Do I have to be playing in a band to apply for music schools?

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>I am a high school junior in Boston planning to apply for both ordianry colleges and music schools.
My unweighted GPA is around 3.6. I only got 1900 on my SAT but I got a 2400 on my SAT subject tests, among which are Math2, Physics and Chemistry. Though I do very well on science, I'm not so interested in science and I don't really want to major in science in college :(
However, I'm really interested in and talented at music. My dream is to get into music schools like Berklee or NEC. I have played piano for 8 years and I can also play Chinese flute(BTW I'm from China and I'm not yet a US resident). I have a certification of "Piano Performance Level" in China, which is the highest level of amateurish piano level in China, but IDK whether that helps on my application. I have composed and arranged many songs and musics but I never had any experience in playing in a band. If I major in music, I will definitely major in composition or songwriting, not performance. I also have a 5 on my AP music theory.</p>

<p>Anyway... after my superfluous description, does music schools require experience of playing in a band?</p>

2

<p>Now I’m facing a dilemma that whether to pay most of my attention on improving my SAT scores or musical skills.
I’m going to the five-week performance summer program in Berklee this july. If I study hard on SAT this August I may get a 2100 on the October SAT, but SAT scores seem negligible in music schools.</p>

<p>My forte is composition and music theory. I don’t think my performance skill is better than other applicants…</p>

3

<p>What’s more, my composition is more pertaining to ethnic music and world music. As a genre, I’m in favor of New Age music.
I like listening to pop, country and jazz music as well(though I haven’t composed any of them yet…but I will)
BTW, I’m also a good composer of classical music.</p>

<p>It seems that I’m making non-mainstream music… Do music schools welcome my special taste that can bring diversity to their schools, or they just don’t like it?</p>

4

<p>Perhaps you could consider studying ethnomusicology at a traditional college/university - for example- UCLA and Wesleyan. Many colleges have traditional Chinese instrumental ensembles. And many universities and liberal arts colleges offer music degrees with the emphasis on world music and/or composition. As a composer you need not limit yourself to a conservatory setting, nor even a BM degree in composition as opposed to a BA in music.</p>

<p>Will finances be an issue for you? Berklee can be quite expensive, as can an out of state university like UCLA.</p>

5

<p>Not a very big issue, less than 60k a year in total is acceptable, but I will try my best to get a scholarship.
My parents say that either I can go to a conservatory or major in ordinary subjects in colleges. They don’t consent me to major in music in a ordinary college unless I can get a dual degree on other subjects like science or business. Do you have any good colleges that offer dual degree on music and other subjects?</p>

6

<p>You could also consider a double major, and not double degree - in music and economics or physics, for instance. Again, available in most university and liberal arts settings. What kind of science is of interest to you?</p>

<p>Required reading for those considering double degrees: [Double</a> Degrees | Peabody Conservatory](<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html]Double”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html)</p>

<p>Please note that a traditional conservatory composition program will not be where one studies songwriting - for that you need the programs specializing in contemporary, popular, or commercial music such as Berklee, Belmont, U Denver, USC etc. However, CCM at Univ. of Cincinnati, and, I believe, UCLA has recently added such a focus.</p>

<p>I highly recommend looking at UCLA - it may have all the aspects of music you’re interested in, and good science too.</p>

7

<p>Thank you very much. I will consider UCLA. I think I’m mostly interested in astronomy as a science major.
A traditional composition program is fine, I don’t like too contemporary music like rock or funk.
I will also apply for Eastman</p>

8

<p>I think a high SAT or ACT score is important even if you are a music major. Especially if you apply to a university school of music, double-major or no, and especially if you want a scholarship.</p>

9

<p>I looked briefly at the UCLA website and I didn’t find anything about commercial/popular music - but there is a composition track in Ethnomusicology: [World</a> Music Concentration/Performance and/or Composition Emphasis](<a href=“http://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=884:performance-andor-composition-emphasis&catid=80&Itemid=226]World”>http://www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=884:performance-andor-composition-emphasis&catid=80&Itemid=226)</p>

10

<p>You do not have to play in a band to get into music school. Do you play in any ensembles or do you play alone mainly?</p>

<p>SAT’s and GPA’s won’t matter as much at conservatories/music schools that are not part of a university. At colleges and universities, they will matter, of course. </p>

<p>I do not understand why your parents will support your attendance at a conservatory (BM degree) but not majoring in music at a college or university (BA usually). Can you explain their reasoning?</p>

<p>Well-known double degree programs include Oberlin, Bard, Peabody/Johns Hopkins, Tufts/NEC, Harvard/NEC, and possibly Juilliard/Columbia. Others can suggest more options.</p>

<p>Songwritng is different from “composition” in terms of programs, and Spirit Manager’s suggestion to look into ethnomusicology is an interesting one. Many composers now work with world instruments, such as the Japanese flute or Balinese gamelan, and your work would no doubt be welcome and appreciated.</p>

<p>Without knowing much at all about your composing background, it is hard to suggest anything. Have you studied with a teacher? Have you written for ensembles or orchestra? Has your music been played by professionals? Have you done any summer programs before? Doing the Berklee program is a great idea and I hope you love it!</p>

<p>A BA in music at a college or university will cover music history, theory, aural skills, ethnomusicology, composition and technology in music. Music would be 1-4 to 1/3 of your coursework though at some schools it is as much as 1/2. You would also have the opportunity (and often the requirement) to study many other subjects, whether science or art history or literature. </p>

<p>What do you yourself want to do? If you are not genuinely interested in science or business, do you mainly want to do music? At a conservatory or music school, 2/3-3/4 of your classes will be in music. </p>

<p>Are your parents (reasonably) worried about income for you? Many conservatories now offer classes in entrepreneurial skills, or business, by the way. You can also build practical skills and connections by doing internships or volunteering. Musicians and composers work in music-related jobs and also have jobs that are not related to music at all, as “day jobs.” Also, a BA or BM gives access to grad and professional schools just like any other bachelor’s.</p>

<p>Read the link to the Peabody discussion of double degrees. Spirit Manager posted it. She has a lot of information about the west coast and music programs in general.</p>

<p>To apply for composition, you will need 3-4 pieces to submit, and it is preferred that at least some of them be played live and recorded versus MIDI. </p>

<p>You might want to visit some of your options, both for a BM and BA. Look at websites for course requirements. Listen to the music of faculty. In the end, it is okay to apply to schools for all of your options and then decide in April of senior year: a lot can happen in the last years of high school.</p>

<p>Your summer program at Berklee will be really helpful.</p>

<p>My own daughter (a contemporary classical and electroacoustic composer at this point) applied to both conservatories and colleges and also contemplated a double degree. By May 1st of senior year, she had decided on a general music major for a BA and has been happy with this decision. Your path will be your own: give yourself some choices after fulling exploring what they are.</p>

11

<p>You don’t have to be in a band to get into a music school, but the experience of being in a band and playing with others can help your audition. The 5-week experience at Berklee will help you in your ensemble and band-playing experience. When you are at the 5-week, you will get an opportunity to audition for Berklee, too. This is not only good experience for auditioning at other music schools, but is also a chance to get feedback in the form on scholarships. As these scholarships are highly competitive, you may not get a scholarship offer from Berklee from your 5-week audition, but it could help you if you decide to formally apply to Berklee as part of your Senior year in HS, and that could be 3-6 months after your 5-week audition, so you will have gained experience.</p>

<p>You sound very talented, so definitely look at several of the contemporary music schools like Berklee and USC-Thornton. If you want to be near Berklee and double major, look at Boston U and Northeastern, both of which are near each other and near Berklee and NEC.</p>

12

<p>I have always been writing music independently and be an active amateur musician on the internet. I usually make music and record through MIDI but I also have some piano pieces played and recorded by myself.
I do want to learn entrepreneurial skills and music business, that’s why my parents want me to go into a conservatory.</p>

<p>For applying, do they emphasize on your particular skill? For example, if I want to apply for composition major, do they look more on my pieces composed instead of my performance on the audition? </p>

<p>For the pieces that I am going to submit, do that have to be in the form of scores? Some of my arrangements have tens of instruments and other tens of special sound samples. It’s hard to include these in the form of a score.</p>

<p>I want to EA in Berklee and apply to other conservatories in RD. Is EA harder or easier to be accepted?</p>

13

<p>Do know that Berklee and ‘other conservatories’ are very different animals. With very different requirements. You can review all the composition requirements on the admissions pages of the schools of interest to you. As a composer, at a classical music program - they’re going to want to see your scores, and hear acoustic performances of at least one or two of them. One midi recording is usually not a problem.</p>

<p>However, I can’t figure out from your posts what your goal is for composition study. Do you want to study classical composition, world/new age music, or commercial pop music? Once you decide that it will be easier to focus your search for the right program, and determine what is required for submission. And even whether or not there’s an audition or an interview at all.</p>

14

<p>You should definitely check out the composition requirements at Berklee or any other school. I think at Berklee you still have to audition on an instrument and if you have scores, you should bring those with you as we’ll, and explain your add’l sound pieces. You can send them links to your complete pieces, which they may or may not listen to completely.</p>

<p>I know know the answer on EA or regular decision … I think that is a good question to ask at the 5-week.</p>

15

<p>SnowflakeVT is correct. You definitely have to audition on an instrument at Berklee. In fact, unlike many schools at which you’re applying in composition, you do NOT submit your scores to Berklee for admission to the college itself. The reason for this is that actual acceptance into the composition program is done later. You should, however, apply for the Berklee Writing and Composition Scholarship for entering students which may very well also work as a pre-screen for the composition program. [Berklee</a> Writing and Composition Scholarship for Entering Students | Berklee College of Music](<a href=“http://www.berklee.edu/scholarships/Writing-Composition-Scholarship.html]Berklee”>http://www.berklee.edu/scholarships/Writing-Composition-Scholarship.html)</p>

<p>Your audition is done in person. You will also have an interview at that time. Be prepared to talk about your goals, including your desire to compose. If you audition in piano, you can also bring along your Chinese flute in case they are interested in learning more about your skills in that category as well.</p>

16

<p>From your description, it sounds like you are most interested in non classical songwriting/composition, and for that most conservatories are probably not a good fit…NEC, Juilliard and so forth are oriented to classical composition, which while you could go through there and then decide to do songwriting/non classical composition, they don’t focus on it, and quite frankly, if you don’t already have a background in classical composition with a background in music theory, it might be difficult to get into one of them…I agree with others, programs with majors in commercial music, contemporary music or whatever they call it might be better, besides Berklee, USC, UCLA, and others people have mentioned might be better for you.</p>

<p>To see the requirements for programs like that, you probably should check the website. For programs at universities, like USC, grades and SAT scores are going to count, both for admissions and scholarships. While they will often make exceptions for talented music students in terms of standards with gpa and sat’s, it is better to go in there with better levels of GPA and SAT, makes getting in easier and also might help with scholarships.</p>

<p>There is also the alternative of a BA in music, but if your parents want you to dual major that might be a bit of a stretch…though as others said, I wonder why your parents would be okay with you going to a conservatory but you need to dual major in a college, because a conservatory is pretty much single track music, it is just as ‘focused’ as doing a BA in music in a college…</p>

<p>In any event, given your bent, I would look at the contemporary music programs people have mentioned, I believe you can add NYU to the list (which is pretty expensive).</p>

17

<p>My composition is like a mixture between classical and contemprary music, so I think I’m capable to apply for both traditional and contemprary conservatories. I’m not sure whether I like classical or modern music more…</p>

18

<p>Check out the Contemporary Improvisation program at NEC. They have quite a range of interests there.</p>

19

<p>Going back to your original question - playing in the band is not necessary to get into a music school. It probably would help to be playing in groups appropriate for your instrument however, but since you don’t really play a “band” instrument it doesn’t make sense to play in a band. My son is a trumpet player, and did not play in his school band for 10-12th grade. He was accepted to Northwestern, NEC, CIM, Indiana and Maryland. He did play in his youth orchestra and a brass choir though.</p>

<p>As far as your grades and SATs are concerned, traditional conservatories don’t seem to really care. We never sent his SAT scores to NEC (didn’t want to pay the extra $ since they didn’t require it) and when he got his acceptance letter they said they needed a copy of his high school transcript to make his acceptance official. His school had apparently forgotten to send the transcript to NEC. They accepted him without having seen any of his high school academic scores!</p>

<p>We found that acceptance into most conservatories are based on auditions only; grades and SAT scores have little to no impact.</p>

20

<p>You don’t necessarily have to be in band to apply for a music school- however it would higher the chances of you getting into their conservatory/program</p>