西北大学Bienen音乐学院本学期将私人季度课程从10节减至9节

Bienen reduces number of private quarterly instruction lessons for students
Bienen reduces number of private quarterly instruction lessons for students
Daily file photo by Cayla Labgold-Carroll
Bienen Associate Dean for Student Affairs Linda Jacobs said the change intends to help Bienen professors balance their work load.
Ian Dodd, Assistant Features Editor
October 15, 2026
Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music reduced the number of private quarterly lessons from 10 to nine this fall, according to a statement to Bienen students obtained by The Daily.
In a June 29 email sent to students, Bienen Associate Dean for Student Affairs Linda Jacobs said the change intends to help Bienen professors balance their work load, which includes recruiting new students and listening to student placement auditions every quarter.
Bienen sophomore Jan Nedvetsky said he thinks the change will have a negative impact on his musical growth at NU. 
He said he relies on the private lessons to improve his cello performance.
“This is a time for growth and improvement — technically, musically, artistically and in every sort of way — and teachers are really vital for that,” said Nedvetsky. “Even just one lesson, if it’s badly timed, in the great scheme of things, makes a big difference.” 
Nedvetsky said he thought it was unfair the Bienen administration was removing private lessons despite NU’s tuition increase since the change’s implementation. 
In response to the change, second-year vocal performance graduate student Henry Griffin posted a petition on Change.org, through which he hopes to either restore the number of private lessons to 10 or reduce Bienen students’ quarterly tuition by $685 — the cost of a private lesson. 
Griffin also said he hopes Bienen faculty take note of students’ disappointment following the reduction.
“Many of us are deeply frustrated by this cut into our curriculum and want to voice our concerns so in future years, the administration doesn’t take the liberty of cutting it to eight (lessons per quarter),” Griffin said. 
According to Griffin, incoming first-year undergraduate and masters students weren’t notified about the policy change. The statement from Associate Dean Jacobs was only sent to returning Bienen students, he said.
In an Oct. 8 statement to The Daily, Bienen Dean Jonathan Bailey Holland wrote the change was made after faculty members in the Department of Music Performance requested the Bienen administration review the lesson requirement.  
Holland wrote the change is justified by “similar curricular accommodations made by peer institutions.” He wrote that he believes this reduction will amplify the quality of existing lessons.
“We expect that the quality of lessons and student preparedness should benefit from the added flexibility,” Holland wrote. “The change is also anticipated to boost faculty well-being, which in turn will increase the quality of teaching.”
While Griffin said he understands the commitments of faculty beyond teaching, he added, “It is on the school to reimburse the faculty for those hours, and it’s not on the students for our lesson hours to be cut into because of the faculty’s other demands.”
Email: [email protected]
Related Stories:
— Super Bowl halftime show conductor, Bienen alum Giancarlo Guerrero reflects on his time at Northwestern
— Northwestern plans to raise tuition for 2026-27 academic year, Bienen says
— Jonathan Bailey Holland named Bienen School of Music Dean
0
Like This Story
Share on Facebook
Share on X
Email this Story
Print this Story
Tags:
Bienen School of Music
More to Discover
More in Academic
Spanish Prof. Lexie Cook digs into ongoing research on relics in colonial West Africa
Northwestern, Purdue communities reflect on Chiang transition
McCormick overhauls first-year engineering curriculum
MIT Prof. Sara Seager to search for life in the clouds of Venus
Photojournalist Prashant Panjiar gives snapshot of his career at Northwestern
The Garage fosters entrepreneurship and community for all students
More in Administration
As an international Ph.D. student faces visa uncertainty, NUGW continues grievances against NU
Northwestern leadership considers plans for new engineering building on Evanston campus
McCormick Prof. John Rudnicki died Oct. 4 at age 75
Faculty Senate approves resolution to protect students from federal immigration enforcement
ACLU, Amnesty International USA cite Northwestern in report documenting pro-Palestinian speech suppression
NU rape, stalking offenses jump in 2026 security report
More in Campus
Block Museum of Art hosts discussion on art, women in athletics
Embracing the wild: A crash course to Northwestern wildlife
International students call for support as President Chiang reaches 100 days in office
ASG school senator election results announced
NU sailing team steers students’ lives on, off the water
NU dedicates new memorial to 6 alumni killed in 9/11 attacks