<p>Hello, I am a double bassist that is a sophomore currently. I want to study music in undergrad for sure, and while I dream of being a professional musician I know that it is good to have a backup plan -I have always been interested in medicine.
My parents and I believe it is time I start looking at colleges, and, as a result I have been doing quite a bit of research. I have already read the relevant threads with both of these subjects, but I believe I have some unique questions.
-Do any LACs offer a degree in music performance? If so, does it allow for double majoring or taking the required premed courses? (I have already looked at Oberlin, Lawrence, and Bard)
-How selective are Bard, Lawrence, and Oberlin for double bass? I cannot find any admission stats by instrument.
-Are there any universities that have schools of music also allow for dual degrees or dual majors? (I have looked at Northwestern and Vanderbilt.)
-Finally, would being a music major (a BA degree) at a college or university provide the education and training I would need to be a professional musician? Would it even be an option? Could you list any schools that have high level music ensembles or admissions based on music ability while at the same time offering strong(er) academics when compared to the average conservatory?</p>
<p>Look at the double major at Johns Hopkins/Peabody Conservatory (Peabody is a division of JHU). It is not for the feint of heart (it is very challenging) but for someone with your interests, there is no better place.</p>
<p>Looking at their site it seems that, even if you are admitted to both schools, there is a large chance you won’t be able to do both (dual degree/double major.)</p>
<p>Have you asked this question in the Music Majors sub-forum? Look for it inside the College Majors Forum. You can find that by going to the main page for all of the forums and scrolling down.</p>
<p>PRUNEFACE, these topics have been covered numerous times in the music major forum [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums). The bottom line is that a lot of people attempt this, a fair number drop one aspect or another, some realize they don’t have the talent, the determination, or the resources to contemplate life as a pro musician; a few will actually make it through the double degree program regardless of major(s). Some will do it in 4 years, but that is rare for a BS/BM combo. BA/BA, a bit easier. The typical music (BM) combo is a 5 year plan. Bard mandates the combo for performance majors as a condition of acceptance. </p>
<p>Your questions are by no means unique. Addressing them more or less in order:</p>
<p>
Yes, both in the BA and BM variations. KNOW the differences, both the basic and school specific criteria. A BM is typically 66-75%, as high as 90 music centric, the balance in non-music elective and general academic requirements. The BA percentages are reversed, and there can be as few as 25-33% of music specific coursework within the degree requirements. The BM mandates 8 full semesters of performance obligations, private instruction and applied instrument coursework. The BA’s drop to 6 semesters, and I’ve seen them lower.
Look through the current and historic master acceptance lists at the music major forum <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html</a> and you will see a broad range of acceptances across a number of schools, including many of the Ivy, Colleges That Change Lives (CTLC) schools, and what many will term LAC’s or if nothing else, LAC-like in terms of size and “feel”.</p>
<p>Whether a specific program allows a dual path needs to be investigated thoroughly. Whether it is allowed, or even feasible (given the majors, the degree requirements, the availability of classes and the ability to avoid scheduling conflicts). The Hopkins/Peabody combo admits very few to the program. Many deem the Eastman-Rochester option a logistical nightmare. Rice/Shepherd seems to be at the whim of the specific applied instructor.</p>
<p>This [Peabody</a> Institute - Conservatory Admissions: The Double Degree Dilemma](<a href=“http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/doubledegree]Peabody”>http://www.peabody.jhu.edu/doubledegree) is mandatory reading for anybody contemplating a dual path, and not just at Peabody.</p>
<p>Not my baliwick, but it is my understanding there is no cast in stone premed degree path.</p>
<p>
Bard, Oberlin and Lawrence are highly selective. You will find cross over of audition pools from NEC, CIM, Juilliard, Eastman et al. They are not cake walk audition based admits. You will most likely NOT find published admits by instrument. Colburn and Oberlin used to indicate anticipated studio slots each year. If you ask, most schools will give you a range of anticipated openings each admission cycles. These can swing drastically from year to year. Sometimes there may be none, to a very few. </p>
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<p>Same answer as above. Many will. Many pay lip service. Some make it logistically nigh on impossible. You need to investigate the specific policies of both the institution, the music department, and the specific applied instructor. Even a yes in theory can be a no in practice.</p>
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<p>The answer to the first part has too many variables. The three most important factors for one aspiring to a professional skill level are the student/instructor relationship, the peer quality of fellow musicians, and the specific opportunities the institution can present in furthering an aspirant’s skills. You really need to start here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html</a></p>
<p>You will get excellent advice in the search and selection forum for virtually any aspect of a “typical” academic college question. Very few here have the background and experience to quantify and define what the options are for those aspiring to an audition centered admit and a potential career as a professional performer.</p>
<p>The short answer is that the three most seamless programs for high level music and a second academic discipline are Oberlin, Bard and Lawrence.</p>
<p>Listen to violadad. HE KNOWS!!! IMHO the very best and most knowledgeable poster on CC! :-)</p>
<p>I have actually been through BassDad’s thread and the Peabody article. They actively discourage it/make it difficult it seems… And the premed path, while not set in stone is pretty uniform across most med schools. My father is a physician, and he says the requirements have not changed in the past years since he was in.
I suppose my questions could be asked more succinctly as: are there other schools like the three of which we have already discussed? Are schools like, say, Reed, good for music performance, or are they simply lacking in the extreme?</p>
<p>There are discussions of Reed, Swarthmore, Pomona, Davidson, Lewis and Clark, and other LAC music options in the music forum. If you can’t locate them using the tips I outline in the thread I’ve referenced, let me know. Use the master lists to find people accepted or actually in attendance at these schools. These lists are comprehensive and go back at least 4 years beyond the current list. Look for the posting detail of posters with experience. </p>
<p>A lot depends on the instrument, and the applied faculty. An instrument like piano, harp, guitar and in some cases violin or cello can well be served at smaller programs. Many lack peer quality, ensemble depth (both small and large) for those interested in an orchestral career. A number of these orchestras simply are not at the level that will allow a person to play to the standard of an aspirant intent on taking professional auditions. </p>
<p>On the same token, there are those that did their undergrad at these and similar institutions that have gone to masters levels at the most competitive conservatories, and performance careers.</p>
<p>Many of the reasons that it is actively discouraged is the simple fact that it IS extremely difficult. For most aspiring to performance, it is NOT an either/or scenario. 4-6 daily hours of practice for a bowed string is not at all beyond the norm here. That is the level of commitment for those at the pre-professional level. A BM is one of the most time and credit intensive four year degrees. Couple that with a science heavy curriculum, and you’ll realize that 5 years is a realistic minimum, and many will need more to complete both. The dual majors within the music field (perf/ed, perf/comp) also have a high rate of attrition. </p>
<p>There is no one path. Explore the options. Try and put a handle on what you wish to do with music. One can study music as an undergrad at a high level and not wish to be a performer. If that is your aspiration then an LAC BA is often the best way to do this. But remember, it is easier to leave a performance program than to enter one.</p>
<p>It’s all here. You do have to look for it. There are more. There are similar discussions in the search and selection forum, but you’ll find that a good many will link back to the music major threads. </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/896158-quality-depth-music-programs-lacs.html?highlight=lac[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/896158-quality-depth-music-programs-lacs.html?highlight=lac</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/634474-music-programs-these-small-lacs.html?highlight=lac[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/634474-music-programs-these-small-lacs.html?highlight=lac</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/492746-conservatory-vs-lac-performance-program.html?highlight=lac[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/492746-conservatory-vs-lac-performance-program.html?highlight=lac</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/400593-best-music-liberal-arts-college-program.html?highlight=liberal[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/400593-best-music-liberal-arts-college-program.html?highlight=liberal</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/653686-liberal-arts-music-double-major-schools.html?highlight=liberal[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/653686-liberal-arts-music-double-major-schools.html?highlight=liberal</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/417717-liberal-arts-conservatory-conjunction-program-northwestern-university.html?highlight=liberal[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/417717-liberal-arts-conservatory-conjunction-program-northwestern-university.html?highlight=liberal</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/444579-strong-orchestras-liberal-arts-schools.html?highlight=liberal[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/444579-strong-orchestras-liberal-arts-schools.html?highlight=liberal</a></p>
<p>I did not find those in any of my searches… that is rather frustrating. i guess I use quotation marks too much</p>
<p>and thank you very much violadad :)</p>
<p>Those were pulled from the music major forum. Search/advanced. I used two separate keyword searches LAC and liberal, no quotes/title search/display threads. There were about two pages for each. I pulled some representative threads, there were more. Try it here as well.</p>
<p>Do it again and pull the other ones and read them. Also use the same search methods on “music and” (use the quotes on that one), double, dual. Many of these have been interlinked. </p>
<p>Much of what I use in finding “stuff” is outlined in the Search tip thread I linked to earlier.</p>
<p>More links from the Music Major forum:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1092316-music-major-pre-med.html?highlight=medical[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1092316-music-major-pre-med.html?highlight=medical</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/871211-pre-med-music-major.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/871211-pre-med-music-major.html?highlight=pre+med</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/747401-major-music-performance-w-pre-med-requirements.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/747401-major-music-performance-w-pre-med-requirements.html?highlight=pre+med</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/515057-music-major-music-career-vs-pre-med-med-school.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/515057-music-major-music-career-vs-pre-med-med-school.html?highlight=pre+med</a></p>
<p>Not mentioned, but possibly worth considering, would be to pursue the music degree and then enroll in a post-bac pre-med program if you do decide that that is your real goal. Some post-bac programs can be completed in one school year, others require a bit more time. I have even heard of people taking the missing coursework at a community college on the cheap!</p>