<p>How would you describe or compare the music scene on campus for either/both? Level and caliber of playing, passion of the student body in music, variety of genres spanned, amount of collaboration and spontaneous jamming, opportunities for performance on and off campus, etc</p>
<p>How would you describe the actual music education/major at either/both? Fluidity within the major, interesting classes, knowledgeable profs, etc</p>
<p>Thank you so much! Any info would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>We heard the orchestra at Wesleyan a few years ago and it was excellent. There seemed to be a solid campus music scene in many genres. We know local bands who ‘spun off’ from Wesleyan and Yale bands. The music building is is in the ‘modern’ concrete cement style. Wesleyan has great programs in ‘global’ music.</p>
<p>We did not get to hear Brown’s orchestra or see inside the music building.</p>
<p>Please take a look at Vassar before you decide on your ED school - excellent music in both academic and campus scenes. Similar to Wesleyan but different. S1 played in a campus band for three years at Vassar and had gigs on campus every weekend. The orchestra is excellent and the conductor is wonderful. Skinner music building is designed after a building in France (gorgeous) with stained glass windows and a Steinway in every practice room and every dorm (which was usually being played when we visited the dorm). The concert hall is filled every orchestra concert with family, friends, faculty, the college president and community people - very supportive audience just enjoying the music. The academic music major is very strong. As a side note to emphasis the prevalence of music at Vassar, the Vassar swim team had seven swimmers on the team last year who sang a traditional original arrangement of the Star Spangled Banner in four part harmony before every swim meet!</p>
<p>Wesleyan has a world renowned music department, with a special focus on world music - offering a PhD in Ethnomusicology which attracts students (and professors) from around the globe. They have a terrific music library, as well, with extensive archives of world music. They also have cutting edge jazz professors, and an experimental classical composition faculty. Not sure how they are for a traditional classical experience, although there used to be a poster on here whose son studied classical piano at Wesleyan and had a great experience.</p>
<p>Brown has an interesting grad program for electroacoustic music but is not as well known for its undergrad music program.</p>
<p>Wesleyan is sure to have lots of student bands and ensembles. No doubt Brown has those, as well.</p>
<p>"The A.B. offered by the Music Department is a general degree, integrating theory, history, ethnomusicology, technology, composition and performance in a single, liberal concentration.</p>
<p>There are currently three tracks within the concentration: one that emphasizes theory, history, and composition; another that emphasizes ethnomusicology; and a third that focuses on computer music and multimedia"</p>
<p>The Brown PhD program are I ethnomusicology or “MEME”, (Multimedia and Electronic Music Experiments. The latter has an interdisciplinary flavor.</p>
<p>Tufts, Amherst. Williams and Vassar are among many similarly sized and quality colleges with good music programs.</p>
<p>Aside from issues such as curriculum, course requirements, and distribution requirements (Brown has none, a big draw for many students who know what they want to study and work on), if quality of performance and performance opportunities are important to your son, it might be worthwhile to go to some concerts as early as possible this fall.</p>
<p>It would seem that the two schools have a lot in common so perhaps there are other factors that might help decide. Personally, I love Providence :)</p>