<p>Bard is a great choice - my son is finishing his 4th of five years - composition in the conservatory and classics in the college. (And he’s a cellist.) The music program in the college (not just the conservatory) is wonderful. It sounds like it fits all of your son’s criteria: lovely area outside the city, intellectual engaged student body, amazing professors, wonderful music program. Definitely check it out.</p>
<p>I also think you’ve gotten some great advice here for other schools to investigate.</p>
<p>^^^^That’s lovely to hear your son is doing so well at Bard. He sounds quite gifted to juggle two such demanding majors. What are his future plans if it’s okay to ask.</p>
<p>Oh, she still composes. But not “academically”. She’s completing a dual Ph.D. in musicology/Italian Studies at Princeton (actually, now in a pink palace in Venice), and she is going to be one of the world’s leading experts on Hell from the 14th-17th centuries.</p>
<p>When she tells us she is going to give a conference paper, we tell her to “Give 'em hell”.</p>
<p>(“Hell hath no limits like a composer scorned.” :))</p>
<p>Rather down the prestige list but a fine school regardless, is U of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA. They like geographic diversity, and have a very strong orchestra. D was impressed, played violin in the orchestra. </p>
<p>Lawrence in WI fits that bills quite nicely. A good number of kids from our area have gone to St. Olaf, and had outstanding musical experiences.</p>
<p>Puget Sound has a wonderful LAC and a Conservatory. The student applies to each independently and many students have dual enrollment and double majors. I will caution you to look at the financial aid, if that is a factor, cautiously. UPS will admit students based on merit and talent, which I am coming to see is something of a rarity (they are not “need aware” for admissions) – but are not committed to meeting 100% need, so your D/S might receive acceptance and still not be able to attend if you cannot make up the difference. Still, I am coming to very much appreciate that approach this year.</p>
<p>Wesleyan has a fine music program, especially if one is interested in world music. My D, a poli sci major, learned to play gamelon while she was there.</p>
<p>All of the schools mentioned absolutely fit the bill. I will add another option.
If he is very academically inclined, the dual program at Peabody/Johns Hopkins is outstanding. The opporunities for neuroscience are amazing and Peabody is in the upper echelon of Conservatories.</p>