<p>Gadad: I'm not sure I can answer your specific question, but I can say that after almost two years of consideration, my daughter (a junior in HS) has decided to go the BA (vocal music) route. She was originally all about a BMus, but as she continued her high school classes, she realized that she has other interests she wants to explore. Or as she put it, "I'm more than a set of vocal cords." She now hopes to do a double major as opposed to a double degree.</p>
<p>The key, IMHO, is finding the right BA program. Many that we've looked at seem more like music history/music appreciation programs, and my daughter is definitely looking for a program that is more like BMus-Lite. She wants the theory, the aural training, the sight-singing, and the performance emphasis. The key difference we've found between a BA with a performance emphasis and a BMus is in the number of required electives and the required number of lesson hours. </p>
<p>I don't think she actually loses anything by going this route, but that is in large part because she is a female vocalist...her voice will be developing and maturing for quite a few years yet. If she were going the instrumental route, which was a possibility for her until some health issues came into play, I think she might have lost some of her "edge" by not being as completely focussed on her instrument. However, I also think that has much to do with the individual and their level of commitment; my daughter is far more disciplined with her singing than she is with her French horn. But another student might be able to maintain their practice time without the intense structure of the BMus program.</p>
<p>You might want to take the time to wander over to the musical theatre thread (now a sub-forum under "Majors") and do a search for Doctorjohn's BA vs BFA quiz. Although he designed it with MT in mind, my daughter took it, and it really clarified her thinking on whether to go BA or BMus. </p>
<p>Also keep in mind that there are a (very) few double degree programs available. Lawrence University has a great one; Eastman/U of R offer the option although the two campuses are separated; and Bard's new conservatory requires a double degree. There are some other schools where a double degree is possible (Oberlin comes to mind), but from what I've been able to learn, possible and practical are not always the same thing.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>