<p>Consider the following schools:
-Harvard
-Yale
-Oberlin
-Bard
-Belmont</p>
<p>“Yo Yo Ma went to Harvard but got mostly C’s, I have heard, because he was already touring.” - what was his major at harvard?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I know that it was not music. I believe that it was English or History (but I could be wrong about that). AFAIK, Yo Yo Ma did not do the dual degree program with NEC. My son’s roommate did the dual degree program with NEC. He just graduated from Harvard and he will be getting his MM after next year. BTW, the Tufts/NEC program is BA/BM, so you end up with two bachelor’s degrees.</p>
<p>The difference, in my understanding between a BA/BM double degree and a BA/MM is that the undergrad spends the first three years at the university/college taking a regular course load (or 75% of one,) with the addition of one private studio class at the conservatory. Then the fourth year that student takes only one class at the college/university, and the rest of his/her courses at the conservatory as the beginning of a Masters. Then after four years the student gets a BA at the college/university and goes for one more year to the conservatory to finish the masters. What I see as a possible detriment to this is that the most fun and interesting courses and opportunities for undergrads tend to be in the upper division classes - and in this scenario the fourth Senior year is minimalized while the main attention of the student has moved on to the musical education.</p>
<p>I do know that many students entering these BA/MM programs intend to add on more courses than suggested - particularly in theory and ensembles. I don’t know, in practicality how it turns out.</p>
<p>The advantage to a BA/BM program is that the student gets the full experience as an undergrad of both studying music, and studying something else - including all the standard sequence courses, and the upper division courses. The disadvantage, of course, is that, unless one plans to continue in grad school in both divisions, there isn’t any real ‘practical’ advantage to having two separate undergrad degrees.</p>
<p>“Yo Yo Ma did not do the dual degree program with NEC.” - Sure. There was no Harvard/NEC dual degree program at that time. The program is quite new. But, did he double majored (including in music) at Harvard? No?</p>
<p>In his bio, he describes his education at Harvard as a “traditional liberal arts degree”. He is a unique individual and had already been performing for major orchestras before that time.</p>
<p>^ Thanks. So he didn’t exactly need Harvard education?</p>
<p>It would seem that Yo Yo Ma did feel the need for the undergraduate education, or he wouldn’t have gone. He was already “making it” as a musician. Perhaps we wanted to feel educated in literature and history and art, which can deepen pleasure in music in turn, if indirectly.</p>
<p>Spirit Manager, I had not thought about the disadvantage you mention in terms of BA/MM students missing out on that 4th year of the BA. I think you are right that things can sort of blossom in that final year. My daughter thought about doing a double degree program and your insight makes me even more glad she didn’t (aside from the opportunity to savor things for these 4 years, rather than focus on getting that master’s as quickly as possible).</p>
<p>Sorry to get off track here.</p>
<p>Good luck to the original poster! Many paths to consider, and it will all work out…</p>
<p>^ “It would seem that Yo Yo Ma did feel the need for the undergraduate education, or he wouldn’t have gone.” - But one of previous posters mentioned that he got Cs at Harvard. So I thought that he didn’t learn a lot in his chosen (non-music) major at Harvard. By the way, Harvard does not have performing majors. So how/what did he study in music while he was in Harvard?</p>
<p>Compdad wrote, “The programs are hard enough without having to add commuting time into the mix.” - so true. What about doing double majors at Yale Campus - especially, Engineering & music?</p>
<p>PV—the point is, that Yo-Yo Ma was already a highly accomplished, experienced professional musician before he went to Harvard. I’m sure that he probably studied and practiced privately. Unless a student is already soloing with the NY Phil before college apps,Mr. Ma’s path is probably not one a music student might seek to emulate.</p>
<p>^ Interesting to hear your view. Certainly Yo Yo Ma was a special musician at the professional level before entering Harvard. No doubt about it. But has he been only one? I do not think so. I do not believe such quality in music in pre-college year belonged to him ONLY. What he has now is not because he had achieved all he needed even before entering Harvard. It was because, he studied continue while he was in Harvard as well. There are Harvard/NEC kids now in campus, and I wouldn’t underestimate any of them. There are equally impressive music kids are in Yale too. So it’s natural to know how those kids are handling music and more in those colleges, especially a kid’s another major is Engineering. Again, I do not believe this discussion belong to Yo Yo Ma ONLY.</p>
<p>Maybe I missed this in one of the many posts on this thread, but is there a reason why Rice hasn’t been mentioned on this thread? Being one of the best piano programs in the country, one of the best academic schools in the country, AND in Texas seems like it would be a good fit for you. Dual degree possible.</p>
<p>At the undergraduate level, Yale has a music department that I don’t know much about. Nor do I know much about Rice as my son wanted to get out of Texas for college, thus he did not consider Rice.</p>
<p>Operaluvr - have things changed at Rice? In the past it was very very difficult, and certainly discouraged, to pursue a double degree. Which is not to say that a student getting a BM in music wouldn’t be able to take some wonderful academic classes in the rest of the university.</p>
<p>For the student that is exceedingly determined to do two degrees, yes, it is possible. Some departments discourage it a lot more than others but still, you have the right to pursue both degrees.</p>
<p>A dual degree at Rice should not be taken lightly though. That would be like getting a BM at Curtis while simultaneously getting a BA from UPenn. Possible, but not something to do just out of interest.</p>
<p>^ Do Upenn have a joint dual degree program with Curtis? I am not aware of it, although Upenn kids can take private instrumental lessons at Curtis.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>UPenn does not have a joint dual degree program with Curtis (at least as of four years ago). Curtis students are allowed to take UPenn classes, but UPenn students could not take Curtis lessons. (Private lessons would be another matter.) UPenn music majors could have their compositions played by Curtis students, but I am not sure what was required.</p>
<p>^ Thanks. That’s what I thought.</p>
<p>+1.</p>
<p>One of the earlist Harvard-NEC students is Charlie Albright, a pianist. I think he is either in his 5th year or has just completed the joint program. He finished 2 concentrations at Harvard: Economics and Pre-med before working on his 5th year NEC MM degree. With 2 concentrations and a joint master degree, I once overheard him saying over the NPR about something like this: “it is not as hard as one would think.”</p>
<p>There are many efficient learners out there. Among those students who can be admitted to a program like Harvard-NEC, many of them probably do not need to stay in the practice room 6-7 hours a day. Otherwise, how could they handle the academic part of high school and be admitted into Harvard? Many of them have done the “2 things” already in high school: given their limited time each day, they are able to do very well both academically and musically under the scheduling constraints in high schools. They are just more or less doing it all over again in colleges with the scheduling contraints imposed by colleges.</p>