Music at Hamilton
Practice Rooms, Lockers, Instrument Loans and Rental
Anyone experiencing any symptoms of Covid (headache, cough, congestion, fever, sore throat, fatigue, etc.) should not use the practice rooms until they are symptom free.
Brass players should use paper towels or a cloth towel for condensation in any Music Department space (practice room, classroom, stage, etc.). Do not empty spit valves directly into garbage cans or onto the floor. Always clean up after yourself.
Ventilation: Standing air purifiers are situated in classrooms, rehearsal spaces, and practice rooms to supplement the HVAC systems. Woodwind and brass players and singers are encouraged to have these running when using the practice rooms.
Practice Rooms
There are thirteen practice rooms available for student use. Eleven rooms are outfitted with a piano (electric, upright, or baby grand). If you do not need a piano, please try to use a room with an electric keyboard. All practice rooms have a music stand assigned to them and are monitored on a frequent basis. Each room has a sign-up sheet on the door so that students may sign up to use the room at specific times. There is a limit of no more than 2 hours per day in each room. Hours will be blocked out when instruction is scheduled in a room. Students are encouraged to plan practice time into their regular daily/weekly schedules and to sign up for a practice room to guarantee one is available at that time.
Two of the rooms are located on the first floor of List (List 109 and 110). Four of the rooms are located on the second floor of List and are clearly marked “Practice Room.” There is one additional practice room on the second floor of List which is used primarily for music instruction (List 205C). Students registered for Solo Performance or Advanced Solo Performance in Piano may use this room for practice when not in use by a music instructor; only these students will be able to get a key to this room from Music Dept. Academic Office Assistant Kim Carroll. None of the practice rooms in List may be used for practicing amplified instruments.
Students who study organ practice in the Chapel. Keys to the organ are provided by Kim Carroll.
The Harpsichord Practice Room is to be used only by students who have permission from their piano teacher. Use by other students without permission from a music faculty member will result in disciplinary action.
Because the soundproofing in all the practice rooms is of limited effectiveness and because they are in close proximity to classrooms and offices, no practice rooms on the first or second floor of List are available for use by campus bands with drum sets or amplified instruments. For the same reason, classrooms in Schambach and List are also not available for use by campus bands with drum sets or amplified instruments. Students are advised to inquire at the Office of Residential Life for space in the Annex where groups using amplified instruments can rehearse without disrupting the studies of other students.
The department pianos are tuned and serviced regularly. All problems with department pianos should be reported to Sar Strong.
Lockers
Lockers are available in List and Schambach for storing musical instruments. Students in instrumental group performance ensembles are given first priority, then students taking private music lessons. The department does not provide lockers or other storage space to students who are not enrolled for music lessons or who do not require lockers or storage space as participants in an ensemble. Students must be responsible for securing their instruments and keeping their locker locked.
The lockers in List are located in and just outside of List 213. The lockers in Schambach are located in the basement, in the hallway between List 104 and the Music Library. To secure these lockers, a student will need to see Kim Carroll to sign out a combination padlock.
To obtain a locker, please visit List Art Center #217/email kmcarrol@hamilton.edu. PLEASE DO NOT STORE ANY INSTRUMENTS IN ANY LOCKERS UNLESS YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED ONE.
The use of padlocks other than those provided by the Music Department is not permitted, and they will be removed. Under no circumstances can a student take a locker without getting permission. The department will remove anything left in lockers that have not been obtained from the department.
Instrument Loans and Rental
A limited number of department-owned orchestral and jazz instruments are available for use by students who are members of group performance ensembles. Interested students should consult Professor Buchman for orchestral instruments or Professor Woods for jazz instruments. A deposit may be required. Please consult Music Dept. Academic Office Assistant Kim Carroll for the policies and procedures on instrument borrowing and rental.
If a department-owned instrument is not available, students will need to make their own arrangements for renting an instrument. String instruments may be available through Johnson String Instruments in Newton, MA, and wind instruments through Big Apple Music in New Hartford or Empire Winds in Syracuse.