comparing Music Schools/Conservatories

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Hello everyone, my name is Nate. My claim to fame, so to speak, is jazz piano. I practice at least two hours a day. I'm on a gap year from college but in the fall just now I took one class at Temple U and music classes (+ piano lessons and a jazz ensemble) at Bucks County Community College, in Newtown, PA. Not sure what exactly I'm gonna do in the spring yet...</p>

<p>Also, part of me is saying I should do more of my own research before i post on here asking people for advice. But then again, you guys can guide me in my looking into this stuff, or at least help me out. (and I'll continue researching.) Also, there's not much time left before apps are due.</p>

<p>I have four or five music schools on the radar right now. I only want to apply to three. This is my second time around the auditions process so I'm familiar with the stress and nervousness. Last year I applied to SEVEN music schools/conservatories! I only got into one. I barely practiced for those auditions. I went to a very academically rigorous private high school and did not devote a lot of time to piano. I was as shaky as a fish out of water in those rooms school's music faculty sitting around. Consequently, I think I'm more well prepared for the auditions m now. And I'm not going to take on such a steep mountain of stress as is seven auditions! </p>

<p>That in mind, I'd like help COMPARING some of the MUSIC SCHOOLS. </p>

<p>Last year I just picked the schools without looking into them that much. Of the ones I'm applying to I wanna know things like: What schools have really awesome faculty? What schools do the students seem really excited about the music they're making and learning about every day? What schools put on a lot of concerts and get their students out in the world and playing in front of people? etc.</p>

<p>So here's the list:
1. I did a summer program called "Jazz in July" at UMass Amherst and I loved it. They seem to have pretty stellar things goin on, cool people, and i love the town. That's one.
2. UNC Greensboro. I visited met some awesome people involved in their Jazz program: John Salmon and Steve Haines.<br>
3. Boyer School of Music at Temple (closest to home. I live in Bucks County, PA.)
4. SUNY Purchase's conservatory
5. Crane school of music at SUNY Potsdam. I'm wondering what this one's like compared to Purchase..</p>

<p>For the purpose of this thread, I just want to focus on the music schools, assuming here that I will become a music major. I am applying to two liberal arts schools and some CUNY schools as well... where I might do music, but just not as much as if I end up at a music school obviously. So case in point, I have other interests too like Theology, Environmental Studies, History, and possibly Philosophy or Writing. So maybe if you know about the quality of the general education I can receive at these schools in addition to their music programs, I would LOVE to know about that as well. </p>

<p>Also,
I worked on a local organic farm over the summer.
I do a bit of meditation every day.
I did a lot of painting and drawing in high school and still enjoy that stuff.
I am Quaker and Jewish.</p>

<p>Ok that's clearly enough about me.
I look forward to your responses!</p>

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<p>I know many kids who are very happy at UMass Amherst. I know one young man who went there for undergraduate Jazz Guitar who is now a working musician in Chicago (although he supplements his income with computer programming and web development). His mom told me he really liked the Jazz program at UMass.</p>

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<p>natureboy202:
Purchase has a Jazz Studies major. Crane has only a Jazz minor. Academically, both schools have similar stats for the liberal arts majors. Purchase is close to NYC. Crane is in upstate rural NY and about 90 miles from Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Classical piano at Crane is a very competitive admit and draws applicants from around the world. Son did a gig with the Jazz piano teacher and was very impressed by him. Both schools will have many performance opportunities. Obviously, Purchase will open up the NYC metro market because it is so close. Good luck with your auditions.</p>

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<p>Just some thoughts, I am not that familiar with Jazz so I can’t guarantee these will fit the bill for you, but both the New School and MSM (Manhattan School of Music) have well regarded jazz programs, they both I am led to understand have outstanding master classes and of course being in NYC means a lot of opportunity to gig and to meet working musicians. One of the things I have been told by musicians, classical and jazz, is that if you want to eventually become a part of the NYC music scene, going to school in the city can be a major advantage, that musicians come from all over here and make it, obviously, but going to school in the city is a major plus…plus being the kind of person you are, with a variety of interests, you might find more to feed the rest of you being in NYC…</p>

<p>Amherst is a great town, and has a decent music school (I don’t know about Jazz),and has the college town vibe going big time, plus is surrounded by a number of college areas, so that is a plus, too.</p>

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<p>musicprint…it just goes to show you that for every bit of advice one person is given somebody has the opposite advice to give. My son, a Jazz Double Bass player, was told to be careful about going to NYC too soon in his career because he easily could get “defined” before he has actually figured out what his “voice is”. And he was told that early success with gigs in NYC can actually result in him stagnating. Obviously this might vary from person to person. But I do think our son made the right choice in not heading off to NYC just yet.</p>

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<p>This is purely anecdotal, but one jazz student I know who is studying in NYC said it is actually hard to get gigs because there is so much competition. I cannot comment on his talent level or anything else about him. So, I don’t know if his gigging was limited for reasons other than the fact that there are just so many talented jazz musicians in the city.</p>

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<p>Is it your hope to enroll in the Fall of 2013? If so, you might have some deadline issues. I’ve not done any research since my S was in the game, but I seem to recall for example that Purchase had an application deadline of the middle of Dec. I’d do some investigation in this regard ASAP to avoid having that gap year turn into two. Good Luck</p>

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<p>Thankyou everyone.</p>

<p>Mrs. bassist mom I appreciate your comparison of Purchase and Crane. </p>

<p>and to StacJip and VMT I appreciate the warnings or caution about NYC…
I figure if I do graduate school I would love to be in NYC, but as for now I don’t think I need to rush off there just yet. It’s more expensive (schools like NYU and MSM for example) and I think the other schools offer some pretty great stuff to compete with NYC’s draw, and in a more affordable package.</p>

<p>But on the other hand I appreciate musicprnt’s comment as well. NYC is a great place to be for sure!</p>

<p>For now, today, I’m gonna check out what halcyon- (love that word) -4ever was wary about concerning SUNY Purchase.</p>

<p>I’m also gonna look into UMass Amherst today. They really have some hip stuff goin from what I know so far.</p>

<p>Takin it day by day.
don’t want to overdose on college research.</p>

<p>Thanks again everyone.
best wishes to you all at this time of year.</p>

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<p>BTW - I have heard great things about the jazz program at William Patterson in NJ.</p>

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<p>yeah. my jazz band teacher at Bucks CCC, Jeff Baumeister, went there. And he’s fantastic. He has a great album out called Useful Music (Jeff Baumeister Quartet).</p>

<p>I’ll stop by their website and try to see some videos and get info and such.</p>

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<p>From what I have gathered in my research in music programs at various universities/conservatories is that the University of North Texas has an outstanding music department with a strong emphasis in jazz. I know that Norah Jones attended this school as a jazz piano major (if that’s any consolation). </p>

<p>I have just been accepted to Crane on voice and I could tell you that this would not be the place to go for jazz/contemporary styles. Majority of major universities/conservatories only offer a classically based training. (which isn’t a bad thing at all)</p>

<p>You should look into Berklee College of Music, New School, and UNT.</p>

<p>Hope this helps!</p>

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<p>Musedbaritone: Congratulations on your acceptance! If you want, please post your acceptance(s) in the Master List of Music Acceptances Fall 2013 thread.</p>