would band be considered an 'academic discipline'?

Question

I need a letter of recommendation for college applications. My band director has taught me for 4 years and knows me better than any other teacher, so I am asking him to write me a letter of recommendation.
If they don't consider band an academic course, could they refuse me admission? We're not talking Ivy League or anything. My SAT score was 1520 and I'm ranked 3rd in my class.

Answer 1

"Band" is an ensemble activity of the academic discipline "Applied Music". One way to distinguish an academic course versus an extracurricular activity is to ask "is there a grade for this?" - if there is, it's academic.

Musical ensembles are one of those few cases where it can be either a class or an extracurricular and in some cases the same ensemble can be both.

To see if the college you're considering thinks band is a class, check their catalog and see if it's offered at that college as a class (it would have a class number and credit). At most colleges, you will find that band and choir are offered as both a class and an activity. At many colleges, you'll find that the band and choir directors are named "Doctor somebody" and have a title of Professor - that's academic. ☺

Answer 2

While "Band" may or may not be a field of major (it depends on each University's programs) many musically oriented universities do offer undergraduate and graduate programs in specific instruments. Some even have an ensemble major (which is kind of like band, but not the large marching type like there is at high school football games.) I know for a fact that the University of North Texas, which has a major music school, offers such programs.

For an overview of some of the music programs they offer, check out:

http://www.unt.edu/pais/insert/umusic.htm

They are certainly not the only school with programs like these but this is an idea of what types of study are out there. With your SAT and class rank, you can check out one of the premier music schools in the country, Julliard.

Here is a link to their site:

http://www.juilliard.edu/