to say, I played a ton anyway, in jazz bands, concert bands, wind ensembles, saxophone quartets, chamber winds, etc, etc. But I was lucky since the directors and professors I encountered along the way were open to non-music majors...well, at least the good ones.

The first thing you should do is meet the directors of the bands you're interested in and the professors of your instrument. Some will be very open to the idea of letting you play, especially if you're good. They tend to have an interest in their bands sounding as good as possible regardless of the makeup of the group (as long as they're all students at the school). They will certainly ask you to audition to see how you play. Believe me, if you're good they'll take you.

Of course, there were a couple professors I encountered along the way who weren't so open to non-music majors (one would play the seniority game where he would seat an obviously inferior music major in front of a superior non-music major). Oh well, it was their loss and the students' loss. In my opinion, good non-majors have a lot to offer the not-so-good majors and it would be beneficial for the majors to see that there's a ton of competition in the music business--if there are non-music majors kicking their butt then they're gonna have problems in the future. Better sooner than later to realize you don't belong in music.