<p>I am interested in what you think of the three schools in the title. I am not really considering going full time to any of those schools, but they all offer summer long or month-3 month long sessions on Theory, Composition, Production, Business, individual instruments, etc. </p>
<p>PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THE FOLLOWING AS BRAGGING. I AM MERELY EXPLAINING MY LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE MUSIC WORLD. </p>
<p>I have played jazz guitar for 6 years, since I was 11. Lately, I have been really been interested in fusion and edgier jazz. I also play piano/keys, but not near the level at which I play guitar. I have recorded with signed artists (though I know that signed doesn't necessarily mean anything) on several occasions, and performed in front of 2000+ people several times also. I am a competent musician as far as theory, notation, and scribing go, though I do aim to become better at theory.</p>
<p>I want to keep music as a huge part of my life, but not <em>necessarily</em> have a career in the music industry.</p>
<p>Anyways, which school/session do you feel is right for me? This question is more for people who have visited/attended any of the schools I mentioned, or other formidable music schools. (But mainly the 3.) </p>
<p>Thanks a lot, sorry for the bragging if that's how you took it.</p>
<p>Hi, Brian. First of all, you need to get used to bragging. If you don't believe in your ability, why should anybody else? The phrase "toot your own horn" probably has a musical connotation for a reason. Music is extremely competitive, so you need to understand your own ability, and be willing to lay it out honestly. All that to say, no, I don't think you're bragging.</p>
<p>I have a son who plays wicked guitar, and a son who goes to Juilliard, but unfortunately they are not the same son! I'm not going to be much help to you, because I know little about the summer programs at Juilliard, even less about Michigan, and nothing at all about Berkley. My gut reaction to your title was that these are such different schools, program-wise, geographically, etc. Have you already researched what the summer programs offer? Could you really take all those subjects at one school at one time? How selective are these programs -- Would you need to apply to more than one to increase your odds of going somewhere? Is there a cost difference? (I believe the jazz program at Juilliard -- the regular program, not summer -- is full-scholarship. Don't know about the summer program, but because the program is new, they are sweetening the deal to encourage gifted applicants.)</p>
<p>You say you don't want to go full-time to any of these schools, and I wonder if that will affect your chances of getting into a summer program there? Will they think you aren't as serious enough or dedicated to your music? </p>
<p>One last thought (keeping in mind my bias): We were advised to head to NYC just because that is still very much a cultural center of the world. Opportunity for gigs, networking, contacts, and so on.... And Juilliard has the name recognition edge, probably, too.</p>
<p>I was just looking at the Juilliard site, and I don't see any summer programs along the lines of what you mention. What program are you looking at there?</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your replies! The Juilliard summer program that I was talking is the jazz program...not music business or anything like I had mentioned in my first post.</p>
<p>I do think that my not-full time attendance might turn the schools off a bit, but Berklee and MI (Musician's Institute in LA) are open admittance, and I'm not sure about Juilliard. </p>
<p>I completely agree with NYC as <em>the</em> cultural center, but LA (MI) and Boston (Berklee) are also pretty major areas. </p>
<p>Thank you very much for your replies. Another option that I'm also considering is taking a year either before or after college and attending one of those schools full time. Actually, probably after college, as auditions and applications are due soon, at least for Juilliard.</p>
<p>... speaking as a present conservatory student, I'm not sure I'd call a year in a conservatory a "year off."
Moreover, just remember that if you enter a degree program, some of your classes will only make sense in the context of a larger sequence, so only doing one year might feel kind of weird.</p>