<p>Hello,
I have recently considered double majoring in Music and Economics, allowing me to follow a safer (and still enjoyable) career, while also pursuing my passion for music. To do this, I must change from a B.M. (bachelor of music) to a B.A. (bachelor of the arts in music & economics). A question my parents would like answered is if there is any prospect of doing grad school in music with a B.A. if I ever decide to go down that road? Also, with something more specialized like say Jazz Studies, is there any shot a graduate school would accept me to something specialized like that, only with a ba in music, and how would it work?
Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>No help, but I am so glad you asked this question! I will definitely be following to see what replies you receive.</p>
<p>What were your plans as a BM student? The short answer to your question is yes. Many outstanding musicians went on to graduate school from a BA. Many times this is the path for composers. Philip Glass went to the University of Chicago for undergrad. There are numerous other examples. You are in a music program that assuming you can get your classes will support having a wide choice of graduate schools.</p>
<p>D got her BM but went to on to get her MM at a school that only offered an undergrad BA. Many of the undergrads did pretty well. I know of least one voice performance students who got their BA in performance (in the last four years) who went on to Curtis for their MM. And two instrumentalists who got their BA and went on to Yale for their MM. Competitive MM programs accept well educated talented students with BAs all the time.</p>
<p>^That being said, there are BA programs and then there are BA programs. Find out which grad schools the graduates of your specific BA program get into.</p>
<p>For grad level performance programs, what mostly matters is your audition and that you have an undergrad degree of some flavor. The real question is not so much what letters are on the degree, but how well you will be positioned for your audition following a BM vs. following a BA with a double major. Some people need a BM program to focus their efforts so that their playing is up to the necessary standards for a grad performance program. For others, additional hours in the practice room do not necessarily translate into better playing. They may need to exercise their minds along other lines to inform their playing.</p>
<p>If your interest is more along the lines of composition or musicology, the BA will most likely provide a broader perspective and force you to write more papers.</p>
<p>Whatever your degree, if your ambition is a career in music there are some skills that you will want to pick up along the way. It is important to be able to promote yourself, to be able to speak well in public, to understand a bit about the music business itself and to be able to write grant proposals. If these skills are not specifically addressed in your required curriculum, look to strengthen them with electives or in other ways.</p>
<p>Hi-
I have been thinking about asking a similar question. My son is trying to decide between an undergrad degree in music or science/engineering. I have been reading a lot on CC and I don’t love the dual degree option for him. One thing we have discussed is going with the science/eng as an undergrad but still participate in music. Then, perhaps apply to grad school for music if he still has the strong music bug. I know the MM is a tough route regardless, but is there a chance this approach would work? He would obviously need to keep up his skills during undergrad. Thanks for any thoughts!</p>
<p>My son is a college senior who will be getting a BA in music (composition), and is applying to masters programs right now.</p>
<p>Musicmom, while it is certainly POSSIBLE for a student to gain access to a MM based on audition without having studied music as an undergrad, presumably the task of “keeping up his music” would take up every bit as much time as a dual degree – so what aspect of the dual degree is a concern to you?</p>
<p>I would think that your son would simply be more competitive coming out of a SOM/eng dual degree than not. I realize there are exceptions, but this would just for practical reasons be more likely to be the case.</p>
<p>Science/Engineering is typically a very difficult major to combine with music in a dual degree program, particulary if the music degree involves an orchestral instrument. The required orchestra rehearsals very often conflict with the required lab courses, both requiring big chunks of time in the afternoon hours. Both tend to require a lot of time - practice for the music and problem sets for the science/tech degree. It can and has been done, but it is not easy and you have to find a school that not only permits it but also offers active support for the double degree.</p>
<p>Realize that he will be auditioning for grad school against students who have spent their time doing nothing but music. With some instruments that could be a big disadvantage. (Piano and violin come to mind because of the large numbers of students involved and the amount of hours they typically devote to daily practice and rehearsals.) For a developing young singer or for instruments where several hours of personal practice plus a couple of hours of ensemble rehearsal is not the daily norm, it may not be as great a hurdle to overcome.</p>
<p>Yes, I have read a lot here about the demands of a music performance major, as well as the dual degree. At first I thought the dual degree made the most sense, but it seems like there is so little overlap in requirements that it would be quite difficult to do, even in five years. I want him to have some time to enjoy college along the way. </p>
<p>He is a second year all-state bassoonist and also lead tenor in jazz. If he goes the music route it would be for bassoon or multiple woodwinds. He is also thinking about a masters in multiple woodwinds. This year he is working on flute and clarinet. Does this make it seem any more feasible? Is multiple woodwinds very popular?
Thanks!</p>
<p>musicmom2015–my take on the multiple woodwinds is that one should get a BM first on one instrument (or maybe two), to attain a certain level on the major instrument. Then get a masters in multiple woodwinds, if he wants to teach.</p>