Music Colleges for Versatile Muscians

Our child is looking for a college that will allow him double major in music and another major (not sure what exactly). Not a conservatory. While playing several instruments quite well, the child would also like to compose, arrange, conduct, etc. and explore other majors. The grades a solid (not great). The scores are really good (so far). Any thoughts on strong music programs in schools that allow (encourage) flexibility and exploration.

Concordia College (Moorhead, MN) comes to mind; St. Olaf is a bit more competitive to get into, but both are known for their students’ participation in music activities even if not a music or performance major.

You might want to post this question in the music majors forum. Is your student looking for a non audition program? Is there one particular instrument that your student excels at in case there are audition schools which would be a good fit?

Though Lawrence University in Wisconsin has a music conservatory you may want to take a look at it. They encourage students to pursue double majors and the conservatory is more open than at some schools in that many non majors participate in groups. They have an overall philosophy of trying to make different options work so it would be worth taking a look. Also look at LACs in general that have strong music programs but not necessarily a conservatory. There are many depending on what area of the country you are interested in. Some state U’s also have good programs, again depending what area of the country you want to look at and whether there is more interest in a bigger or smaller school.
Also, you may want to post on the music majors forum as there are lots of folks there with knowledge about various programs in music.

St Olaf (very strong academics); then Lawrence, WI, followed by Luther and Concordia Moorhead.

We were impressed by the opportunities at Lawrence for musicians who are non-Con or non-majors. We were told that anyone can audition for ensembles etc., and that the lead (name an instrument) in competitive ensembles can be, and has been, non-Con and non-major. There is also a competitive scholarship program for non-Con and non-majors, called the ensemble award, that pays for private lessons with Con faculty for non-Con and non-major students who are in an ensemble.

Oberlin–a lot of the conservatory resources and opportunities are available to the non-con students. And it’s a great school. Might be a stretch academically, though.

@marvin100 really? I’ve heard the opposite. Can you say more about that? I just want to know if I should put Oberlin back on my own list!

Ive heard the opposite, too- was that in the past 2years Marvin? It’d be an interesting development.

As for Oberlin, having visited twice with my non-Con musician in the past year, we have been told that non-Con students can audition to take private lessons with Con faculty – but the tour guide said almost no one ever gets accepted if you aren’t in the Con. Non-Con students can take private lessons with upper level Con students, which is certainly a benefit, but not the same as access to Con faculty. We were also told there is a non-Con symphony orchestra. I cannot recall whether non-Cons can audition for Con ensembles. I would imagine, but cannot confirm, that if non-Cons are not getting private lessons with Con faculty by audition, they are probably not getiting into Con ensembles either.

Certainly, what attracted my kid to Oberlin was the musically rich environment. However, for non-Cons, the choices in terms of performance seem more limited than a traditional LAC or some place like Lawrence. We were impressed buy the range of opportunities at Lawrence, where the faculty member in his instrument met with him for an hour to talk about non-Con opportunities, whether as a Music major in the college, a Music minor, or just someone who wants to take lessons with Con faculty and play in an ensemble.

Thanks. I will try there. He has several instruments, but one that he focuses on now. He is comfortable with a school with an audition and that level, but he is unlikely to choose a music-only school or conservatory (like Berklee, Eastman, or Julliard) since he wants to have other options and will not practice multiple hours a day. He also wants to compose/arrange, which he enjoys already. He found Oberlin a bit too small and rural for his tastes. He has not visited USC, Miami, but I have heard that both of those schools have a more integrated approach to music, which will probably suit him better. Other schools we have heard that might be possible include Michigan, Maryland, Carnegie Mellon, Indiana, Rice…(although some, like Rice, I have heard are too intense. The other thing we are trying to figure out is for his instrument, will he like the faculty. I know we need to visit to figure that out, but we are trying to narrow down. Someone sent a great list - thanks so much for that)! The other suggestions, like the MN schools are really helpful since I hadn’t considered them. We are doing the research but all your suggestions are appreciated!

Thanks!

Another perennial favorite for combined music/academics is Bard, though if Oberlin was too small and isolated that that may nix Bard as well.

As far as Oberlin music opportunities go, some of it depends on the instrument. My D took lessons with a Con student and they were fabulous. It is hard to audition into one of the Con ensembles, but that’s because the level of the Con students is so high that it’s hard to be has good as they are, it’s not that they are giving preference to Connies. I can’t believe that isn’t a problem at any school with a first class conservatory. That said, there really are tons of ensemble opportunities and anyone who wants to play with a group should be able to find one at their level.

Rice is generally known not to be open to double major students in music and something outside of music. Michigan is definitely a good school to look into for double major. AA is an awesome town! My S will be finishing his dual degree next fall and had a tremendous experience there.

Unless the child truly excels in music, it is highly unlikely that Michigan is going to be an option. The OP made it clear that his/her academics are solid (not great).

OP mentioned IU as well – admission to the College of Arts and Letters is not that difficult – instate, we are told a 3.6 unweighted and a 28/29 ACT means a sure thing, but that is instate and the requirements for auto scholarships are much higher.

However, Jacobs School of Music admission is quite a different matter, as an elite music school. Admission is audition based, obviously, and very competitive. While IU would be a musically rich environment for a non-Jacobs student to attend, there is a big division between the experience of Jacobs and of other kids (it is our instate school and we know many kids at IU, and a few of them are at Jacobs).

Is your student interested in general music study (music theory et al) music performance, or composition? You have mentioned some pretty big heavy hitter schools that , unfortunately in your case, demand a certain amount of concentration on a particular instrument or course of study. What sort of music is your student interested in? Classical, contemporary, jazz? I know that you seem to want to keep it broad, but it will help you narrow down the list for what will be a daunting and expensive path.

Most of the schools on your list seem inappropriate (or even impossible) for a student who wants to double major, but not get a double degree (BM/BA.) You’d be better off looking at colleges without a School of Music, or one like Bard (which would be absolutely perfect except for its size and location) which has a very very strong music department in the college in all his areas of interest - and separate from the conservatory/School of Music. You need a school where the music resources are open to those not pursuing a performance or composition BM degree. I would look at liberal arts colleges where his grades are a match, such as Skidmore, Goucher, Clark, Susquehanna. If you thought he was competitive, then you could look at Wesleyan, Vassar, Pitzer, Colorado College…
I highly recommend you head over to the Music Major forum where there are a number of pinned threads which would be of interest, and a whole crew of informed posters who can help guide you in the search.

And, personally, I would recommend he remove the requirement that the school not be small nor isolated in the early application process. It might have everything else he wants and would be worth the compromise.

A school that I never think of, but which was just mentioned on the Music Major forum in a post about double degrees/double majors is Emory. They don’t have a school of music, lots of students double major, and they have a strong music department. I don’t know whether the OP’s son would be competitive or not for admission.

Thanks. I would say he scores/grades are at the more competitive level on the list you presented. Certainly not Ivy (grades), but a very solid school. This is all helpful for the narrowing down process!