<p>My D is a jazz and contemporary singer and is looking into music and voice within a liberal arts curriculum. She is a very good student and may want to minor or double major outside of music. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>From what I gathered during my visit, Amherst is very good for singing. Lots of choir groups, music performances, etc. A student there told me Amherst is known as “the singing college”. However, I’m not interested in music at all, so I don’t have any first-hand experience about this.</p>
<p>A major state university with a strong core curriculum could provide a fine education for her, if she can find a music curriculum with a jazz and contemporary music emphasis, which may not be standard in traditional music programs. It will be challenging to manage a double degree program (if she is in a non-arts program outside of music, it will involve enrollment in two different colleges within the university, and her other major will evolve to a different degree.) She could chose to do a BA, instead of a BM, and that degree may be offered either by the College of Music or the College of Arts and Sciences (or whatever those units may be called). You need to be more specific about the size of school she would prefer, which part of the country, and what her options will be for financing vis-a-vis public or private education.</p>
<p>Gettysburg might be worth a look.</p>
<p>Look into Temple and Michigan State.</p>
<p>Here is an essay from the Peabody Institute on different ways to study music:
[Double</a> Degrees | Peabody Conservatory](<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html]Double”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/conservatory/admissions/tips/doubledegree.html)</p>
<p>I’m sure she knows that the study of music is pretty intense, with courses in theory, ear training, music history, composition, ethnomusicology, music analysis, music technology and more. ( Has she done any of these?) Plus, in some cases, lessons, practice, rehearsal and performance, either as part of credit work or as an extracurricular. It can be hard to do a music major and another major, but not impossible. In general, schools without distribution requirements might work best (Brown, Amherst, maybe Vassar; a couple of others are described below).</p>
<p>There are countless schools to think about. But it is true that most music departments are classical, some have jazz, and a few have contemporary/pop. For the latter, Berklee, Belmont, USC Thornton, and a school is Florida (FSU?) are often mentioned here. These are BM programs. Also University of the Arts in Philadelphia, NYU maybe, New School…others can chime in. I am on the East Coast.</p>
<p>Many colleges have great music departments for a BA degree. I would just really look hard at websites, including actual courses offered. Schools like Bennington and Sarah Lawrence have good music departments and have programs that are interdisciplinary and independent- again, no distribution requirements. Your daughter could, for instance, sing at Bennington and incorporate into a “Plan” of coursework that is her own choice. Tufts and Clark U. come to mind as well, in our area.</p>
<p>If you give a little more information, I am sure many people familiar with contemporary and jazz vocal studies will give you more help. Also, this topic comes up a lot and so using the search function might be helpful. Good luck!</p>
<p>ps Forgot to mention double degree schools. Oberlin, Bard, and Lawrence have BA/BM programs using the conservatory and college on the same campus. Tufts (BA/BM) and Harvard (BA/MM) have programs with NEC. There are other double degree programs on campuses with both conservatory and college.</p>
<p>We need to know her interests,GPA and Standardized test scores in order to taylor the suggestions. For example if her SATs are 1300-1400 (2000-2100 for 3 sections), suggest Oberlin while if her scores are over 1400 to 1500 (around 2200) suggest Hopkins/Peabody, that is if she feels comfortable in those settings and her type of Jazz is well represented there.</p>
<p>I agree with compmom that schools such as Brown, Amherst, Vassar and Hamilton with little to no distribution requirements are best for double majoring in music and another field. I am most familiar with Vassar. The jazz band concerts at Vassar regularly feature several (yes several) jazz, contemporary vocalist soloists with the big band and the smaller jazz ensembles at Vassar usually have vocalist as part of their group. The jazz ensembles will perform an instrumental and then a selection with their vocalist. Also, S1 tells me that they rehearse many pieces and then decide which two or three to perform at the concert. Google Vassar music and listen to the videocasts of the Jazz concerts to see if it is what you are looking for.</p>
<p>Add Wesleyan, maybe.</p>
<p>I’ll thrown in a vote for Tulane - this is exactly why it’s on my D’s list. Exciting & active music department within excellent liberal arts curriculum. Very generous too!</p>
<p>If California is in the picture , take a look at Univ of Redlands. Was very generous with merit aid for son.</p>
<p>S is applying to Tufts/NEC duel degree, Amherst, Williams, Princeton, Northwestern Bienen school, Peabody at John Hopkins, U Miami Frost School, Brandeis, Umass amherst
Looking at doing music and ?? (maybe economics or computer science) Interested in Composition. He plays electric and upright bass (primarly jazz/contemporary). Not interested in Yale, etc as these are primarly classical music based.
Criteria:
Either driving distance from Boston area or easy plane ride.
Not “in” the city (ie Columbia, University of Chicago)
Not a very large school - although if smaller honors college or music program would be fine</p>
<p>His GPA is about a 3.85 and his SAT are 2150. He will have 11 AP tests under his belt by end of senior year. Top 4% of this class.<br>
Any other schools you think should go on the list?<br>
Currently top choice is NEC/Tufts. Also finances will unfortunatly need to play a major role in choice.
Any thoughts on schools he may get into and what programs may be better.</p>
<p>cluelessbass - I’m a bit confused. Is your son looking for jazz/pop composition? Is that offered as a major, or track at those schools? Or perhaps he’s just looking for a general BA in music which offers courses in areas other than classical? You might add Vassar, Skidmore, Bard College (not conservatory) and Wesleyan to your list - although I’m unclear exactly what kind of program he’s looking for. For instance, I don’t think there’s much difference between the music departments at Princeton and Yale in terms of their focus on classical music.</p>
<p>Spirit Manager always has good suggestions.</p>
<p>I do think that, with at least superficial examination of websites, and by anecdotal reputation, Princeton seems like a better choice versus Yale. A bit freer, and explicit mention of jazz. (Just happen to know that Steve Mackey, a composition faculty member, plays electric guitar.) However, I would look more deeply at Yale to make sure…The presence of the Yale School of Music has pros and cons. There is excellent jazz activity at the SOM; a conversation with the music dept. might be helpful.</p>
<p>These days, in many academic contexts, there is some blurring of genres, at least for composers, with elements of jazz and rock coloring classical composing for many. I read this morning that half of contemporary composers have a rock background!</p>
<p>Have you considered schools like Bennington [Bennington:</a> Music](<a href=“http://www.bennington.edu/academics/areasstudy/Music.aspx]Bennington:”>http://www.bennington.edu/academics/areasstudy/Music.aspx) or Sarah Lawrence. These schools have a lot of freedom and independence for students if that is something that would appeal.</p>
<p>Tufts is a great choice. We know the composition faculty there and have been to composers concerts where a wide diversity of styles is welcome. We also know someone doing Tufts science and NEC jazz program and very happy- if tired! </p>
<p>Of course, the Ivies and Amherst and Williams have top notch financial aid. Tufts is pretty good too, not sure how the aid is going at present though because they are no longer, I believe, “need blind” (which will probably be irrelevant, this only affects a few).</p>
<p>Harvard also has a double degree program with NEC that can include the jazz program there.</p>
<p>I am new to using forums so just realized that somebody had responded. Thank you!!<br>
Honestly he is not entirely sure himself exactly what he wants. He is interested in Composition but does not want to be limited to classical composition. He also is interested in a school that has a culture that is not just classical. For example when he talked to Yale, Boston University, Ithaca - although they have jazz ensembles the core programs are classical in nature and playing expectations are classical (He plays in an orchestra and can fake it ok but will not be close to what they are looking for in a classical player). Thank you for the other suggestions. Princeton actually offers a Jazz Certificate program that looked attractive.<br>
A couple of issues with the Harvard/NEC program is that the expectations for NEC are that you are basically already at a masters level. He feels like he needs to learn more before tackling that. Transportation is also an issue - Tufts has a shuttle that goes to and from NEC - Harvard you are on your own.
The appeal of Amherst and Williams is his ability to tailor the classes he takes more than at most other schools. Amherst also has great big college culture vibe/opportunities due to all the other schools in the area.</p>
<p>Hi Cluelessbass,
One of the issues we have found important, primarily because my D2 is just entering college in 2014 and wants the “undergrad experience”, is that the student may not feel “part of” one or the other schools in one of the “partner” situations (NEC, Juilliard, Peabody). Would like to hear who has found something different (and what it is) to be the case. Even at Hopkins, where you can attend Peabody and Hopkins, it’s a different campus and I believe Peabody has separate residence halls. This is fine unless you want to feel a part of one school while you study music and something academic. I don’t have definitive info on the distance between the two because we also ruled Peabody – and many others – out, because they have large graduate student populations. For voice students, at least, this will make a difference to the number of performance opportunities they will have. In every case we would also have to check whether the grad students teach. This would also be a dealbreaker for us.
Good luck!</p>
<p>Hey Voiceacademicmom,
Didn’t really think about that, but very good point.<br>
I believe that Bienen kids are housed with other Northwestern kids so probably not a big issue there.
I think that Frost school and University of Miami is the same thing.
Can anybody confirm?
NEC has a lot of commuter students and all students in the Duel Degree live at Tufts. But I see your point as they would be traveling at least a few days a week off campus to NEC - Hmmmm - that has me thinking about food and how that works when he is at NEC.
Juilliard is out for us - Don’t think he is ready for NYC also don’t think his performance chops are good enough yet for Juilliard</p>
<p>If She is looking for a liberal arts school with small class sizes and has many other great major programs Saginaw Valley State University is a great option.</p>