Alexander’s Story
“Science is my strength, but I have been playing French horn all my life. I am always among the top students in the state music festivals, and I don’t think I could live without it. On the other hand, I have eight fish tanks in the basement, and a life-long ambition to be the next Jacques Cousteau. I seem to have an easy time with math and science, and I have worked very hard to keep a straight A average in the toughest honors courses offered at my school. On the other hand, my horn teacher says I have what it takes to be an orchestral musician, and he is pushing me very hard to apply to most of the major conservatories—saying that it would be a waste of talent if I did not. I really love the horn, and I don’t want to settle for anything less than the highest level situation, but I would need to find a program where I could do a double degree involving a top conservatory, and a school that offers one of the top oceanography programs in the country. Eventually, I would like to analyze whale songs in musical terms. I am also interested in doing research on marine mammals, and how they react to different styles of music. Maybe it will help with those kept in captivity.”
Alexander is one of the rare young people out there who has two equal and intense talents. He doesn’t want to settle for (if you will pardon the term) “second best” in either his liberal arts or his music program. He differs from Jennifer in that he is not conflicted about what he wants to do. He has specific interests and is bound and determined to pursue both with equal vigor. If he could (fantasy time here), he would try to place one foot in a highly focused music conservatory, and the other in a top-rated academic institution with a highly regarded oceanography program. He would attend both at the same time–a neat trick if you could pull it off…and if you don’t mind paying two (cough!) tuitions. This is the profile of those who should be considering double degree programs.
These are not programs for the faint of heart. The two schools involved usually do not structure their schedules in the same way, so there are typically conflicts when, for instance, orchestra rehearsals are scheduled at the same time as the advanced bio labs. You get the idea. A little creativity on the part of the student helps, and a mild degree of frustration can also be expected.
Why would Alexander be more interested in a conservatory-based program than in one of the excellent comprehensive programs at a large University?
I don’t know.
Alexander may, in fact, be exploring those options, and the fact that he is visiting my office at a conservatory tells me that he is trying to figure out the plusses and minuses of each setting. This gives me a good excuse to bring up the subject of how conservatories and music schools differ from the music departments of large universities. The answer (he said, cryptically) is not only in what the schools offer their students, but also in what the students demand from the schools.
Most music conservatories were founded with the mission and purpose of fostering musical development within the student body. At the outset, a given conservatory must decide what constitutes a good musical education—what it offers its students. If it is successful, the school attracts students of increasingly high ability, and the student body eventually develops into a collection of “Howard” types who demand a curriculum that crams as much training and intensity into four years as possible. If the school is wise, it will put all its energy and resources into the effort. Every element of study, from languages to liberal arts, will be focused toward the needs of students seeking musical careers. Over the decades, the better conservatories and music schools have done just that—each in its own way.
Universities, on the other hand, have a wider perspective and must address the educational wants and needs of a more diverse group of people. Thus, as a music student (even a B.M. student) at a large university, you will take your English courses with English majors, and your history courses with history majors. Also, subjects like math and science—sometimes required in a university setting—are optional, or hardly noticed at all, at conservatories.
It is hard to claim which approach will be better for a given student. That is what makes the college selection process so interesting. However, it is fair to say that a school which knows its classes will be filled with music students has an opportunity to tune those classes to be of maximum benefit to those with musical interests. It comes down to that word “focus” again. The more selective music schools tend to be relatively small, highly focused places with the entire student body traveling, you might say, in the same direction. The better known university music schools also offer high quality music programs, but in the context of a much more diverse college environment. Each approach offers benefits to the right kind of student.
Meet Mike
“I was just visiting the campus at my first-choice college, and they said I could take music courses at a local conservatory. I was wondering if I had to do a double degree or something for that to happen?”
That’s an easy one. Most schools offer liberal arts students an opportunity to cross-register to other local schools if the student wants to study a subject not otherwise available. The same applies to students at the music school who want to take a liberal arts subject not offered there.
And Finally, Bill. His Parents Will Speak for Him.
“Bill is a very talented guitarist, but that’s not what he wants to do with his life. Well, not exactly, anyway. I mean, his guitar teacher would like him to fully develop his talent, but even though he has been studying classical guitar for several years, he seems equally interested in the electronics the bands use these days. This kid has a keyboard and what seems like a recording studio in his room. He sits in there for hours, and I must admit that some of the stuff he comes up with is pretty good. Of course, being his parents, we would say that. He would really like to pursue the music, but we have pretty much given up hope on finding a program that would allow him to follow both interests.”
Within the program structures of most music schools are a variety of double degree or double major programs that combine music performance with a music related subject. Choices vary by school, but it is not hard to find B.M. degrees that combine performance with music education, recording arts (music technology), musical theater, music industry (management), musicology (history), accompanying, early music (lute, harpsichord, etc.), electronic/computer music, jazz, music therapy, pedagogy, or church music. These programs vary widely in their entrance and exit requirements, and in the kind of students they attract, so don’t take anything for granted.
Bill and his family are likely to be thrilled when they discover that Bill won’t have to straddle two schools to get his needs met. In all likelihood, he can take a double degree program in “recording arts” or “music technology” at a single school. At some schools, the performance degree is optional.