I am currently at a NC Community College doing some Gen Eds. I’m planning on going to Methodist University in Fayetville for an Associates in Music. I then want to transfer to get aBachelors either in General Music or Music Therapy. My career goal is Music Therspy. I am wondering what any experiences any Musicans or Percussionists have had with the following schools. I am a Christian, so I’m not totally against religious colleges.
Liberty University- The Percussion Prof there seemed very rude and uninterested in answering ANY questions I had about the program. I’ve heard LUs Music Dept is a joke.
East Carolina- Dr. Wackier seems like a pretty reputable teacher.
Indiana Wesleyan University- This is the furthest school from me distance wise. The Percussion Prof is VERy adamant that I should go there. Not sure how to deal with that.
Western Carolina University- The Percussion Prof seemed very rude
I should mention thst I’m VERY VERY weak in Mallets. So hopefully an AA in Music will help me catch up when I go to get my Bachelors. I can read Mallet Music and Play scales, but I don’t have acces to a instrument to practice on, despite having begged and pleaded with my former HS director to let me practice. Most Prof’s seems to think I’m just making up excuses, but I’m not! I can’t budge my BD’s arm, to practice on a instrument if he won’t let me.
You have to get your mallet chops together. Try and put some money together and get a used instrument. Don’t rely on others. As a parent of a percussion major, I can tell you first hand get your mallet chops together. Good luck.
Thanks for the input. Any others who see this post, feel free to give opinions on the schools I listed, and, if you’ve had any experience with the Percussion Prof’s , your takes on them. What are some good/bad questions to ask a Percussion Prof as a prospective student ? The ones I typically ask are :what the audition requirements are, how good are the Facilites, what sets your program apart from others, what type currixulm will it be ( Total Percussion vs 100% Classical), and if you have to play mallets for your audition . In reference to thst last one, most private schools and HBCUs DONT require you play Mallets, but most state ones do.
I’m not sure what good questions are for Music Therapy Prof’s, so anyone’s input on this I’d really appreciate!
Also, the people who can give me insights on the schools don’t have to be Percussionists, . Just Music Majors or friends/ parents of one.
Here is a school I forgot to list that does Music Therapy- App State
The big question I have…are job demands for Music Therapists in demand ? With the budget cuts happening to NC in Educztion, and being the son of a SPEd teacher of 24 years ( and is still in it), I know very I tamely the problems associated with getting a teaching degree here.
And, why do Prof’s constantly say at Music Schools, we have 100% job placement rate for our MUEDJOBS and MT grads? To me, it sounds nothing like a sales pitch, but Prof’s assure me it’s a fact
Go out and take a sample lesson with the teachers at the schools you’re interested in attending. You’ll find out first hand what they are like. I don’t know any of those teachers. As for mallets, unless you are going to be a jazz drumset major you’re going to have to play mallets. And as far as job prospects go, you can never predict what the job market will be like. Play everything you can.
A school that’s being mentioned on the MT forum recently might be of interest to you. Coastal Carolina. I think it is public and they seem to be growing and putting $$ into both their theater and music programs. Maybe at least worth checking out the website.
@SpiritManager Coastal Carolina is one I hadn’t heard of until it started getting buzz on the MT forum. It certainly looks like it is up and coming in some areas, but I don’t have personal experience with any of their programs. I just thought it looked like a school OP might find interesting. And it definitely has fans among the MT and Theatre folks.
What are some good / bad questions to ask a Music Prof/ Applies Music teacher? The ones I typically ask are
What type Percussion Facilites do you have and can you attach a photo or two of them , if you can? The Percussion Prof at Western Carolona got really ticked about thst question. Most Prof’s I’ve asked this to have had zero problem with this request.
Can you attach a syllabus of Applied Lessons? I do this to see what the curriculum looks like, percussion wise, for the school and also what polices the teacher might have in place. My grandfather recently retired as the dean of a large community college in Ohio, and told me that’s a good question to ask. In my experience , Applied Lesson content varies from teacher to teacher.I’ve gotten mixed reactions about this. Some have happily sent me some, others have literally yelled at me for asking such a question. WHY. A prof would yell at.a prospective student I have no idea. Is thst even proper?
What’s the advantage of your program over a bigger school like FSU? most Prof’s I’ve asked this to, give me some general answers ( we’re much smaller in size, more individual attention etc), but some have gotten really specific about the differences between their school and others. I read an article on good questions to ask during a famous tour to a faculty member, and this was one of those questions. Now here’s my question, why would some Prof’s get mad at me asking this ? I’ve had to narrow down my choices even further because the Percusison Prof at Charelston Southern, which has a Music Therapy program, yelled at me for 30 min about that question. Definitely not a fun experience, epically for a Prof that’s at a conservative Christian school…
Anyone that reads this, feel free to chime in on this post and let me know if these are realsonable questions for a prospective student to ask.
Also, if any of you know of ANY Music Therapy and Percussion programs anywhere else other than where I mentioned ( East Carolina and IWU), please feel free to pass them along I’m looking for a school thst teaches Total Percussion, not just Classical or Jazz.
Are you checking websites of the schools you are interested in? Some schools post info and photos on the facilities.
How much experience do you have in percussion? Have you studied privately? Maybe you should be discussing these questions with your private teacher and have them help guide you toward a school that will fit you.
As for lesson syllabus, many don’t follow a strict syllabus. My own son’s teacher individualizes everything for his students. Everyone is different with different strengths and weaknesses and you need to address those.
As for perspective teachers yelling at you, you should have either hung up the phone or walked away. That wasn’t the place or the person for you.
As far as experience, I did MS and HS concert band. Section leader all four years of HS in both concert and marching band. Studied privately for four years with a Flordia State Percussion grad who did Pit in Boston Crusaders and Snare in Carolina Gold. I Was head drum set player in MS and HS jazz band. Yes, I’ve checked the websites for those schools I’ve listed. I have discussed these questions with my teacher. She tells me to ask the opinions of others, in particular, in forms like these.
I agree with everyone having strengths and weaknesses in different areas. That’s why I feel if a student has a snare solo, timpani solo, and some mallet scales, that’s better than them having nothing at all to showcase on keyboards. I know most state schools don’t like this philosophy, but private ones seem to.
Bigdjp, if you dont mind me asking, what school does your son go to? What’s he like/ dislike about majoring in percussion there?
Also, if anyone can recommend a good community college music program? I’m asking about OOS ones, since NC community colleges that do Associates Degrees , don’t have Percussion as a instrument option for lessons.
Im only familar with Onondaga Community College in NY.
If Methodist doesn’t work out financially or admissions wise ( they are $40 thousand a year), I want to have a good back up plan.
However, I’ve heard most universities don’t take very well to people coming into a BM with an Associates in Music.
