<p>my son is almost 23,has an a.a. degree,just returned from teaching english in china. he wants to return to school and study piano,music theory,film scoring and music production. he has played piano and composed music and lyrics all his life,had classical training as a child,has some background performing and producing hip hop but has eclectic tastes all over the map. he is gifted but lacking in finely honed musical skills that would impress at an audition.he says he would like to go to a small liberal arts school.i have no idea how to advise him.does anyone out there have any advice or ideas?many thanks</p>
<p>steiny- Welcome. From the limited background info, I'm assuming his interest now lies in the "production" or composing areas as opposed to performance or education, or a specified discipline like music history or theory. It seems his focus will be on modern, pop, or current trend music.</p>
<p>While I can offer nothing specific, here's a few places to start:</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=258796%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=258796</a>, an excellent overview that will offer many insights as to what to look for and expect in general.</p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=240407%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=240407</a>, general audition experiences and info</p>
<p>These are excellent, and will give you some more insights and background info on degree options and career paths. I'm not listing them because of the institution, but because they are well written and informative.
<a href="http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/705%5B/url%5D">http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/705</a>
<a href="http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/%7Enavmusic/careerpaths/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~navmusic/careerpaths/index.html</a>
<a href="http://www.ec4music.com/resources_parental.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.ec4music.com/resources_parental.shtml</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.stringsmagazine.com/search/msd/default.aspx%5B/url%5D">http://www.stringsmagazine.com/search/msd/default.aspx</a> a searchable database of music school options. Not all inclusive, but a place to start.</p>
<p>I'll address a few points in general: BA/BM degree difference- the BA has less performance criteria, and more liberal arts requirements, whereas a BM is more indepth, more core and performance requirements. It's a more specialized, professional training program akin to a Bachelor of Science.</p>
<p>A minor should not be an issue. It is generally school specific if the institution has a formal minor program or not. Conflicts arise when music performing organization, and studio instruction conflict with other class times or overall credit load. This is far more a problem with double majors/dual degrees, where some schools encourage, some discourage or won't allow, and at least one (Bard) insists on an additional non music degree for performance majors. </p>
<p>Not a recommendation, but because my son has a BM in viola performance and I'm most familiar with that school just take a look at <a href="http://harttweb.hartford.edu/adm-degree-undergrad.htm%5B/url%5D">http://harttweb.hartford.edu/adm-degree-undergrad.htm</a><br>
This will give you another look at some of the options available, and you will find similar options at other schools. </p>
<p>If you could expand a bit more on specific plans, needs, career goals, there are plenty here with specific knowledge of an area that can provide far more help than I.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Think about Berklee College of Music.</p>
<p>I just came across the book title "Schools that Rock " from <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362337%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362337</a></p>
<p>Perhaps the book and the thread will help as well.</p>
<p>thanks violadad for all your suggestions.son's taste is broad and eclectic-classical,jazz,folk and all sorts of quirky stuff ,and he would like to work on his classical piano and theory skills as well so a place focussing mainly on the pop music industry would not be for him--nor would a classical conservatory.he wants to study film scoring and to be in a school w. access to good equipment.he also has written a novel(unpublished at this point).he is madly creative and eccentric and is having a hard time figuring out how to direct himself--he has been making music since he was 5 and fell in love w. the nutcracker suite and learned to play it and many other classical pieces by ear before he learned to read music.he also quit school at 15 , passed the ged immediately and then took forever to obtain an a.a.degree.he realizes that time is passing quickly and he needs to find a specific focus and finish his education. i don't really know how to advise him.</p>
<p>steiny- I've got to agree with WindCloud that Berklee is probably the best place to begin investigation. It's most probably "the" premier institution for contemporary/popular music, and is well regarded in that respect.</p>
<p>Berklee places a strong emphasis on building theory skills, so that would not be an issue. While definately not a liberal arts college, and other than classical piano, it seems to have a good many of the areas he's interested in. Within the faculty or student body, I'm sure he could probably find a highly qualified instructor and study piano privately. </p>
<p>There are numerous posters here better qualified than I to recommend additional schools for film scoring or an LAC that might better fit his criteria.</p>
<p>This thread on another forum might be of interest <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362337%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362337</a></p>
<p>One school mentioned that I looked at quickly was the College of Santa Fe <a href="http://www.csf.edu/csf/academics/cmp/index.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.csf.edu/csf/academics/cmp/index.html</a></p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Univ of Tulsa has an Interdisciplinary Major in Film Studies that includes a course in film scoring, playwriting, etc. That is within their College of Arts and Sciences.
<a href="http://www.cas.utulsa.edu/filmstudies/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cas.utulsa.edu/filmstudies/</a></p>
<p>Within their School of Music, they offer various music degrees (BA, Music Ed, performance) and many minors, including a minor in film scoring. The minor in film scoring says it is for music majors and for film studies majors.
<a href="http://www.cas.utulsa.edu/music/programs/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cas.utulsa.edu/music/programs/</a></p>
<p>Although it has University in the name, the school only has just over 4,000 students, and is a private school. So it meets your S's LAC requirement, but the fact that it has grad students means it is much more likely your S won't be the only older student on campus, which I think might happen at a true LAC.</p>
<p>Although I agree with Berklee as a starting point, also look into New England Conservatory, in Boston also. They have jazz of course, and a separate contemporary improvisation program including Klezmer,and improvisation in classical music.</p>
<p>Then New School for contemporary music in nyc might also be interesting for your son, since they let you take courses at Mannes for classical interests, see link.
<a href="http://www.newschool.edu/jazz/%5B/url%5D">http://www.newschool.edu/jazz/</a></p>