<p>"Find out what auditioning on composition means."</p>
<p>Emory is the only BA program that I've noticed having an audition requirement to declare the major. For most of the music majors, the prerequisite is a theory course. Most of them do require performance of some kind, and for a number of them it looks like you go into the chorus if you don't have another ensemble instrument, or if you don't get into another ensemble by audition.</p>
<p>BA at UCLA seems equivalent in its breadth and depth to a BM at USC… but we hear the faculty haven’t succeeded in lobbying the dean for a change in degree, for some odd reason…any thoughts about these two?</p>
<p>Musicmama, I when we toured both UCLA and USC last year, the BA at UCLA was over 65% coursework in GE requirements with the remaining 35% in music. USC’s BM was the reverse, as were pretty much all BM’s. I don’t see how they can be equivalent. </p>
<p>For example, my son’s GE requirement (at USC) can be met with one GE per semester. At UCLA, his GE requirement would’ve been about twice that amount, if not more, leaving only about 35% of the space left for music (performance ensembles, lessons, theory, aural training, composition, etc). </p>
<p>Everyone is different, and of course the teachers can be wonderful at either type of program. But for some kids, a BA is simply not enough music. </p>
<p>And given that, I think there are also differences in the type of student/musician who seek a BA vs. a BM. (This is clear to the students my son knows at USC, where there are also some BA students in the various music majors. It’s subtle, but there’s a “he/she’s a BA, though” type attitude, implying these students have an easier “music load” and are judged by a less “musically rigorous” standard.) Of course, those BA musicians may be double-majoring in neuroscience, for all we know!</p>
<p>Hi, I am also interested in a BA program, piano. I am an international student.</p>
<p>-Could you please tell me why did you suggest those universities (Washington Univeristy St Louis, Furman University, Miami University in Ohio, Brandeis University)? For example, what aspects make their BA program outstanding.</p>
<p>-Can someone tell me what do you think about the BA in music program, piano of:</p>
<p>USC, Indiana, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern</p>
<p>-Any other schools with a good BA program?</p>
<p>I believe that Carnegie-Mellon is a BFA for performance. My d has a friend at WashU. She loves the school but said the music level is just so-so. She played in some ensembles at NEC prep, so she knows good music. She is not s music major.</p>
<p>lou, usc, northwestern, indiana and cw are talent-baded admit programs in music that usually offer bmus or bf’s, not ba. why do you want a ba in piano instead of a bmus or bfa? a ba would mean substantially fewer hours spent in the discipline.</p>
<p>I know USC offers a BA program, and the audition repertory is the same as the BM´s repertory. I made the decision because I want to try different types of music while being able to receive private piano class. And I am consious that the amount of hours in the discipline will be less (I decided to leave the “piano performance” road). Because I discovered that I am not 100% passionate about classical piano to spend my whole carreer with it. I am actually very interested to have a different approach to music, and take courses such as: music production, music management, composition, and many other things related to music, but not specificaly classical piano.</p>
<p>But anyways, does someone know which places offer an outstanding BA in music, piano program? If so, why? Because many universities offer it, but not all of them are good. I am applying in a couple of months (so…HELP please! 
)</p>
<p>So what you’re referring to I think is more like “ba in musical arts” right? University of Michigan offers that kind of mix at it’s school of music. However, I expect your access to classes such as upper level composition and recording would be restricted somewhat if you’re not a major in those disciplines. eg. My son takes audio production studio as part of his bfa program there and non-majors cannot take those classes.</p>
<p>Perhaps you should be looking at popular music programs like the one at USC where your strength on instrument counts but technology, composition and music business types of courses are still included.</p>
<p>My son’s program at umich is similar – it’s called “performing arts technology” and has four “paths”, from performance with music tech to production engineering. Each path is still a specialized professional degree though – performance route is bmus, multimedia (with composition for screen etc.) is a bfa and engineering is a bsc.</p>
<p>Ps not to confuse you further, but in terms of production, composition and tech, all the schools you named have specialized programs in variation of those disciplines – nyu has Clive Davis recording arts dept, nu has music tech, Indiana has a bs in recording arts (but doesn’t include as much composition) and cw has engineering/music tech. Like mich, those programs require a combination of portfolio and audition.</p>
<p>Thank you for the information, I should start investigating and comparing each university´s programs and see which ones I like the most. I noticed that some universitites don´t offer individual piano classes, and that´s not what I want. I still want to learn classical pieces, but not with the same rigurousity as the BM</p>
<p>Can you please tell me the difference between BA, BM and BFA? </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Well, Lou, many of the programs have group keyboard/piano courses for all the music students – you need to be performance stream or at least admitted to the piano studio to have private lessons that give credit. The private lessons are available to all music students at the music school, but the majors get first crack (eg BMus Piano Perf) then other majors, then BA students.</p>
<p>A BFA in a music school setting is a bachelor of fine arts, and it is a “professional track” insofar as you will have a heavily mandated sequence of studio type courses (eg. jazz improv or recording or other production related courses that are open only to the “specialized” majors. Eg. you will not likely have room to minor, 120 of your credits and the sequence may be spelled out for you, etc. You will have slightly FEWER upper level music theory classes in some program, and possibly fewer music history than BMUS students. All BFA programs are talent-based admits by portfolio or audition.</p>
<p>A BMUS degree can be in composition, music technology or an instrument or voice. You will have more ensemble requirements, more theory and more musicology than either the BFA or the BA. You will have more hours of private studio on your instrument on which you were admitted. It is a professional track for professional musicians, composers, or producers as the case may be.</p>
<p>A BA is pretty much like every other bachelor of arts at a college and is often NOT audition based as it is not exactly a “professional track” – although it can be in some disciplines such as composition at <em>some</em> schools or possibly “academic” in nature, eg. study of world music, musicology etc. – but not in terms of performance. It’s rather unusual to see a high level performance student pursuing a BA in music, because it just isn’t nearly as intensive or professional tracked or “hands-on” in nature.</p>
<p>A BSc is a bachelor of science, and is sometimes awarded in music technology programs such as Indiana Jacobs – the successful applicants might be classical or contemporary artists and were admitted by portfolio, but their course sequences are not as intensive musically (eg. theory and musicology requirements) as a performance tracked student. U of M’s engineering variant is also a BSc.</p>
<p>So, in terms of music, the type of degree will usually tell you something about the kind of classes you will have, whether the focus is “hands on/professional/performance” in nature, and how concentrated your sequence of courses will be. For example, recording arts or music technology can be very highly sequenced because there are some things you must learn before others. You will usually have fewer “general education” credits in music programs and more music-specific classes.</p>
<p>Let us know if we can assist you further. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>At a university/college which does not have a School of Music and does not offer a BM or BFA the BA in music might well be very rigorous and advanced. It will still, most likely, require fewer courses in the discipline than getting a comparable BM at a School of Music would - but the level of study can be very in-depth and intense, and the (usually) adjunct music professors can be fantastic - such as at Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, Swarthmore, Williams, Pomona, and many many more. If you really want to pursue a BA you might be better off looking for a school which does not have offer a BM or BFA - as all the music resources of the college will go towards the BA music majors, and even non-majors.</p>
<p>For every rule there is an exception. For example, UCLA program is a BA in music. It is a highly competitive, audition based program and you cannot minor in music. The only way you can tell anything about a program is to read everything there is about it. The titles of the degree don’t always tell you the story.</p>
<p>Hi SpiritManager, any other univeristies that have a good BA and don´t offer BM nor BFA? (I am so lost in this, besides I am an international student). I think all the University Of California campuses only offer a BA program. But the problem is that I am in disadvantage since they give priority for in-state students</p>
<p>Louchopin - You might want to start looking at schools for other reasons - size, location, financial assistance for international students, for instance - as well as schools for which you feel you fit academically (you might use grades and test scores to help determine that - and by reading the course catalogs to get a feel for the classes.) Then when you’ve chosen schools you like for reasons other than music you could start exploring their music departments. Lots of great music departments out there - all across the country - in large schools and small. If you’re not planning a performance degree - the choices are wide open.</p>
<p>So what appeals to you? Big city, small? Urban, suburban, rural. Large university, small liberal arts college? Does it need to have a reputation in your home country if you plan to return and look for work? Large international student population? Merit aid? Financial aid for internationals? Religious, not religious. Liberal or conservative? Conventional or unusual - in any way - student body, curriculum, structure.</p>
<p>If you really want to study music production and music business - that will narrow your choices. Those courses are not taught in most general music programs - but there are plenty of terrific schools which do offer them. I don’t know, myself, of any undergrad program in music management per se.</p>
<p>Give us some more clues about what you’re looking for and what you need, and we’ll try to help you make sense of the huge number of choices in the US.</p>
<p>Here are some clues-</p>
<p>Size and population: Everything except universities with less than 5000 students.</p>
<p>Location: I love sunny places, but since as you said, what I want for my carreer isn´t everywhere, then adapting to a cold place wouldnt be a problem. </p>
<p>Size of the city can be big or small, but i would prefer urban or suburban type of university.</p>
<p>About my scores, I am a freshmen student at the National University of Costa Rica (piano performance) and my GPA may be near 3.5-4.0 (I will apply as a transfer student). But my high school GPA is quite low: 2 point something. I think the most important thing is my university GPA. I am taking SAT test,even though I am not required to, because English is not my first language. taking TOEFL as well.
Yes, I need a university with good reputation, not those extremely famous and hard to get in, but at least known in some way.</p>
<p>I am also looking for financial aid for international students.
If there is a vast population of international students, then it means that the international students acceptance rate isn´t very low.</p>
<p>Conservative, liberal, religious or not are all good to me.</p>
<p>And what I want for my carreer is this: Still getting individual piano classes, but obviously not with the rigurousity of a BM major. I want to do classical music, as well as other types of musical styles. At the same time, take courses related to music. For example, composition, history, music technology, music management, popular music. More of a liberal arts education. (Maybe it will be hard to find an univeristy with all these aspects I want, but at least something similar).</p>
<p>Because I think the BA in music requires this: They require you to take some basic courses (for example, music theory, music history, etc). But besides that, you can add many other courses related to music, which one chooses depending on one´s purposes.</p>
<p>I am considering the following:</p>
<p>USC, Baylor, University Of North Texas, UC Irvine, Carnegie Mellon, Rutgers, Florida State U., SUNY-Stoney Brook</p>
<p>For clarification, try this link, it’s a good read [Peabody</a> Institute - Conservatory Admissions: Understanding Music Conservatories](<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/788#html742]Peabody”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/788#html742)</p>
<p>I am not going to try to guess your academic fits because I am unfamiliar with your country’s academic standards, but I do believe you have several complex issues and wonder if there is someone at your present school who can offer guidance. It is generally very rare to receive any kind of institutional (and definitely no federal aid) aid as an international, and for the most part, it is exceptionally expensive to study at the kinds of schools that have the specialized mix of courses you’re talking about at a level of prestige
you desire. For this reason, I would suggest that if you’re a talented musician you look at audition based programs because that’s your best opportunity for talent scholarships to reduce the cost – but even with a talent scholarship, studying in the u.s. Is a major investment. Another issue is that you’d be a transfer student, so wanting to take a sequence of courses like those in music tech might mean it will take more time than you expect.
In music programs, courses like theory aren’t exactly “basic” but if you’ve had years and years of piano you might find them such. </p>
<p>What level of music performance, composition and or recording experience have you had to date? Most of the applicants to music schools have a rich history of activity prior to acceptance, and most of the music schools are not designed to start from square one.</p>
<p>Also, if finances are an issue, are there no music programs at your existing university? You might have an easier time transferring if you were/are already studying music.</p>
<p>Hi, thank you for replying. Yes, my case is pretty complex. And that´s why I am going to an institute who help students with these processes. They suggested me to transfer since I have already been accepted to CR´s university. Yes, I am studying piano performance at the univerisity, it´s my first year. The university is “linked” with a piano institute I have been since I was 5 years old. And got accepted to the pre-college program, and therefore admitted to the university. Yes, I will mostly apply for those that are audition based, since I can use the repertory from my freshmen year to audition.
And yes, it is a great investment, but still, my parents support me in the way.</p>
<p>I have near 8 years of expierence in piano performing. 8 years in music theory. And none in compostition nor recording. </p>
<p>The courses I will transfer are: music theory, music history, individual piano, harmony, complementary singing, piano literature. (But it is still uncertain if they will transfer courses taken here, so I am taking the SAT test soon in case no credits are transferred)</p>
<p>I am currently “studying” each option, and if there is further inquiries I will let you know. Thanks, again.</p>
<p>Thank you to all who’ve contributed info about comparing the different degree programs…this is very helpful/enlightening for a nonmusician parent.</p>