<p>Well, just when I thought I was safely away from the music application process with S3 (sophomore), he has become VERY interested in music production/Music Technology/Making music in a technological way. This is like DJing your own music that you create on a computer and use keyboards, turntables etc. I guess his fantasy is to go to Ibiza and play/dj? WHOLE new world for me....</p>
<p>I suspect that this is similar to the TIMARA program at Oberlin, and am wondering if anyone has any direction in which to point us to other programs. Since S2 is at Oberlin, we have access to a lot of info at Oberlin, but are there other schools that have this kind of major? </p>
<p>Background: this is an "A" student kid who will have good test scores, so can probably shoot for a pretty good level of school. He also is someone who might be more interested in sticking on or near the west coast, though I think he'll be open-minded. He is an athlete geek. Waaay too good at computer games, but also fortunately plays sports so we can get him off the computer. Plays trumpet well, but doesn't love it. Any direction would be GREATLY appreciated.</p>
<p>There’s a few in this forum as well, and if you read my passage in the linked thread about the various names, it’ll make your searching for threads easier.</p>
<p>Let me know if you want me to pull some links.</p>
<p>SJTH - My son is presently studying exactly that at the University of Michigan School of Music Performing Arts Technology program (concentration on music). In essence, he is learning how to compose, record, reinforce music and sound, as well as (in upper years) incorporating some visual/video/computer programming/acoustical engineering/multimedia practice. There are four areas of concentration: Curriculum A, which is designed for performers who want a BMUS; Curriculum B, which is a BFA and in which you can concentrate on music plus media, Curriculum C, which is a little less music intensive but also offers an engineering concentration, and Curriculum D, which is an actual engineering joint degree.
The program is selective – approximately 4 students get into each curriculum. The following help chances of admission in Curriculum B (each has its own requirements): high grades (eg. you have to take an engineering course and must be able to handle comp sci, calc, etc.), strong portfolio of original electronic music, a recording of acoustic performance for screening purposes (eg. all students have to take theory, musicology, etc so it’s not for non-musicians/technicians only); an electronic arrangement of a Bach fugue, a soundscape from computer sampled sounds, kudos if you have multitracking recording experience (my son did), kudos if you’ve had very solid performance experience/regional awards/etc.; kudos if in addition you have other multimedia artwork credits (eg. visual, video, video editing) or performing arts experience.
The program is pretty neat in that it is entirely possible to tailor your course of study to your unique talents and aims – eg. electronic composition, film scoring, videogame scoring, recording, multimedia direction, technical direction, etc. My s. has never been happier and felt like he won the lottery when he was accepted. He has written/created phenomenal work in four short months and made quantum leaps in things like keyboard.
The program also has a wide range of internships, from Sony to Bose.</p>
<p>For our purposes, we far preferred U of M’s decidedly “art form” approach to this program above some other well known programs that we visited and researched extensively. It is really kind of a fit field, so please PM me if you’d like further information.
Cheers,
K</p>
<p>P.S. Funny thing – my s. also plays trumpet well, but doesn’t “love” it. He maintains that “technology is his instrument.” Given that your son is talking about that DJ/Ibizia scene, I can tell you this program is very well suited to that type of aim as well and likewise views technology as a performance “instrument” (eg. S’s school has the Michigan ■■■■ Band…a cell/mobile phone symphony that is quite unusual and led by the guy who started the Berlin ■■■■ ; ).</p>
<p>Berklee (College of music in boston) has both a music synthesis, film scoring (which has a lot of technology) and music production and engineering major, the former of which I’d imagine would be preferable to your son, but double majoring seems to be pretty common at that school (lots of performance/production, production/synthesis or production/film scoring, production/composition etc)</p>