Organ performance: Southern Cal versus Julliard

Can someone compare the music performance schools at Southern Cal and Julliard? In particular, is one more for electric organs and the other more for pipe organs?

@MerlynKing - I recommend reposting this to the Music Major forum at http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/

There are a number of very helpful people there - don’t know if any of them know much about organ performance programs but if not they will still have some good advice about how to compare and evaluate programs.

Moving the thread

Have you researched the websites for Thorton and Juilliard?

http://www.juilliard.edu/degrees-programs/music/organ
http://music.usc.edu/departments/organ/

There are many organ programs so let us know if you need more choices.

For example
http://wp.stolaf.edu/music/organ-and-church-music/
http://www.esm.rochester.edu/organ/study/

I would also like to know if USC Thornton’s keyboard program includes synthesizer training?

The keyboard program is mainly piano, it looks like, but given the program in contemporary music at USC Thornton, I cannot imagine that access to synthesizer training would be difficult.

Here is a clue from the Thornton website: “Biography Bill Biersach, senior lecturer at USC Thornton, studied electronic music at USC under current faculty member Frederick Lesemann. He taught beginning and advanced Synthesizer Techniques classes from 1975 to 2009, and assisted Richard McIlvery in revamping and expanding the Recording Arts Workshop program, which later became the Music Industry program, from 1984 through 2003.”

Organ and synthesizer are in different programs, obviously, but you may be able to take electives to cover both your interests. I would call and talk to the school. And any other school that interests you. Each school will have its nuances so if the website doesn’t answer a question, a phone call is the best way to go.

Julliard says that they have organs from Kuhn, Holtkamp, Schoenstein, Flentrop, and Noack. What does USC have?

I cannot find that information anywhere on the website. I suggest you call them.
contact Dr. Ladd Thomas, chair of the department of organ studies, at (213) 740-7703

USC has some amazing young organists, but of course so does Juilliard. Are you considering location, size and vibe of the places as well?

The vibe of the students and the magnitude of the organs!

Are you visiting? Can you find out about USC organs? Are you interested in sacred music or many different genres for organ? I imagine the latter…