General Information
The music department will provide accompanists for Friday afternoon recitals, graduation recitals and juries (singers only).
Students will have to make their own arrangements for other kinds of recitals (sophomore or junior recitals), although the music department is willing to help students in this process.
A student needing an accompanist for any recital (Friday afternoon or graduation) will indicate this on the recital form available online or from the Music Office.
The deadline for submitting the form is three weeks before the date of the recital.
Working with your Accompanist
Beverly Babcock is the college’s staff accompanist. Her office is MH 26, and her weekly schedule is posted on the door. She accompanies the Friday afternoon student recitals as well as senior recitals, working with singers and instrumentalists. You may speak with her also about working with you and your private teacher during a private lesson, as this is sometimes possible.
Hints for working with the accompanist:
- Before photocopying your music, please write in the definitions of all musical markings (i.e. legato, marcato, maestoso).
- When making a copy of your music, please reduce the size to 93-95% to make sure that the entire page gets copied.
- Check to see that the music is straight on the page.
- Include the name of the composer and the title of the work if it’s not on the page.
- Singers should include a translation for any text that is not in English.
- Put your name on the first page of each piece.
If you are unable to keep your rehearsal time, please notify Ms.Babcock. Her contact information is on the schedule posted on the door of her office. Please do not go directly to the piano faculty, the staff accompanist, or to other students. Go first to the Music Office, who will be your liaison with your accompanist. - If you have an accompanist in mind, and this person has agreed, it is still very important that their piano instructors know what they are doing.
Responsibilities of the Accompanists for Student Recitals
If your accompanist is a student, you will want to set up a few rehearsals and perhaps arrange to have the student come to a lesson with you. Even so, the student performs this service without payment, and you must not expect more than a few rehearsals. If you need more, you should compensate your accompanist in some way. If your accompanist is the staff accompanist (Ms. Babcock, and this will typically be the case) then you will have rehearsals according to a pre-determined schedule (ask Ms. Babcock for details). If you need more rehearsals than we provide, you will have to compensate her.
Please remember that Ms Babcock is a professional, and is to be treated with respect. If you treat her disrespectfully––e.g., missing rehearsals, canceling appointments, etc.––you will lose the privilege of using this service.
Please Note – All accompanists, paid or unpaid, appreciate your thanks for their efforts. A card, flowers, or another small gift is an appropriate gesture of thanks on your part.