<p>OK. I am a passionate singer and cellist, with a lot of classical training on the cello. Therefore, I want to audition and hopefully participate in at least the exchange if not the joint degree program. I understand that the chances are EXTREMELY slim, and I will probably NOT be chosen because I am just not the best of the best. But I'm still going to apply because my chances are better if I do than if I don't. I recently learned, however, from talking to an admissions official over the phone that Columbia offers a similar deal for participants in the Music Performance program. He said that for anyone involved in any of the performance aspects of the dept. they offer free private lessons from excellent teachers. And, unlike the juilliard exchange I could pursue both voice and cello. I'm probably not going to pursue a music major (theatre or film instead), but I still want to actively do music. I'd really like some insight into both of the programs, the pros and cons, and what other musical opportunities there are at Columbia.</p>
<p>I'll offer what I can on this, based on my son's experience as a non-music major involved in the music performance program (jazz). He plays in two ensembles, both led by professional NYC musicians, and does get free private lessons on his instrument. Like you, he's never considered himself the best of the best, but wanted to keep growing as a musician and have fun playing. He's found a lot of talented players are there, many of them not music majors.</p>
<p>As far as the Julliard joint degree program, you might look in the Spectator archives for an article that ran last year. What I recall is that the students in it found it extremely difficult to do, even scheduling wise. I hope that someone who does the exchange can give you more information on how that works. There were one or two on this board last year, and maybe you can find an old thread.</p>
<p>Yeah, there is not much support for students attempting to do it, and apparently the bureaucracies of both schools are not well-coordinated. One would have thought the administration may have woken up after the Spec series and considering how many people seem to be interested in Columbia because of the program.</p>
<p>Also, I don't know if you're looking at Barnard (or even if you're female), but they have a relationship with the Manhattan School of Music, which is right up the street.</p>
<p>From what I have heard, Columbia pays private teachers $60 per hour for lessons, which are cost-free to the student. There are some excellent teachers, but that is not much money in NY. Juilliard teachers charge around $200 per hour, which is one of the reasons that the Columbia-Juilliard exchange takes so few students, even amongst the small pool of students good enough at both academics and music to get into Juilliard and Columbia independently of each other. Even if a student does get admitted into both schools and also into the joint program, Juilliard offers only lessons, no ensembles to them and they must reaudition after sophomore year, competing with Juilliard students, for admission into the masters program. At the Juilliard admissions presentation we attended, the rigors of the program were evident: students are expected to practice around 6 hours a day. Columbia students take 5 classes or so a semester, each of which is very demanding, including extensive reading for the core curriculum in a wide range of fields. It is hard to schedule classes at both schools because of the days on which most classes are taught, which don't jive between the two schools. The music performance program at Columbia is okay but not great -- the orchestra is so-so, rehearses only once a week, has relatively few performances. The chamber program is disorganized, though groups can audition to play in concerts at Weill Hall, which is pretty exciting. It is pretty much a question of putting together your own group and finding a coach. There is very little performance space around Columbia. My son preferred the performance opportunities at UC Berkeley, which has a more active performance scene, great performance spaces, very energetic and engaged orchestra (David Milnes) and choral (Marika Kuszma) conductors and a noon concert series that students regularly participate in. They only subsidize lessons a token amount, like $20 a week or so, but there are excellent teachers in the Bay Area and they charge about half of what Juilliard teachers command.</p>
<p>Yes, the music department at Berkeley is great, and I love those Hertz Hall concerts. (Sigh. Couldn't get the kid to go to college only a few blocks from home).</p>
<p>I don't know about the classical opportunities at Columbia. But, some of the performance spaces are really nice. Son has played at St. Paul's Chapel, for example. One of the downsides of being in NYC is that so many semi-professional level of musicians compete to be heard. The upside, of course, is that there are so many places to go hear music of all sorts.</p>
<p>The competitive aspect of music in New York is certainly drue. My Music Hum teacher was a quasi-celebrity composer in Finland, had studied under Pierre Boulez and done music-related research for the French government, etc...he said that while he would be quite well off in his native country, he preferred to be a no-name composer in the richer musical atmosphere of New York. </p>
<p>Speaking of which, the music department, from everything I've heard, is truly wonderful. Due to the lack of performance space, however, I imagine its strengths are more theoretical. </p>
<p>Last night Columbia put on a very nice free string quartet concert for students (with complimentary catering) in Philosophy Hall...I passed by the same room today and the City Opera was there performing selections from Carmen. Add that to the avant-gardist students who always seem to be playing in the Lerner Piano Lounge and the Miller Theater performances and I would say there is something of a "musical atmosphere" here...I am very much looking forward to the annual Christmas performance of Mozart's Requiem in St. Pauls.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for all that detailed information. It'll definitely help when it comes time to make decisions</p>
<p>it's not oberlin, but there's a lot of talented performers around campus to do chamber groups with. (in fact, i'm a classical pianist, and if you're a good cellist, we should talk - we could even start with Mendelssohn's piano trio in Dm, which is like one big cello-fest). there's also a ton of practice rooms around campus.</p>
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there's also a ton of practice rooms around campus.
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<p>Though they're usually booked...haven't you heard about all the kids forced to practice in piano or dorm lounges, or especially those who get yelled at for practicing in their rooms? (my freshman RA practiced drums in his room...not really easy to resolve that...)</p>
<p>Would someone please comment on the Jazz Studies Program at Columbia?</p>
<p>jazz studies has nothing to do with juilliard or the exchange, though i believe if you play jazz, you can participate in parts of the exchange.</p>
<p>jazz studies is interdisciplinary focusing as much on jazz culture and history, if you major in music some more technical courses are required, but it also appeals to those with limited interest in academic music. </p>
<p>jazz studies also oversees the jazz performance program - which has a variety of ensembles, you can be in a jazz ensemble even if you don’t major in music or do the jazz concentration.</p>
<p>[Special</a> Concentration in Jazz Studies](<a href=“http://www.jazz.columbia.edu/teaching/special-concentration-in-jazz-studies.html]Special”>http://www.jazz.columbia.edu/teaching/special-concentration-in-jazz-studies.html)</p>