<p>Hi</p>
<p>I was wonderinfg what other good music schools are there besides USC, SFC, and Colburn.</p>
<p>San Francisco Conservatory</p>
<p>Depending on your needs and discipline, consider the University of the Pacific and the University of the Redlands.</p>
<p>Several UC's have music performance degrees -- including UCSB, UCLA.</p>
<p>UC/Irvine also offers a Bachelor of Music degree in performance. </p>
<p>UCLA's degree is actually a Bachelor of Arts degree with a "performance concentration". </p>
<p>Chapman University in Orange, CA has a Conservatory of Music with a BM degree.</p>
<p>Several of the CSUs - SDSU, Cal State Long Beach and Cal State Northridge - also have strong music schools and offer BM degrees in performance.</p>
<p>It would be more helpful if you would tell us what music concentration you are interested in. Also, how important are academics and financial aid. </p>
<p>The question of "a good music school" is just too broad.</p>
<p>For Jazz Studies -</p>
<p>USC is great but very expensive
University of the Pacific is a fine, but expensive, option</p>
<p>There are a number of fine public university jazz studies programs in California</p>
<p>CSU- Long Beach is excellent
CSU- Northridge is also good
CSU- East Bay is getting better every year
San Jose State University - is also very good and has an outstanding new Director - Aaron Lington</p>
<p>In general, the U.C. System is not all that great for jazz studies. UCLA has a good program, that unfortunately is associated with an Ethnomusicology degree program, rather than the Music Department. The worst choice might of the bunch might be U.C. Irvine… they really cut back on their music program budget this year.</p>
<p>Although USC, Redlands, Chapman, Univ. of the Pacific, etc. are private and their ‘list’ price is higher than the UC’s & CSU’s - depending on financial need and/or merit scholarships they might very well end up being a less expensive option. On the other hand, many of the UC’s actually offer music scholarships, as well. And Long Beach has a full ride scholarship for National Merit Finalists. So until an individual applies and gets their package back, it’s difficult to state unequivocally that one school is more expensive than another. For many folks Stanford would be the cheapest school in California - cheaper than a Community College and living at home!</p>
<p>Hi Steve,</p>
<p>I would love to hear more on your thoughts on the situation at UC Irvine. I’m more interested in the grad program than the undergrad. I was there a few years ago, and remember marveling at both the area and the facilities/halls. </p>
<p>But, as I’m not from the west coast, I don’t know much about the reputations of the music programs out there.</p>
<p>My son received a letter from UC Irvine early during his decision making process. It stated that due to budget constraints, the music department was only accepting students from a very limited selection of instrumentation. As far as I recall, they wanted no percussion, little brass or woodwind or even additional piano students.
We’d heard it was one of the better UC’s for music, but the letter was a real turn-off that seemed to indicate the school was all but giving up on music during the recession.</p>
<p>The information in the above posts regarding the cuts in programs and admissions at UC Irvine is accurate only for those years mentioned, when drastic state budget cuts required some cuts in admissions. That has now stabilized, and as of this academic year (the 2010-2011 year) the Music Department at UC Irvine is holding full auditions in both classical and jazz performance for all instruments.</p>
<p>At SC roughly 60% of the students receive financial aid. About 20% receive merit scholarships. According to the Princeton Review for the 2009-2010 year the average financial aid package at USC was $34,545. That is an average. Many receive much less, according to the USC determined need.</p>
<p>Enrolled National Merit Scholars receive half tuition scholarships as well as $1000 per year from the NMFoundation. If a student qualifies it is possible to receive financial aid in addition to a merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Students who wish to be considered for merit scholarhips must have all application forms in by December 1, 2010 for the 2011-2012 academic year.</p>
<p>Certain endowed scholarships and alumni scholarships are for Thornton students only.</p>
<p>If anyone would like info about UCLA’s music program, feel free to PM me - I study there now.</p>
<p>Even last year, UC Irvine’s jazz program was the only one we found in California, or anywhere else in the country for that matter, that did not include guitarists. And I just checked - still no guitar in the jazz program this year. All instruments? Bah humbug!</p>