My daughter has a list of 3 or 4 schools she’s applying to this fall, but I want to make sure we’re not missing anything obvious. Her preference is vocal performance and/or songwriting, in contemporary music, (although she has a safety state school in BM vocal/music theory.) She likes big city, and I like the idea of her being within a 10 hour drive (PA) or short plane ride.
Looking for further suggestions for us to look into that offer songwriting and/or contemporary vocal.
Thanks!
The few that we are looking at include Berklee, Belmont, Columbia in Chicago, McNally Smith. She is not interested in Liberty.
Miami Frost is mentioned along with the above, often, on this forum.
Just one point with seeing McNally Smith on the list, I don’t believe that it is an academically accredited institution (only a music accreditation). I believe that you would not be able to transfer course work to other higher education institutions. I’m not 100% sure…but be sure to check that.
I live in the area and do know students who have attended the school. Most have liked it. It has a decent reputation.
One of my D’s good friends (a few years behind her) attended for contemporary music and he has done national tours with some well-known musicians. He is a gifted musician…as far as an academic student…not so much…so I think the school really worked for him. He gigs all around the city consistently and as I said seems to be doing national tours yearly…his dad is very connected (which may be part of the reason for the national tours) and he teaches at the school. Quite a few of the teachers are well-connected from what I hear.
Belmont is a good choice, in a great city for Contemporary music. They also excel at music production and related fields, which can be a good add to an education because it helps to be able to make a living participating in multiple facets of the music industry before getting your big break.
Regarding McNally & accreditation. I see the NASM accreditation, but I’m unfamiliar with some of the US terms (I am from UK), and so I am not sure what it means regarding the other info. http://www.mcnallysmith.edu/accreditation
@danfan72 I PM’d you.
My kid did a songwriting workshop at McNally-Smith this summer and fell in love. He was especially impressed with a member of the faculty that taught that workshop but he loved the whole vibe. It really cemented his decision to go into music in college.
I don’t think McNally-Smith will be a fit for my particular kid for college for a number of reasons but I can definitely seeing some musicians blooming there. We’re local also. They have pretty limited housing.
There is always the option to go to college for a BA in music rather than more intense BM, and in fact to do a BA in something else entirely while continuing lessons and performance. Just wanted to add that to the list of BM programs.
I have discussed a BA option and a minor in music but she’s pretty set on a BM. She’s been doing music for 10 years and is in Music Theory 5 in high school - she goes to a charter school and 4 hours a day is music plus private lessons and choirs too, and she did the Berklee 5 week this summer which has cemented her in the contemporary/ songwriting area.
We’ve crossed off McNally for the reasons of accreditation. Disappointing but we don’t want to limit future options…
You might also try Loyola New Orleans and Univ Colorado Denver. My son is attending UC Denver in their Music Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) department which is in the College of Arts and Media. While he is classically trained, he’s interested in their Commercial music performance degree (BS). They also have a Songwriting degree. It is right downtown too! He is enjoying it so far!
Well she was accepted into Berklee for next fall, so we are thrilled, and also into Belmont. Still some interviews to go, but $$ will be the issue with all of them, so we are searching all over for scholarships.
Congrats @danfan72! What a nice, early accomplishment for your D. It’s nice to have choices.
Congratulations!!!
I have to say that I’m amazed that Berklee sent out decisions so early, with so many applicants and so much material to comb through in order to decide (but boy are we grateful that they managed it!).
Frost is excellent. Berklee, Loyola New Orleans, Belmont, UC Denver, USC Thornton are all on the list for this major. Congrats on acceptances!
My S is a percussionist with a passion for drum set in particular. He is interested in continuing his musical development but insists the program be in contemporary music, not just jazz/classical. Also, he may not want to study just music performance, so a school with other solid academic programs would be a plus. He is a very strong student academically. Berklee is on his radar, but it has a music only emphasis which might not be the best match for his needs (yes, I realize they have music business).
It seems that CU Denver is very focused on contemporary, but it is harder to tell with some of the other programs (like Frost). Can someone give some feedback on Music programs within a larger university that are very strong in contemporary music, especially drums?
Thanks!
USC, popular music BM, but you can double major or minor in any subject. They are very flexible.
Berklee is a freestanding school of music, with a BM program. It seems you are looking for a school of music that is not freestanding but is, instead, part of a larger university where academics are also a focus.
A couple of comments: first, Berklee is part of a consortium, so classes can be taken at other schools, such as Northeastern. I have no idea how much this is used. It also has a new double degree program with Harvard, And of course it recently merged with Boston Conservatory.
Second, if you are looking at schools of music for this major, that are part of a larger campus, and for a BM degree, the program will be very similar to Berklee’s in terms of curriculum requirements. The difference is that Berklee is freestanding but the program will be similar.
It IS possible to do the intensive, immersive BM and do a double major or a minor in another subject, at some schools. But consider that a BM is 2/3-2/4 music classes, with lessons, practice, rehearsals and performance. Then add gen eds. Then see how much room is left for another subject.
Here is the requirements list, including gen eds, for USC’s BM. (They also offer a minor in popular music and minor in songwriting).http://catalogue.usc.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=7&poid=6849&returnto=1603
So if your son doesn’t want to study “just music” he might want to read the Double Degree Dilemma essay nearer the top of this forum, which details different ways to study music. He could consider universities or liberal arts colleges that have music departments that offer lessons, courses in his area of interest, and extracurricular performance, where he could major in something else, double major, major/minor or do a double degree.
If he doesn’t want to do “just music” for practical concerns or the need for a “backup” many of us on here will express encouragement for him to do what he loves in the undergrad years. Music majors get a bachelor’s like any other grad and can go to grad school or professional schools like med, law, business, nursing after graduation.
Then again, if he has an area of strong interest outside of music, there are ways to pursue that intensively but still continue music outside of the classroom or with limited classes in music.
Good luck!
@compmom Thanks for the detailed answer! I read (and loved!) the essays preserved here by David Lane. My main point of emphasis was to get more options or comments on the strength of different schools contemporary music offerings, especially in drumming. Although it is hard to tell with my DS, it seems that he is less interested in majoring in music than being able to continue to develop his drumming repertoire possibly going as far as a minor. Of course, he is a junior and things are subject to change. But schools like McGill, Lawrence and Peabody seem to focus primarily jazz and classical.
So to reiterate, besides USC and CU Denver, what are some other schools that are top of mind for contemporary music in the setting of a larger university?
Thanks also for the Berklee consortium info - we will have to look into that. Does it flow both ways? Can a Northeastern student take classes at Berklee or does it flow just the other way?