BM Composition Choices - Peabody/Oberlin

College Majors Music Major
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<p>So, I applied to a range of conservatories and universities with conservatory programs for a BM in composition; I'm starting to get responses and I'm, as is my nature, equivocating, so I figured I'd put my situation out there and see if I could get some second opinions. I applied to Peabody, Oberlin, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, NYU Steinhardt, and SUNY Purchase. Thus far, I've received acceptance letters from Northwestern, NYU Steinhardt with a $5000 merit scholarship, and Oberlin with a $10,000 merit scholarship, and a rejection from CMU. I'm waiting on Peabody and SUNY Purchase. I don't mean to sound smug in regards to the scholarship information; I'm only putting it up there because certainly a $10,000 scholarship is a factor that one must weigh in really evaluating the choices. </p>

<p>So anyway, at this point I'm really trying to decide, should I get into Peabody, whether I would choose Peabody or Oberlin, as they seem to best institutions on the list, in purely musical terms (correct me if I'm wrong). I also felt the most comfortable with the faculty at those two places. Obviously, I'm not assuming I will be accepted at Peabody, but for the sake of the comparison between the two institutions, I guess just assume that I hypothetically am accepted to Peabody as well. </p>

<p>I'm a little concerned that the Oberlin composition faculty has a particular aesthetic of what they consider "contemporary music," and that they expect their students to not necessarily conform to, but certainly write along the general lines of, that aesthetic. I was looking at the two curriculums in comparison, and the Peabody curriculum starts with courses examining the musical mechanics of the Baroque and Classical era, and move forward chronologically, whereas Oberlin has students jumping into Xenakis and Stockhausen in year one. I don't want to sound like a traditionalist here, and I'm certainly very interested in the 20th century, but it seems like the Oberlin curriculum might reflect an accelerated track towards their aesthetic as opposed to a logical progression through the history of western composition. Does anyone have any experience within the Oberlin department?</p>

<p>Again, I sound like I'm counting my chickens before they hatch, but for the sake of the comparison, please imagine I'm accepted into both places. Any opinions you could provide about a preference for one place or the other, or even if I'm overlooking a superior program in one of the other places I've been accepted, would be greatly appreciated. Grazie.</p>

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<p>I would jump on that Oberlin offer! Congratulations!</p>

<p>I'd also check out Northwestern further. Call one of the professors now that you're in and have a nice little chat. See if you like them.</p>

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<p>Ah, thanks for the reply. I was a bit put off by the fact that the Northwestern composition department didn't even want to interview their applicants; I'm not sure how they can evaluate someone's potential on scores and recordings alone, without getting any face-time. Nonetheless, I'll pursue your advice. Anyone else have an opinion one way or the other?</p>

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<p>Hey tanque...though I'm not at Northwestern anymore, I was there for a year last school year and I could tell you about the situation there. </p>

<p>PM me for a email address. </p>

<p>You have awesome choices! (I can def. give you some advice on school choices.)</p>

<p>And thanks for your other post in the Comp thread. That helped clarify what I was trying to say.</p>

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<p>thanks all, anyone else?</p>

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<p>could you tell me what you think those colleges were looking for in the compositions you sent them?</p>

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<p>Vinylphile—please note that this original post is from over five years ago. Perhaps you might want to start your own thread?</p>