<p>What are some of good music schools in Cali?
It can be part of a large university (UCLA) private (USC), etc.</p>
<p>I'm planning to major in FLUTE performance :)</p>
<p>or just US in general now -_-</p>
<p>Flute is probably the most competitive instrument for music school admissions. Can you give us some idea of your level of playing so that we know what level of program to suggest? How long have you been playing? What are some pieces that you feel you have mastered and what are some that you find difficult?</p>
<p>Isn't Pomona really good for music? Not that it's at all popular there, but they have a performance concentration (i applied for music perf. concentration...hopefully voice...WHO KNOWS lol)</p>
<p>How about Colburn?</p>
<p>never heard</p>
<p>Colburn has a beautiful building. It is directly across the street from the new home of the L.A. Phil--Disney Hall. It is quite small. I'm sorry that I don't really know anything else about it. Being in Los Angeles, I am sure it has an outstanding faculty, just like all the other music schools in L.A.--USC, UCLA, UCI, Cal Arts, CSUN, etc.</p>
<p>Colburn has rapidly established itself as one of the nation's elite conservatories. The caliber is approximately that of Juilliard. I think the flute teacher there recently departed from USC; that teacher's students have been extremely successful on the audition circuit recently.
USC is also an excellent music school.</p>
<p>Take a look at the UCSB website -- they have performance degrees and an impressive series of master classes and performances. Also, you could check out San Francisco Conservatory, which has a nice a nice new facility in the heart of town.</p>
<p>The Colburn School's BM program is is relatively new and still in the development process. They started with strings 3 or 4 years ago, added woodwinds last year, and the first class of brass players will be starting this fall. The only other fact of interest I know about the program is that it's free - no tuition plus a housing and meal stipend!</p>
<p>Colburn is the most selective music school on the West Coast. They compete with Manhattan, CIM, and Curtis for students.The faculty is mostly shared with USC (across town). However, they lost their 'cello prof this year, Eleanor Schoenfeld, which was a big hit.
USC is an excellent music school; my D is a viola major there. All strings are excellent, along with many brass, voice and the jazz program. I don't have knowledge of the piano program.</p>
<p>Pomona is not particularly strong in music. The music program is really at Scripps, but all five Claremont schools sort of share music programs. However, my D attended a 5-school orchestra rehearsal and felt that her top high school orchestra was farther along.</p>
<p>There are two music programs in Claremont: one at Pomona, and one at Scripps that's shared by the other 4Cs (the latter is known to be more recreational, with a lighter rehearsal schedule, but both programs are open to all students). While the departments are relatively strong, they are by NO means of conservatory quality (or anything near it). There are general music majors and vocal performance majors, but I believe that's as specific as it gets. If we have a specialized flute professor on staff, it's news to me. </p>
<p>Great schools, but I wouldn't recommend them to someone who wants to major in flute performance. </p>
<p>Good luck :-)</p>
<p>"Colburn has rapidly established itself as one of the nation's elite conservatories. The caliber is approximately that of Juilliard."</p>
<p>I'm just wondering what that statement is based on. And it which areas? Juilliard is a fine institution, but it certainly has strong departments and weak departmets. I honestly know very little about Colburn. It is such a new program that many of their graduates have not made it to the East coast yet. Most of the claims of greatness I hear about Colburn come from the institution itself, and I know very few people who have experience with both Colburn and the schools it so frequently compares itself to. </p>
<p>Back to the question: Oddly enough, California is a bit of a wasteland when it comes to top-notch music programs. I grew up in San Francisco, but I've had to move to Boston to find a really good music school. You might have luck on Flute at SFCM, but they were always a very patchy school when I was there. I do remember flute being one of their strong intruments, all of my friends who study with Tim Day seem to love him. Other than that, USC and UCLA both have their strong points but they generally aren't on the level of the East coast schools. Other than those, I wouldn't recommend any California schools for music degrees.</p>
<p>Right on the money, Mahlersnob. Take it from a So.Cal UCLA alum who sent her daughter back East at great expense.</p>
<p>Wasteland? You are too harsh re Thornton, which is a good music school with a strong faculty. Students there can also take advantage of USC's vast other offerings, which give it advantages for many over some of those east coast schools that are simply conservatories. There is also some strong faculty at SFConservatory of Music, which in its new facility may become more competitive in the future. UCLA is not a conservatory and does not purport to be -- it doesn't even offer a BMus degree; Colburn is too new to claim it can rival Juilliard or even Thornton.</p>
<p>Yes, USC certainly does give money out to some top students. It just takes academic/musical talent, ha. Don't be so harsh on California, Mahler. There are many job opportunities here.</p>
<p>Plus, I wouldn't even consider San Fran Conservatory to be very good anyway. The reason I would choose USC, or other universities with top-notch music departments, is that I find conservatories to be too limiting -- they are merely trade schools. I want to be more educated in other areas..instead of living a narrow-minded conservatory life.</p>
<p>It is incorrect to say that SF Conservatory is not good. For students who want a conservatory-only experience, SF Conservatory could be a good fit. It has a strong faculty in many areas and a lovely new facility. They also have scholarship money.</p>
<p>SF Conservatory is decent, but not "very good," meaning that it's not one of the top music schools. But that's just my opinion.</p>
<p>Have you been there or heard any of its students? I have; I live in the area and know many students who study with faculty there, which includes members of the SF Symphony. There are some excellent students, some of whom go on to graduate school at Juilliard. There are some fine teachers, as good as many at Thornton, for example, about which some posters here were wrongly dismissive, too. Don't be too quick to dismiss schools you have not visited; they may not work for you, but they may work well for others.</p>