Seeking recommendations for colleges in the West with an excellent music production program. Female full pay student, California resident, a few Bs, lightish rigor, strong vocal and music ECs. Ty
You probably did like me - and did some web searches - and there’s USC - and you’re not getting in there based on the description. Others seem to be midwest, NE, and south. MTSU is strong and not hard to get into…Belmont as well…both in the Nashville area.
You may look into a CC and transfer?
You might look into the music programs Redlands and CSU Fullerton but not sure they are what you’re looking for. Chapman too.
Good luck.
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Chapman is definitely on the list, with a possible ED attempt.
CC transfer is also a potential option due to some issues with anxiety.
Very bright student with perfect pitch and exceptional ear learning.
University of Colorado, Denver (CU Denver). Check out CAM (College of Arts and Media). Often described as a commuter school, but has a new dorm with a music LLC and unique programs entirely focused on contemporary music (no orchestra or symphony) which attract OOS students. Denver is a top city for live music with many internship and job opportunities, and CU Denver is an affordable WUE school.
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You might want to post in the music major forum.
USC Thornton Contemporary Music, UCSD ICAM, CalArts, Denver…how far east will she go?
University of the Pacific Music Industry Studies — BS | University of the Pacific
Berklee, Belmont, Columbia College Chicago, Hartt, Ithaca, College of St. Rose, Loyola New Orleans, Peabody (Music for New Media), Elon, Shenandoah, UMass Lowell, Northeastern, many others…
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@NateandAllisMom can you PM me? Please note the edit to my previous post. You liked it before the addition!
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There are some CC’s with very strong vocal music and music production programs. For example, West Valley College in Saratoga is terrific for vocalists, West Valley College Receives National Association of Schools of Music Accreditation | West Valley College , and also has music production Recording Arts and Music Production | West Valley College (WVC also has a gorgeous campus that’s nicer than a lot of residential colleges.) There is also a Music Technology program at Foothill College in Los Altos Music Technology Students get great mentoring in these programs and transfer successfully to strong 4-year schools. Of course, it depends whether you live near a CC with strength in these areas, or are willing to find housing near a carefully-chosen CC… because a lot of them have nothing to offer in these areas, and grinding through GE’s without also having strong arts programs is not going to be a win.
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Would be helpful to know what she wants to do. “Music Production” is not a standardized term. Nor is “Music Technology.” Does she want to compose or perform music, or is she just interested in “Recording Arts” aka Audio Engineering? Many schools mentioned on this thread require portfolios, prescreens and auditions. Others do not. Some require an instrument or vocal (generally classical and often in a foreign language) audition. My student needed to submit a composition portfolio for electronic music programs and ended up composing eight original pieces for three Prescreens (passed all, auditioned and admitted at all three schools). Each school had different requirements. Our original lengthy list was easy to reduce once an acceptable safety school was identified and my student also cut all schools requiring an instrumental or vocal audition (despite talent in both) because those schools required significant ensemble commitments on the instrument or voice. It really all boils down to how does she want to spend her time in the music program, and can the program meet her interests and goals. When you drill down into the application process and the classes required for the major at each school, you can really begin to compare programs.
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@dfbdfb has a kid with similar interests and might be able to shed some light on this topic. I believe his D just did a summer program at Colorado in Denver.
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Thanks for those thoughts. Remains to be seen. She and her audition choir do AP music theory and perform and compete in other languages. She doesn’t compose so far. Plays several instruments but learns by ear these days. Earlier did MTAC convention for vocal and earned honors but prefers current music. A mentor suggested music production to her (a producer) but she didn’t get to talk with him for long.
Since I was mentioned, yes, my D23 has similar interests. She did a summer camp hosted by CUDenver (mentioned upthread), was very impressed, the college jumped up to her top three based on her experience there.
Other possibilities that come off the top of my head (some of which have already been mentioned) are University of Denver, San Diego State (very intense program, the entry portfolio is a little much TBH), Berklee (the one in Boston, not the similarly-named on in California), North Texas, Middle Tennessee State, Loyola New Orleans, and (if your kid is okay with the religious overtones) Belmont.
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This is not my area of expertise. But, if this was my kid, I’d probably also check out these schools, as they seem to have a decent number (or percentage) of students in majors that appear in line with what your daughter is interested in:
- Loyola Marymount (CA)
- Portland State (OR)
- California Lutheran
- Point Loma (CA)
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Cal Poly’s music major has a choice of focus, with music technology as one of the tracks. Focus Area: Technology - Music Department - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo SLO may be a reach, as you describe her stats/rigor, but the major has an audition requirement, which could work in her favor.
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On the West Coast, University of Oregon has a Music Technology major and an Audio Production minor, and Portland State University has a Sonic Arts and Music Production Major.
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San Francisco State and San José State both have broadcast media majors that have (or can have, by judicious use of major electives) a solid audio tech component.
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@Bsb22 makes important points, better than I did in my PM.
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Terminology varies and you have to delve deeply into the details of each program.
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“Music technology” and other terms used in programs may mean a creative focus, or may mean technical/studio work. Or a combo of both.
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Some of the programs, particularly those that involve creative or compositional work, will require portfolios and/or auditions. (But it is possible to avoid auditions and still have good options.)
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I suggest going over to the music major forum and reading the Double Degree Dilemma essay in the Read Me thread. Although indirectly relevant to OP’s daughter, she will deal with the issue of narrow intense focus versus more general studies, as well as directly vocational versus exploratory/academic.
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