Message to Conservatory Students on COVID-19 from Dean Stepniak

COVID-19 FAQs for Conservatory students 

How will my Conservatory classes, lessons, and recitals continue as Shenandoah moves online from March 16-29?

How am I going to take my conservatory classes online?

Each faculty member will be in touch prior to your regularly scheduled class time outlining what instruction might look like in the next two weeks. Direct questions to your instructor who can help clarify. Conservatory faculty are working hard to make plans for your classes. Please know that your safety is our top priority. We are working day by day, hour by hour to make this transition work for you.

How will conservatory classes like piano class be done online?

Faculty members are aware of your need to experience the interactive component of a class piano course. At present, Class Piano faculty are preparing instructional videos and corresponding assignments with appropriate course content to preserve the pace of learning in each class. In some cases, students may not have access to a piano or keyboard and appropriate accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Faculty will be contacting individual class sections throughout the week with specific instructions for each class.

Please check your Canvas portal regularly for updates to the schedule. Please know that Dr. Walker, Ms. Dransfield, and Mathilde Handlesman are working diligently to provide a seamless transition to our new, and hopefully temporary learning environment.

How will classes like ear training be done online?

Students will attend classes online, where they will receive instructional videos, recommended exercises for sight-reading practice, and sound files for transcription. For attendance, students will upload transcription PDFs and links to sight-reading videos through Canvas after each class meeting.

Bi-weekly sight-singing assessments and weekly transcription assignments should proceed as normally scheduled, only students will use Canvas to upload links to videos of their sight singing and submit PDFs of their assignments.

How do we reschedule a student recital?

Per the university’s recent announcement, academic instruction will remain online only through March 29. As part of academic instruction, recitals and dress rehearsals are also suspended during this two-week period. This is also in alignment with the university’s policies that all Shenandoah Conservatory events are cancelled. Your conservatory faculty is diligently working to provide you with rescheduled or equivalent recital opportunities as soon as possible. Please bear with us, as scheduling, music rights, technology access and other issues play into this decision. We will clarify as soon as we are able and be in touch with the students who have been impacted.

How am I supposed to take a dance class online?

Faculty members are aware of your need to remain engaged creatively as well as maintain conditioning. Faculty will be in touch on Monday during your regularly scheduled class time with a plan that will address both elements of your education. Faculty are currently researching best practices and will communicate creative ideas to you in the coming days.

How will we have applied lessons online?

Lessons will continue online via Zoom or Skype. Your applied lesson faculty will provide the same expertise in the online setting as they would in the classroom. During this time of transition, lesson content may vary, but your instructors hold your concerns and technical proficiency at the forefront as they navigate this new territory. Online lessons are common and can be a great career or secondary source of income for performers. This is an opportunity for students to explore a potential career option and learn more about the technology and pedagogy involved.