This fall, our community has powerfully demonstrated that music-making is not only possible, but vital, in the most challenging of times. The following comprises the framework for the Spring, and reflects our continued commitment to providing an education of excellence that prioritizes opportunities for in-person music-making, while ensuring the health and safety of our community.
SPRING AT NEC
Similarly to the Fall semester, we will continue to offer a hybrid experience for Boston-based students, with a focus on music-making on campus combined with online classes; and a fully-online experience for remote students.
Boston-based hybrid option:
- Academic classes: continue to be offered online, to promote safety and to allow flexible use of the classroom spaces for performance and recording-based work.
- Studio lessons and performance-based classes: in-person, online, or hybrid, as determined collaboratively with faculty.
- Ensembles: in-person ensembles continue.
- Performances: in-person performances, including live streaming and recordings, continue.
Fully-remote option:
- Academic classes: continue to be offered online, synchronously and asynchronously;
- Studio lessons and performance-based classes: continue to be offered online, with use of low-latency technology as available.
- Ensembles: students required to register for ensembles will have three options: i. Participate in online ensembles ii. Register for an alternative course approved by your academic advisor iii. Remain registered for your ensemble but then complete the work in a future semester at no additional cost.
- Performances: opportunities to participate in performances digitally will be available through the semester.
- Ensemble credit: students pursuing this option who have ensemble requirements will receive an ensemble credit, equivalent to one credit of tuition ($1650 for undergraduate students), to be applied to Spring-semester tuition, not to exceed full tuition.
- Comprehensive fee: the comprehensive fee will be waived.
- Campus access: students electing a fully-remote option will not be included in NEC's testing program, and therefore will not have access to campus facilities.
Your advisor will ask you to declare your choice of one of these two options, and you will be asked to confirm your final decision by January 11 using a web form which will be shared later in the fall.
ACADEMIC CALENDAR
The Spring semester will be comprised of a full 14 weeks, and will begin on January 25, one week later than previously planned. To ensure the health and safety of our community and reduce the need for travel mid-semester, Spring Break will be reduced in length, and practice facilities will remain open during these times. More information about the academic calendar can be found here.
The NEC COVID-19 Testing Center will reopen on January 11. Select campus facilities, including practice rooms, will open on January 12. We will ask students to complete two tests, 3-7 days apart, before returning to campus. Students will be able to submit a test prior to their return; through the NEC COVID-19 Testing Center; or both, and we will share more details about this process in a forthcoming communication.
PRACTICE FACILITIES
Practice facilities will continue to be available by reservation. Based on student feedback, we are considering several possible adjustments to our reservation policies, and are piloting several ideas in the coming days. Any policy changes that are found to be beneficial in the Fall would carry forward to the Spring.
STUDIO LESSONS
Studio lessons will continue to be offered both in-person and online, through the full 14-week semester.
ENSEMBLES, PERFORMANCES, RECITALS, PROMOTIONALS
Ensembles and performances are an integral part of the Spring semester. All live performances will be streamed, and held in all of our concert halls, including the Eben Jordan Ensemble Room, Brown Hall, Burnes Hall, Jordan Hall, the Keller Room, Pierce Hall, the Plimpton-Shattuck Black Box Theatre, and Williams Hall. When appropriate, some ensembles will make live recordings for broadcast, similar to the Fall semester.
We will share more details relative to ensembles, performances, recitals, and promotionals in the coming days.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Through the Fall semester, NEC has implemented a wide array of policies, procedures, and practices with the intent of ensuring the health and safety of our community, including a comprehensive COVID-19 testing program. These policies will continue through the Spring semester.
HOUSING AND DINING
NEC's residence hall will remain closed for the Spring semester. We plan to fully reopen the residence hall for the Fall 2021 semester, and will share additional information about the housing application process on the usual schedule.
STUDENT TOWN HALL
We will be hosting a student town hall October 22 at 7:30pm ET. We invite you to join us to hear more about the coming Spring semester, and to ask any questions that you may have. An invitation will be sent to students via email.
PERFORMANCE INTENSIVE
We continue to develop our in-person Spring Performance Intensive, which is planned for May 13-30.
MORE DETAILS
More information will be posted on this page in the coming days. The information below is specific to our continued operations for the fall semester.