<p>My ds is a sophomore, and he is trying to figure out what, if anything, he wants to do with music in college. He may decide to major in performance; he may not. It will be his decision, but I am curious about music minors if he decides to pursue something else as a major. </p>
<p>When I have "good" as written in the subject line, I mean schools that do not treat music minors like red-headed stepchildren, kwim? Especially schools where there is good access to teachers. Ds is a piano guy. I would assume this would be most likely at schools where there are only BAs offered in music and not BMs, but that is speculation on my part.</p>
<p>I would particularly be interested in schools which are academically strong (not Ivy) as well. Ds has good stats thus far.</p>
<p>Oh. And it can't be anywhere too cold. :) This is one of ds's requirements. Occasional snow is fine, but nowhere that has snow on the ground for months (per ds).</p>
<p>A music minor would be in a college BA program, yes, and would most likely not be performance, but academic music classes such as music history, theory, ethnomusicology, technology and music and so on. However, most schools do offer lessons, some for credit, some not, and there is always the possibility of doing private lessons on or off campus. And there are extracurricular music ensembles of course.</p>
<p>One thing to keep in mind if financial aid is a factor is that where there is a BM degree most of the music money will go to the majors and not the minors. This was mentioned at a flagship state university. But for your snow requirements, I would mention University of Chicago where they only have BA’s (or actually AB’s). Some top notch LACS may also be good choices such as Whitman in Washington or the Pomona schools.</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies. I had wondered if Alan Chow was still at Chicago. </p>
<p>Financial aid will not be a factor.</p>
<p>I think ds would enjoy BA music “classes,” but he would also want to continue to play/take lessons. That would be his primary interest - taking lessons. I had always assumed those were challenging to get for a non-music student at a school that offered a BM. Surely BAs have some applied requirements as well?? Maybe not. That’s why I come on here and ask my stoo-pid question.s</p>
<p>Ds does love to perform, so he may wind up going that route. I do not think, however, he would want to go to a conservatory at all. He wants more of the total college experience. I think I have mentioned that on here before.</p>
<p>Forgive my ignorance (yet again), but is piano often seen in ensemble groups??</p>
<p>No. That would be way too cute. Didn’t know there was a compmom when I did my name.
Alan Chow is not listed at U of C. If the school does not a BM, then BAs are usually required to participate in esembles. The piano is a cornerstone of piano trios, quartets, quintets etc. not to mention many orchestral works. Think Schubert’s Trout Quintet. I guess snow rules out any thought of Oberlin or Lawrence.</p>
<p>My daughter is doing a BA in music and does not have to do any performance whatsoever. Some classes do involve reading scores and playing, but she is a composer (hence the Compparents here) and classical guitarist, and many schools don’t offer anything for classical guitar.</p>
<p>How many hours a day does your son practice? How intense is he about academics?</p>
<p>There are music schools/concervatories attached to colleges/universities, so maybe that would be an answer.</p>
<p>Oberlin and Bard and others also offer a double degree, BA/BM, as does Tufts in conjunction with NEC. Harvard has a BA/MM with NEC as well. Others will come on with suggestions from other parts of the country.</p>
<p>In a city, there will always be teachers available for a talented student.</p>
<p>p.s. Compdad, stay away from the dance forum. A ballet “mom” took me for a competition parent, and snubbed me for it.</p>
<p>Frost at UMiami has a fairly extensive 20-credit music minor that requires an audition and involves performance study and even ensemble work. And of course it fits the bill as far as weather goes ;)</p>
<p>This school has been on the radar for a major, so I am glad to know a minor with audition is an option. Sounds like something we need to explore further. Yes, on the weather! Ouch on the price tag! Whew!</p>
<p>Hoggirl- Encourage your son to keep up his good academic stats. I haven’t had reason to look recently, but back when my oldest son was looking for engineering school UM had great university-wide merit scholarships based on h.s. gpa and SAT/ACT scores. He ended up not going there, but it would have taken a nice chunk off the price tag.</p>
<p>Definitely insisting on keeping up the academics. </p>
<p>I had heard that Miami was pretty generous with merit money. No EA or ED for music majors though, and I have also “heard” one’s chances for good merit money is better if one goes EA or ED. </p>
<p>Of course, ya’ can’t believe everything you hear!</p>
<p>My son is a BM student but his freshman year he intentionally took the music minor curriculum so that if he decided to change majors he would have at least qualified for a music minor. Just wanted to toss that out their as an option.</p>