Been touring music schools all summer...

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Another angle. My son has played jazz since the age of 11, but his deepest passion is progressive rock. He plays in a rock band that is very active/up and coming on the LA music scene. Without going into too much detail, they have played some very significant gigs and have recently received much interest from qualified parties.</p>

<p>Yet he elected to enter (this fall) the studio/jazz guitar major at USC. Why not popular music, you ask? Well, so did I, as it’s quickly becoming an extraordinary and quite competitive program. </p>

<p>But S’s thinking was that while he hopes for a career performing his own music, he also wants to train to become the best studio/session/touring musician he can possibly be. He felt that since his extracurricular life will continue to support his rock dreams, a jazz conservatory program is the best route to enhancing his musical mastery and employability. </p>

<p>Having said that, judging by what we’ve seen and heard, and by the students my son happens to know in USC’s Popular Music program, it’s a truly amazing, peerless program. He will no doubt take advantage of its courses, as well as those in the Music Industry major.</p>

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<p>Just wanted to add that USC does not feel so huge, particularly within Thornton. On move-in day yesterday, the Dean of Thornton had an “open house” in his office where we were surprised to learn that there are only about 100 freshman music students across something like 17 various music majors covering classical, vocal, composition, instrumental, pop, music industry, everything. Interestingly enough, my son’s experience of Berklee was “way too many musicians.”</p>

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<p>Does anyone have experience with Berklee as a transfer student? My daughter just auditioned there as a jazz vocalist last week to possibly be a transfer student in January. 1) Do transfer students get considered for scholarships as much as brand new freshman? 2) Besides the transfer of courses, what is the transition like into Berklee if you didn’t spend your freshman year there?</p>

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<p>A friend of my son’s transferred into Berklee after doing a year (or maybe it was a year and a half) at our state flagship and was easily able to become part of the community there. I believe he was offered some sort of scholarship as well.</p>

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<p>Thanks, Stradmom. That’s good news.</p>

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<p>My S also has a friend who is transferring to Berkelee as a sophomore this year from Eastman. I think he was offered a generous scholarship since cost was a factor in his decision.</p>

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<p>My S just finished the Guitar Session week at Berklee and they did an admissions presentation at the end. They do take transfers at Berklee, but we were told that they do not transfer ANY music credits from any other school. So you will pretty much have to go to Berklee for four years on top of whatever college you already have in order to get the 90 credits of music that Berklee requires. That could be pretty expensive unless you get a lot of financial aid.</p>

<p>For those on this thread interested in Belmont, we visited it in July and loved it. Probably the #1 choice for us (parents) but S still seems set on Berklee. Reasons we liked Belmont were - more actual professional musicians on the faculty, smaller guitar program, more traditional college campus with all the opportunities (S also plays a good french horn and could play in Belmont’s concert band and pep band), MUCH better student housing and dining, and it just seemed like a more “protective” environment. Berklee is a true urban school you have to be comfortable with your son or daughter being able to handle big city life and all of its distractions. It’s more like just moving to a city and then going to classes. </p>

<p>I will also say that I thought Belmont did a MUCH better job with its student visit day. Berklee seems to have a bit of an “attitude,” like they know they are the best and you come to them, they don’t come to you. For example, with over 200 families there at the end of the Guitar Session - kids they KNOW are seriously interested in attending, and many parents who took a day off from their jobs to be there - they sent two students to do the admissions presentation, and they basically showed a film and read a script! At Belmont, we had about 20 families and we met for over an hour with the Director of Admissions for the School of Music. He stayed until the very last question had been answered, and we had a lot of them, and gave us all his email address. We’ve been to Berklee twice now and haven’t yet met with an actual staff member in Admissions. May be a small thing, but it struck me. </p>

<p>Boston is an old city with a lot of great neighborhoods and museums and such to ecplore, though Berklee students have very little free time to do much of that. Nashville is newer and more spread out, but the area around Belmont is very trendy and cosmpolitan with lots of nice shops and restaurants and parks. Not much public transportation in Nashville, while Berklee is right on the "T’ and you can go anywhere for a couple of bucks. Nashville is positively LOADED with performing opportunities, all the time. Boston has a lot and both schools own their own nightclubs and performace spaces. But it seemd to me that a singer-songwriter would get a lot more opportunities to play in public in Nashville. </p>

<p>My S was invited to audition for a scholarship to Berklee this week. Unfortunately he was really surprised and unprepared for this opportunity, and we were not surprised that he didn’t get a scholarship (though he was one of only 30 who got a small partial scholasrhip for the Guitar Session.) But he was told this is exactly what his actual Berklee audition will be, so he know what he has to do to prepare now. </p>

<p>If you have a rising junior interested in Berklee for guitar, definitely consider the Guitar Session next year because they do pick kids for scholarship auditions. I wish we had known this before!</p>

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<p>Honestmom, wish I knew you were there! My daughter’s guitarist took guitar sessions and I was there at the award ceremony! He won the highest scholarship ($16,000 renewable), although this was the second time trying out for the auditions. (He took guitar sessions two years ago and they asked him to try out for a potential scholarship.) He knew what to expect. He definitely needed this scholarship in order to even think of attending. The whole band was there in support. (And of course, we all left and raced up to NH for a gig afterwards.)</p>

<p>I don’t know where you are from, but Berklee puts on a WONDERFUL Saturday open house. We went last fall. You get to talk to admissions and financial aid, they answer ALL your questions, in-depth tour, plus you get to see an ensemble perform. I highly recommend it! One of the things that I liked about Berklee is that if you leave to go on tour or some other opportunity, you automatically can go back anytime to finish your degree. </p>

<p>I’m sure that when I visit Belmont I will probably fall in love too. Dorms look great! A more traditional campus. No boys and girls on the same floors :wink: I’m guessing it is pretty much the polar opposite of Berklee. At Berklee, if you get accepted, you MUST put in your request for housing ASAP. Otherwise, you will have to get your own apartment. I’m SURE Berklee will be addressing this concern of parents, but they haven’t yet. My daughter can focus just about anywhere if she has access to headphones, and we aren’t THAT far away that she couldn’t commute, but I would prefer her to live on campus.</p>

<p>I offered her guitarist a trip to Belmont with us if he paid for his airplane ticket, but I don’t think he is going to take me up on that offer now. I doubt that Belmont gives away merit scholarships the way Berklee does. In fact, is there another college that does this in the popular music category at all?</p>

<p>Interesting times! Interesting choices!</p>

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<p>Berklee is building a new dorm, which should be done in 2012 (at least that is my memory from a few years ago).</p>

<p>There were a number of students who won full scholarships, after the recent five week session scholarship auditions. I just read about a few this morning. $16K is by no means the biggest award Berklee offers, and is a fairly average offering for a well sought after student (although not the tippy top auditioners). It’s the awards above $25K, or the full rides, that are truly rare.</p>

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<p>Thanks, Allmusic! Do other schools offer comparable merit scholarships in popular (versus classical or jazz) categories?</p>

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<p>This is a great thread, thanks to posters! My S2 is a rock vocalist (also plays guitar) graduating high school 2013. Have any of you looked at CalArts or Cornish? Those are two on our radar but I don’t know enough about their programs yet.</p>

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<p>mamakin,</p>

<p>I haven’t. At all. Too west coast. Although, with this thread, I might have her take a look at USC. You are looking early! What type of rock music, mamakin?</p>

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<p>His favorite genre is ska. His academics may not be on par with USC, but it would be a great environment for him otherwise. The college choices seem so limited for the contemporary musician. I’m hoping by the time he’s ready to choose that there may be more options.</p>

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<p>USC Thornton has a pretty good program from what i’ve seen. I would consider myself but I don’t really want to be on the west coast, least of all LA. </p>

<p>Anyways, I am finally back home after my long travels and I think i have my top 5</p>

<p>1.Berklee
2.Oberlin
3.Jacobs
4.Cincinnati Conservatory
5.Capitol</p>

<p>I think it’s a solid list, Berklee is still my favorite even after seeing all those other amazing schools which says a lot i think. But I really think a lot of it has to do with Boston itself, such a fantastic city. I’m an old soul and I love typewriters, LP’s, old suits/clothing styles etc. so I love the historical vibe Boston has to offer, i just get this great feel from it. I’m starting the application process now that i’m back, Berklee first since i’ll be doing early action as to secure housing, which also means it’ll be my first audition which i think is good and bad. I can get the big one out of the way but also i’ll be dunked in ice water. But i’m glad i can get the ball rolling, my mom put together all my musical awards/certificates etc. and it filled up a large binder and a tub haha but I need all that stuff and it’s good to have it all in one place.</p>

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<p>Good luck as you start the process 18 Karat!</p>

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<p>I’d love to hear your thoughts about Cincinnati. It seems like a cool program.</p>

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<p>18karat, </p>

<p>If you come back to Boston, let me know!</p>

<p>And good luck with Berklee! Awesome practice rooms, facilities, teachers, etc. No campus except the streets of Boston, but Boston can be pretty nice.</p>

<p>Wish us luck on our trip to Nashville next week… I know honestmom wrote a great trip report on Belmont, I’ll try to add to it.</p>

<p>Best,</p>

<p>RockBandMom</p>

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<p>thanks everyone</p>

<p>Yeah i wish to go back to Boston as soon as i can, regardless of berklee i was in love with the city. that’s what’s really sold me on berklee actually haha. </p>

<p>and yes good luck in Nashville, i wish I had known about belmont earlier so i could’ve taken a tour.</p>

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<p>You should take a look at Rowan in NJ. You can get to Philly and NYC easily from there. The jazz dept teachers are amazing teachers and active performers, and humane people. It’s not too tremendously big, so opportunities for oozing over into other genres like opera and theater are do-able. Everybody knows everybody. It’s not preppy. The faculty gigs with the students sometimes. One thing, though. Your audition will go over like a lead balloon if you can’t read AT ALL.</p>

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<p>interesting i’ll check it out, i’m also going to look at cornish in seattle. i never knew it was up there so i can easily take a day trip out of it</p>

<p>and it looks like my dad wants to take me to boston/new york etc. during winter break so i can audition at berklee itself :D</p>