Does any school teach contemporary music? for music performance major?

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Are there any college/university music programs with an option to study contemporary or popular music as the concentration? My son does classical also, but as a percussionist would like to play music more than counting rests until his next note as he does with most orchestral pieces. He also is not in love with jazz, but I think that's because he hasn't had any performing experience with it. (anyone know of any jazz ensembles for kids in the NY/Long Island area?)</p>

<p>I have already seen Berklee in Boston and Belmont in Nashville discussed. Belmont is a new discovery today, and Berklee seems to have quite a few cons. Any others anywhere on the east coast or the midwest?</p>

<p>Thank you all for all of your wisdom in other threads. Looking forward to your responses.
:-)</p>

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<p>The New School’s Jazz & Contemporary Music [The</a> New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music](<a href=“http://www.newschool.edu/JAZZ/]The”>School of Jazz | College of Performing Arts),
U Denver (Lamont) Jazz & Commercial Music <a href=“Lamont Home | Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences”>Lamont Home | Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, USC (Thorton) [USC</a> Thornton School of Music : Academic Programs: Popular Music](<a href=“http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/programs/popular_music/index.html]USC”>http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/programs/popular_music/index.html)</p>

<p>For additional Belmont info, look for past posts by henrob.</p>

<p>I’m not aware of anything in the midwest.</p>

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<p>Re “anyone know of any jazz ensembles for kids in the NY/Long Island area?”</p>

<p>Take a look at the New York Youth Symphony’s jazz program, [New</a> York Youth Symphony](<a href=“http://www.nyys.org/programs/jazz.php]New”>http://www.nyys.org/programs/jazz.php) , and Nassau-Suffolk Peforming Arts jazz band, [Nassau-Suffolk</a> Performing Arts](<a href=“http://www.nassausuffolk.org/]Nassau-Suffolk”>http://www.nassausuffolk.org/)</p>

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<p>University of North Texas doesn’t have a “contemporary music” major - just classical and jazz, but they do have contemporary/pop ensembles for percussionists, along with almost anything else you could think of - African, Cuban, jazz, classical, drumline, steel band, etc.</p>

<p>[UNT</a> Percussion Ensembles](<a href=“http://www.music.unt.edu/percussion/ensembles.html]UNT”>Ensembles | University of North Texas)</p>

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<p>On LI there is Nassau Suffolk (they are pretty amazing). Gemini Youth Orchestras has also started a Jazz program this year ([ </a> Gemini Youth Orchestras](<a href=“http://www.gyo.org%5D%C2%A0”>http://www.gyo.org)).</p>

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<p>What about University of Colorado - Denver (as opposed to University of Denver)? Anybody know how those two compare w/regard to jazz (for guitar) and contemporary music? Thanks in advance.</p>

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<p>Cal Arts is known for its contemporary work. They just got 15 million dollars from Herb Alpert. The son of a friend just graduated from there in percussion. He loved it.</p>

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<p>Spam. Spam. Spam.</p>

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<p>University of Southern California has a popular music performance major. Contemporary means different things to different people. They also have excellent classical and jazz programs.</p>