MUSIC
The doors of the John E.N. & Dede Howard Department of Music are open to all students on campus. The Hillsdale College Symphony Orchestra performs major orchestral repertoire and features faculty, guest, and student soloists throughout the season. The Hillsdale College Choir is open to all students and performs standard choral repertoire with a focus on major oratorios. The Chamber Choir is an a cappella auditioned group of 28 vocalists that performs at numerous College functions on and off campus. The Chapel Choir performs various services in Christ Chapel throughout the academic calendar. Every four years, the orchestra and choirs join forces to present Handel’s Messiah, featuring student soloists. The Jazz Program includes a Big Band, Little Big Band, and numerous student combos. Student musicians participate in various chamber ensembles with faculty coaching including percussion ensemble, flute choir, string quartets, string trios, brass quintet, woodwind quintet, saxophone quartet and others based on student interest. Every year, advanced students studying private voice present an Opera Workshop performance ranging from individual scenes to complete staged productions. The Annual Concerto/Aria Competition allows students the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the College Symphony Orchestra. Every year, the Music Department joins forces with the Theatre and Dance Department to present musical productions. The Hillsdale Community Wind Symphony rehearses in the Howard Music Building and is open to students for credit. The Professional Artists Series brings international touring soloists and ensembles to campus for performance and masterclass sessions with students. Attendance at all music performances on campus is free of charge and open to the public.
Private lessons are available for credit on all instruments of the orchestra and band as well as voice, piano, organ, guitar, harp and music composition. There is an $85 per credit/per semester fee for private lessons; however, the fee is waived for students who either major or minor in music. Class group instruction is available for credit in voice, guitar and percussion at no additional fee.
THEATRE
Students interested in any of the arts and crafts of theatre production will find participating in the Tower Players’ season to be a uniquely valuable extracurricular opportunity. Each year, the Tower Players present at least three, more often four, faculty-directed productions. These productions are carefully chosen to reflect the breadth of Western theatre tradition, with a concentration on the classics while at the same time providing opportunities to work in musicals, contemporary dramas, and world premieres. Recent productions have included Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Production opportunities also exist for student playwrights and directors, and students are encouraged to design or work on lighting, sets, costumes, and sound under the guidance of experienced staff professionals.
DANCE
Students can choose to participate in dance at the College in several ways. Besides the regular dance classes offered through the Theatre and Dance Department, there are also two annual faculty-directed dance concerts featuring student dancers performing choreography by visiting and resident choreographers. Students can participate in these dance concerts either on stage or back stage. There are also numerous student dance clubs, including a Swing Dance Club and the Tulloch Ard Highland Scottish Dancers.
COMPETITIVE SPEAKING (FORENSICS)–DEBATE AND INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Students interested in honing their public speaking skills will find a number of opportunities to do so on Hillsdale College’s two competitive speaking teams. Both teams are open to students from all disciplines, and each student may enroll for academic credit for being an active member of the team.
Mock Trial, as sanctioned by the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA), is a co-curricular activity intended to foster the development of undergraduate students in the areas of leadership, public speaking, rhetoric, and persuasion through a legal forum. Currently, over 700 teams from over 400 universities and colleges compete in AMTA-sponsored tournaments. At competition, a mock trial team consists of three attorneys and three witnesses on each side of the case (plaintiff/prosecution and defense). Attorneys are responsible for delivering an opening statement, conducting direct and cross examinations of witnesses, and delivering closing arguments. Witnesses include both experts as well as lay people. Judges are usually attorneys or coaches, and on some occasions, practicing judges. Significant academic engagement is expected from students including, but not limited to: expanding their knowledge and practical application of logic; engaging in the composition and delivery of speeches, arguments, and testimony; learning and applying Rules of Evidence; preparing and delivering dramatic testimony.
On the nationally recognized Debate Team, students have the opportunity to work with a number of styles of debate. In the past, our students have competed across a wide range of debate styles and organizations, including NPDA (Parliamentary Debate), NEDA, CEDA (Cross-Examination), NDT and Lincoln-Douglas (Individual) Debate. Students may compete in a number of styles during any semester. Both teams travel extensively each semester, and will coordinate their efforts from time to time. Each team also has scholarship opportunities available for qualified students following the first year of participation, beginning in the sophomore year.
STUDENT PUBLICATIONS
Students from any academic discipline may join the staffs of the College’s weekly newspaper, the Collegian; the campus radio station, WRFH 101.7 FM; the yearbook, the Winona; and the literary magazine, Tower Light. All students, by payment of the general fees, are automatic subscribers to these publications.
The individual specifically interested in communications should refer to the Herbert H. Dow II Program in American Journalism or the rhetoric and public address minors.