<p>dbandmom … sounds like you are in for quite a journey. One thing I will say about Berklee and some other schools is that they are expensive. If there is a possibility that you wouldn’t be able to send your D there without a strong financial package, make sure she looks at several schools and finds something to appreciate about each one. Berklee is great, but there are many other schools out there that give better merit scholarships and better financial aid. I don’t know why my D got such a nice scholarship; I suspect she had a great audition because she felt great coming out of it, but her academics were also outstanding. I’m not sure how much they weight talent versus academics. My D met quite a few musicians at Berklee that were amazing that didn’t have any scholarship from Berklee, so definitely have a back up plan if that price tag doesn’t match what makes sense to your financial situation. There are so many great schools where a musician can thrive.</p>
<p>My son just got accepted to Berklee and he’s excited but also a little scared. He is a music composition major who also got accepted to UNT, West Texas A&M (loves the trombone faculty there), waiting to hear from Baylor and a couple others. He made State for band (trombone)this past year and just made area for this year and hoping to make State again.He’s also received a Hispanic National Merit commendation and is strong academically. Frankly, I am not excited about a conservatory for a bachelor’s degree but welcome sage advice from those who have traveled this road. He’s likely to pursue a graduate degree. Is Berklee fiercely competitive? Will he have opportunities to perform as a freshman- he does gigs with a local jazz band and church performances. thanks all for your wisdom as we consider the cost!</p>
<p>M8martin, did you son apply to only conservatories? And what kind of composition does he do?</p>
I’m a Dad, and joined College Confidential over the summer looking for Popular/Contemporary and Music Business programs for my HS Junior Daughter. As we get more serious about school selection, auditions, and financial aid, I thought it would make sense make an introduction here.
We live in Connecticut, she’s an aspiring vocalist and goes to Performing Arts School in New Haven. Love the site and great resources here so far. We have a pretty lengthy list of schools she’s considering and looking for Academic and Merit-based Scholarships. Finding schools that focus on Popular music and not exclusively Classical and Jazz has been challenging but here’s her list looks like so far.
Top Choices:
- Berklee
- Columbia College Chicago
- Miami - Frost
- The New School - Eugene Lange College Contemporary Music
- McNalley Smith
- Univerisity New Orleans
- Loyola New Orleans
- LIPA - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts - UK
- Leeds College of Music - UK
- Salford University - Manchester UK
Considering:
- Middle Tennessee State
- NYU - Clive Davis School of Recording Arts (she’s not yet convinced she can do vocals and business)
- Drexel
- Five Towns College
- College of Saint Rose (her safety school at the moment)
- University of New Haven
- Colorado - Denver (hope to get her to their Summer Music program)
Looking into:
- Syracuse (I’m making her look at this one, she says its too “sporty”, but we’ll there in April for her little sister’s gymnastics meet)
- New Jersey City University - in Billboard Magazine Article
- William Patterson - in Billboard Magazine Article
- Cincinnati
- Cal Arts
- Cal State Northridge
We’ve visited a few in NY and New England and are planning a Spring Break Roadtrip to New Orleans and Tennessee. Hoping to have a manageable list after the summer to begin the application process.
Little violinist that hopes to get scholarship from a university or conservatory to expand my knowledge and skills.
Dream is that someday my country will get a national orchestra and a good music school.
My favourite violinists are Heifetz (AKA my violin God), Suk, Hilary Hahn, James Ehnes, etc…
Welcome @udonsoup ! What country are you?
I’m from Mauritius, yourself? :-h
I am a parent in the U.S. Good luck in your college search.
Parents of son who plays piano and guitar
His interests are: Composition and Music Technology / Recording Arts for Popular / Contemporary Music including Jazz
Music programs he has considered are at a mix of schools, mostly Universities and LACs:
Alpert
American
Amherst
Belmont
Berklee
Capital
CCM
Clark
Frost
Ithaca
Jacobs
Kenyon
Michigan
Oberlin
Peabody
Rochester
Setnor
Skidmore
St. Lawrence
Stevens
St. Rose
Tisch
Thornton
Tufts
UNT
Wesleyan
Williams
William Paterson
That’s a long and varied list @Twelfthman!
He did not visit or apply to all these schools but he reviewed promotional literature, everything he could find on the internet about them and spoke to alumni and then visited about half of the schools. There were pros and cons to the universities and liberal arts colleges and he liked something about each type of school.
I’ve posted here a couple times already but may as well say something - I’m a composer who does mostly new music stuff (mostly textural/timbre based pieces in the strain of Ligeti and Grisey) and some ambient-type electronic music (see Tim Hecker). I also play cello and piano. Currently in the process of applying to undergraduate programs (a mix of universities, music schools in universities, and conservatories).
Top schools are USC (already accepted), Columbia, Cal Arts, McGill, and Oberlin.
Welcome. Sounds like a well thought out list. Once you get all your acceptances we’ll be happy to help you weigh the pros and cons!
Twelthman, that is quite a list with lots of good schools. My son is a jazz guitarist, also interested in composition. He was initially interested in liberal arts schools in addition to conservatories but as he neared senior year, he ended up eliminating the LACs. It sounds like your son has been very thoughtful but maybe really researching the course requirements might help him narrow down.
Hi, everyone!
I am currently finishing bachelor´s degree in classical guitar performance and pedagogy in Austria.
I would like to apply to some universities in the US to study vocal performance. I am a tenor and I am hopping to get in touch with other students who are pursuing degree in vocal performance.
Parent of son that plays drums, guitar, keys, etc. Like @Twelfthman’s son, my S is also focused on Composition and Music Technology / Recording Arts for Popular / Contemporary Music. He also applied to a mix of schools, all universities and liberal arts colleges in California.
@Tenorius Hi, I am a high schooler trying to learn classical guitar as well. Out of curiosity, why are you looking for a VP degree instead of further pursuing guitar?
Hi all! I’ve posted a few times but never really introduced myself. I am going to be a senior and would like to get a BM in vocal performance and then a MM in voice pedagogy. I simply can’t see myself pursuing anything but music.
I got started singing pretty late (started lessons about a year ago), but I’m ready to give my all in the next few months and make up for lost time!! That being said, I know I am not a likely candidate for the top music schools since I’m so behind, and I am okay with that. I just want to find somewhere where I can get a good education and develop my voice. 
I haven’t really looked anywhere out of state… I like Otterbein, Bowling Green, and Capital University from what I’ve seen but I know there are many more schools to check out!
Welcome @gmo913! There are some extremely helpful and well-informed people here who know the vocal path well - there are many good schools outside of the top, ultra-competitive ones, and it’s definitely possible to make a good life and good living from there. Wishing you all the best in your journey.
There are many different paths to the same destination. I have a good friend who was a an undergrad theater major and didn’t start seriously singing until he was in his junior year of college. Five years after graduating from a state school he got a full masters scholarship at Juilliard in opera and is now a working opera singer at an international level. His advice to my daughter who was looking at conservatories was that there was more than one way to achieve a goal and not to listen to anyone who tells you there isn’t . Find your own path, there isn’t a formula.