<p>My daughter is a vocalist wanting to major in performance in commercial/popular music. So far the schools she is planning on applying to are Berklee, Hofstra, Purchase and Belmont. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Also, can't find much feedback on the Hofstra commercial music program so any thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>USC/Thornton, UDenver/Lamont, potentially Chicago College of the Performing Arts (CCPA) and University of the Arts. The New School’s Jazz and Contemporary program as well may be worth investigating.</p>
<p>Look for past posts by raddad for detailed info on Thornton. A title search on “contemporary” or “popular” will bring up a number of threads. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html</a></p>
<p>As for Hofstra, most of the references are music ed related. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/965986-lesser-known-music-schools.html?highlight=hofstra[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/965986-lesser-known-music-schools.html?highlight=hofstra</a></p>
<p>Out of the ones you posted, the only ones that will focus solely one contemporary/popular are Berklee and Belmont. Hofstra is a jazz/commercial which still is a solid jazz education and Purchase is has no contemporary opportunities at the conservatory, it’s just “jazz studies.” </p>
<p>As violadad said, I would also look into Columbia College and USC. THose both also have what you’re looking for - commercial music. Of course, the two schools are completely different. USC would like to see fairly high grades (around a 3.5 GPA) where Columbia College doesn’t even take into account SAT’s. </p>
<p>As far as Berklee and Belmont go, I have quite a bit of experience with these schools since I take lessons at Berklee and just visited Belmont this summer. </p>
<p>The two schools are VERY different. Berklee, along with all the other strictly music conservatory environments, is all music all the time. The liberals art courses taken a long the way are done by students, in most cases, just to fulfill requirements. </p>
<p>Belmont on the other hands is a great music school within a university. You get a much more “traditional” college experience. The area around Belmont, shared by Vanderbelt, is a great little college town within an awesome city in Nashville. As far as destination with Berklee goes, you’re smack in the middle of Boston, another great city! </p>
<p>Hope that helps.</p>
<p>My daughter is also applying in that same major. She is applying to Denver, USC, Belmont, Miami</p>
<p>Hello,
I am currently an undergraduate student @ CU-Denver, University of Colorado @ Denver. We have a great commercial music program here. I am also a vocal major. One of the most important thing to consider when choosing a school, is your applied instructor. If you happen to find your way to CU-Denver, look up DR. Erin Hackel. She is amazing…p.s. CU-Denver isn’t the same as University of Denver.</p>
<p>FYI, my understanding is the Belmont’s commercial vocal performance program gets more applicants than any other and is very competitive.</p>
<p>One slightly different program not mentioned but that may or may not intrigue your D would be NYU Tisch Clive Davis program. It is not vocal performance, per se, but it would be a good fit for someone who wanted to essentially be a self-producing contemporary artist, who might also write songs, etc. If coupled with a voice teacher (private or Steinhardt) it might be an interesting avenue for a contemporary vocalist.
That said, I do not have direct experience of the program except via program visit when my son was looking at contemporary producer programs.</p>
<p>PS Another contemporary outlier we keep forgetting to mention is Humber College in Toronto. Good price/good program. Believe violindad has known students there, as do I.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for your input. At this point my daughter has been accepted to Hofstra and Belmont and now needs to audition for their music programs. Waiting to hear from Berklee Jan 31. Also waiting for pre screening results from Purchase. We are visiting Hofstra next week and Belmont in early February for her auditions. She has also applied to The Florida State University in Tallahasee but still waiting for decision.</p>
<p>suecaw, will you be at Belmont on Feb. 12? That is when my S is auditioning. Perhaps we will meet!</p>
<p>S just auditioned at Belmont (Percussion). There were 196 kids auditioning (the smallest of the 4 groups). There seemed to be a lot of music theater auditionees!</p>
<p>My son is auditioning at Belmont on the piano (contemporary) on Feb. 12. He was going to audition this weekend, but we switched it when we had yet to hear whether or not he had been accepted to the university. He applied on 11-18-10. For those that have heard, how long did it take to receive a decision? I would feel better booking flights and hotels with a university acceptance first. Did you feel the same way? For those who kids have already auditioned, how intense was the experience? My son has to play two contemporary and two classical pieces. Seems like a lot. [We are also awaiting word from Berklee on 1/31!]</p>
<p>My son has yet to hear either. We heard over and over (my big negative) from Belmont about how they are backlogged because they’ve had so many applications and not enough people to process them. You will not find out whether he has been accepted to the music school until 3 weeks after the audition IF he has been accepted by audition time. Otherwise it will be 3 weeks AFTER acceptance. My son was surprised by the informality of his percussion audition. 1 of the judges was in sweatpants and did not speak to him. And that judge is in the commercial program. I am sure his audition at UNT this weekend will be more formal</p>
<p>My two cents about each school (a little late, but may help others visiting the thread):</p>
<p>As a high school senior who has done extensive research on both jazz and commercial/popular music schools, I would advise against applying to Columbia College Chicago. I visited there last-minute when I was in the area, and it just didn’t seem entirely legitimate. I wouldn’t put a high value on any type of music education within an open-enrollment music school. </p>
<p>Berklee is an excellent choice. I also visited there, and it seemed much more legitimate, focused, and relevant to the modern music industry. Some classical music buffs really frown upon Berklee, but their perspective tends to be very misinformed and elitist towards classical music. Berklee is very renowned in the pop/rock/R&B/production/etc communities, and I’ve applied and scheduled my audition.</p>
<p>I just got back from an audition at USC Thornton’s Popular Music program. Theirs seems to be a little bit more competitive than most because it requires a prescreening DVD. It’s definitely worth a shot, though. The campus and weather are both amazing over there, and the Popular Music faculty members who functioned as my auditors (there were about 7) seemed very friendly, professional, and overall good people to learn from.</p>
<p>NYU’s Tisch program is definitely one to check out if the student doesn’t want to be “just a performer.” Although it technically isn’t a performance program, the Clive Davis Recorded Music program markets itself as top-notch in the realm of music business, industry/marketing, production, 20th century music history, critique, performance aesthetic, and making of hit songs. A friend of mine goes to Tisch and knows people in the program who really enjoy it. They’re learning to become entrepreneurs in their chosen field of performance.</p>
<p>I also suggest looking into University of Miami’s Creative American Music program. It combines a music business or songwriting/production major with a singer/songwriter minor. If the student writes music, I think that’d be an excellent program to look into. </p>
<p>Belmont University is of course another contender - that is, of course, if the student doesn’t mind an entirely Christian college experience. Whether the student is a Christian may or may not make a difference; what made me decide not to apply was their evangelistic nature that seems to ward off diversity. I feel that spiritual unanimity can be creatively stifling, but if the student feels differently, then by all means, apply.</p>
<p>For the record, I’m also applying to The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. This won’t be a good fit for the student unless (s)he’s okay with studying mostly Jazz. They do, however, have a fantastic blues ensemble.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Hey hasn’t anyone heard of South Plains College in Texas. They have a commercial music program that is 30 years old. There are 4 programs, Commercial Music, Sound Technology, Video Production Technology and Design Communications. The department has 30 full time instructors and state of the art gear. I am posting a link to their website that will allow you to view a video of the program. My sons are both grads from SPC and the youngest one is in a full time touring band that is doing very well. Check it out!!! These guys really know what they are doing and are serious about their students.
[South</a> Plains College - Creative Arts](<a href=“http://www.southplainscollege.edu/pos/technical-education/poscreativearts.php]South”>http://www.southplainscollege.edu/pos/technical-education/poscreativearts.php)</p>
<p>“Out of the ones you posted, the only ones that will focus solely one contemporary/popular are Berklee and Belmont.”</p>
<p>NOT true. USC’s popular music program is just that–popular music, and btw, there is a fantastic electric violin player in the sophomore class.</p>
<p>
No, actually, we haven’t, but that’s likely because it is an Associates Degree program. Most if not all of those querying this discussion board are looking for 4 year Bachelor of Music programs (or Bsc in Tech/MEng) or BFA in Jazz. Nonetheless, thanks for letting us know because that way we’ll know when people ask. Do you happen to know if the associates degree has “partnerships” with other music production programs re: transfer-ability of credits? This is often a big problem. But some colleges manage it - eg. our local 2-yr college in my city sends a lot of its grads to the Ball State music technology program, by way of example.</p>
<p>Likewise, we often forget to tell contemporary musicians about Humber College in Toronto, Canada that has a very nice contemporary music program (but 4 yr not 2).</p>
<p>SPC does partner with several 4 year schools to transfer into a bachelors program. They are currently working on more. These programs are typically an ‘upside down’ type of program with most upper level music training already completed at SPC. This program is really for the student interested in performing on a commercial level. Most students go directly to Nashville or Los Angeles and get to work. We found that many of the 4 year schools were coming out of a traditional classical position with musical training along those lines. Outside of jazz or stage/theater, most of those students are equipped to go into a teaching job but few had the improvisational and commercial skills needed to compete in a rock and roll, R&B, country, bluegrass or pop world. I know that an Associates degree is not as prestigious as a bachelors but former students with major label contracts, national radio play, and CMAs, GMAs and Grammys is not bad either. Besides, I didn’t mind spending $3500 a semester for tuition, books and room and board one bit.</p>
<p>What schools/programs do they partner with?</p>