So I'm writing a story about a violinist in her music university. The whole story isn't set there, and the story isn't going to focus a lot on music itself (she's a kind of super hero), but I just wanted to know a bit more about what it's like to go to a music school. How is the schedule arranged? How many hours are spent practicing? What is done in ensembles and such? What about out of school performances? Things like that. Mainly I'm interested in the violin and its related instruments, but I'm not opposed to hearing about other instruments. Mainly I'm asking for things that I wouldn't necessarily know to research. In every field there are things you don't know about, so what might a casual not know about music university? Also, it's set in Korea, so if there's anything about Korean universities that you happen to know, I'm all ears. I am doing my research elsewhere, so I'm not relying fully on this thread, but I'd appreciate anything objective on the matter.
I have no knowledge of universities and schools SPECIFICALLY for music (or schools in Korea), but my brother studied music in Canada. His classes were in addition to the core curriculum (humanities, mathematics, sciences, etc). He NEEDED those classes to graduate even though he was there for music. In terms of music, he took performance, composition, classical, jazz. There was this one class/band that he had to audition for and got i ... I think it was concert band.... Where he got really arrogant and the instructor kicked him out of the class. He was so broken up over it. He practiced at all hours. Their semester projects were performances. He had to compose, market, and perform (he streamed it live so that me and our parents could be there). I would look up the curriculum of the type of schools you are interested in. If there is one specific university you are basing the setting on, i would start there.
I've done so, but the problem is that there isn't a lot of class schedules. I'm really only writing my character for her brief time in university, and her classes are more important than the full five years of curriculum. I've been binge-watching TwoSetViolin, and that seems to help, but I'm pretty paranoid that music people will see right through my work.
You make the class schedule. As with real life, you pick the classes from the curriculum and fit them into your (your characters) schedule. As a non musician, i made it so my schedule of classes ended at a certain time. When i was in painting, i signed up for an evening class that way i could stay and use the studio at night. You build your schedule. Say you want your MC to take Music Comp 101 at 8:15 on a Tuesday. Thats a typical class schedule. They last about 2hrs, sometimes longer. Sometimes i i would run to my room to get sleep or to do homework before my next class. Same with my brother, except sometimes he would go and practice or warm up his instrument (woodwind) before his next class
The fact that the university is supposed to be in Korea is trickier than the fact that it's a music major. I doubt many people here have experience with the Korean university system.
Well, there's a lot of things music universities have in common throughout different countries, particularly the developed ones. I don't mind getting Korea a tiny bit wrong if it at least feels like a proper university. The only difference I've noticed at this point in my research is that Westerners have politically correct courses like "Ethnicity, Cultural Diversity, & Education" while the East and Australia do not.
Depends on the university and the major/minor. I went to a religious university so it was a requirement for me to take a religious class every year. My brother went to a public university, so he dis not have to take religion. For my masters, i focused in Diversity and Inclusion, so it was required for me to take courses relating to this. It is a choice to everyone else whether or not they want to take those other classes. My brother chose to take indiginous basket weaving as an elective even though he majored and minored in music.
Pardon me, is this a conservatory devoted entirely to teaching music, like Berklee or Juilliard, or is it a regular university with a music department/school?
