I already had an appreciation for it as I went to college for music. Now you will have to appreciate classical music as theory is taught from a classical standpoint. I went for guitar but every theory student will learn a little piano whether they play it or not as this is also part of music theory. You will have an appreciation for it if you take a second year of it, you will have no choice 
Wait until you are full into part writing analysis, oral dictation and conducting along with mode recognition and movement progressions. You don't need to be able to identify keys or chords by ear but you will have to recognize when keys change\modulate and understand the relation ship between chords in a progression. Meaning if I give you a IV chord and then another chord after it is it higher or lower and by how many steps. It's the relations you have to hear by ear not the chords themselves
