<p>Hi,
I am a high school vocal student discussing music education vs. music performance with my private instructor and HS music and choral instructors. I was just wondering how competative entrance to the education programs were, obviously entrance to performance programs are extremely hard and competative, but what about the education? </p>
<p>Also, what are some of the best, prestigous (for education), and most competative music education programs?</p>
<p>ed majors audition right along with performance majors at all the schools we have auditioned at. You have to be good enough at your instrument or voice for them to want you either way.</p>
<p>I suggest you take a close look at Eastman. It’s an excellent program, very supportive. Very competitive for admission, very thorough in the musical education offered. The Ed students and performance students get the same vocal training. Many students are double majors, but most of those were admitted in either performance or education, and added the second major at the end of the first year. It’s tougher to add education than performance, because by the end of the first year you’ll be behind in the education requirements, but still, people successfully do it. </p>
<p>You can apply for both education and performance at the outset. Eastman rarely accepts students for both at admission, but they are very open to students adding the second major later. You’ll need to take a LOT of credits each semester to manage it–20 or so. You can apply for a tuition-free 9th semester to do student teaching as a double degree student.</p>
<p>Good luck! Eastman is a magical place.</p>
<p>If you do a thread title search on “music ed” and “music education” you’ll pull up about two and a half pages of threads on each. My guess is that about 40 percent are voice/choral specific. Well worth the time to go through the amassed collective wisdom.</p>
<p><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> may help.</p>
<p>Throwing in my 2 cents for Westminster: If you are looking for a strong Music Ed program with a Choral Emphasis - the school is unique and incredible! Music Ed is a tough major - lots of credit hours, and lots of non-credit hours required. One of the things that makes my D content is that they’re all in it together. WCC is unique in the fact that the entire school participates in certain concerts, the entire class is together 4 days per week in rehearsal - I can see why graduates are so loyal.<br>
Are the dorms and facilities great? Not so much, but the students don’t seem to mind.<br>
Something new this year: The head of the music ed department has created an additional choir for music ed majors. The purpose is to give more opportunities for solos and (I love this!) conducting. He does works with enough individual sections so multiple students get the chance to conduct the choir. There were several Freshman conductors at the winter concert, and I suspect more this spring. Pretty cool.</p>
<p>The opening gala for the New World Symphony Center was held in Miami on January 29th. The center will be the home of the New World Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson-Thomas a National Medal of Arts recipient. Featured at the gala was Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”. </p>
<p>The New World Center was designed by Architect Frank Gehry, a Pritzer Prize Winner for Architecture.</p>
<p>Sorry…This was posted in the wrong thread.</p>
<p>All the schools we visited told us music ed was just as competitive as performance. There are a few that claim a 100% job placement rate, at least within the state where they are located. James Madison and Belmont are two that we visited which claimed that. Belmont also has a very strong voice program; I am not sure about JMU. My son’s high school band director got his music ed. degree from JMU and he is fantastic. Its graduates are highly sought after in Virginia schools, and that is a pretty nice place to live. Its performing arts center is unbelievable - by far the best facility we have seen anywhere.</p>