<p>I recently finished my undergraduate studies in music and am now looking to apply for a Master Degree in Composition within the Bay Area. Some schools that I have looked at are: Stanford, Mills, and UC Berkeley. Do you guys have any recommendations as to which schools in the Bay Area have good composition programs and faculties? Thanks!</p>
<p>Check out SF Conservatory of Music - the program is getting more lively all the time. What kind of program are you looking for? What kind of music? Which program is ‘good’ is completely subjective to your needs and desires.</p>
<p>I’m into experimental compositions, but not so much improvisation nor the ‘New York School’ style, like Cage or Wolff. I’m more interested in composers like Ligeti, A. J. Kernis, Varese, Penderecki.</p>
<p>Again, I encourage you to look at SF Conservatory. Or look into programs outside the Bay Area. Not sure you’ll find what you want here. USC. Indiana. Michigan. Yale. Cornell.</p>
<p>That list in my last message is just quick off the cuff - dashing off to work! There are many more solid graduate programs which would support you on your aesthetic path. But in the Bay Area, of all the programs, I think the Conservatory would be most supportive of the direction you’re interested in.</p>
<p>Really? I’ve heard that for the price that you’re playing, the SF conservatory’s composition program isn’t really that strong. I’ve always thought of them as a more performance-oriented school. I may be wrong though…</p>
<p>They’ve got some good faculty there and a bunch of new strong composition students. There is now an annual student run new music marathon festival - Hot Air. And lots of student concerts. There is a range of professors with different aesthetic tastes which would help with what you’re looking for. One of the composers on the Project 440 I referenced in an earlier thread got his MM at the conservatory. With the move downtown the conservatory is becoming much more a center of student music in the Bay Area. As for their reputation - John Adams used to be a composition professor there.</p>
<p>You might also look at UC Davis, which is an easy commute. The funding could well be better at the larger universities you list; and the tuition is lower at the UC’s.</p>
<p>Mills used to be great, at the grad level. Not sure what is going on there now, but maybe check it out too.</p>
<p>Sonoma State has a summer festival with good composition: what goes on there during the school year?</p>
<p>I don’t know the CA area at all, but could suggest places elsewhere in the country. Spirit Manager is very well-informed about the Bay area and composition studies in general :)</p>