Hello guys i want to attend a top notch academic school like Northwester, Harvard, Princeton, Boston U, possibly major in music (piano performance). Or not whatever helps me get in. I do not have that well a gpa (92.4) on the 100 scale. but i am a somewhat decent player not close to the best though. My teacher is telling me to look at schools like Boston, Northwestern or UT Austin. Does anyone know how competitive these schools are for piano performance? I was also wondering how much Harvard or Princeton would take into account submitting a video of playing the moonlight sonata third movement and if it would help at all? Sorry for being unorganized just curious.
Hi there! I don’t know too much personally about the schools you listed, but for undergraduate piano programs, you could check out Cal State Northridge (CSUN), Cal State Long Beach (CSULB), UCLA, or USC? The last two that I mentioned are definitely known for having really good academics, along with a great piano program.
Hope this helps!
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Harvard does not have a piano performance degree. In recent years, it has changed the music major curriculum to accommodate more diverse interests, and some increase in applied music. For instance, credit can be given for lessons, and for some extracurricular performance. Harvard has a double degree program with New England Conservatory, however (BA/MM) and Tufts has a BA/BM double degree program with NEC.
Princeton has a performance certificate and an exchange with the Royal Academy (as I remember) but its curriculum is similar to Harvard’s. Not a performance degree.
Schools like these have very active extracurricular scenes and you may be able to access lessons with teachers at a level desired. But music majors for a BA take 1/4-1/3 classes in music and otherwise take gen eds and electives outside of music.
Northwestern and BU have schools of music/conservatories with BM degrees, so that would be a performance degree with 2/3-3/4 classes in music.
I hope you will read the essay entitled "Double Degree Dilemma’ posted closer to the top of this forum. It outlines the different ways to study music and helps you prioritize.
Options include a BM, BA in music with extracurricular performance (and some BA’s DO have performance), double major, major/minor, double degree and even majoring in something else entirely for a BA or BS with music entirely extracurricular.
If you apply for a BM degree, you will audition and probably submit a pre-screen to qualify for audition.
If you apply for a BA program (such as Harvard or Princeton) you can do a music supplement with a recording (check on audio versus video), music resume, and one or two letters of recommendation from a teacher or director. Your level of talent should justify the submission. This supplement can certainly help your application if justified.
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I’m a little confused. You say "Or not whatever helps me get in. " Are you trying to use music as a hook for getting into your academic dream school or are you interested in a music performance degree?
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It’s not a “hook.”
Talent and accomplishments in music can help with admissions to elite schools, but only if distinctive.
So many young people want to use “desired major” as a way to get in, but it does not really have an effect on chances.
I should have added in my above response that the BM programs mentioned in the orginal post are very selective for piano, which was one of the questions asked.
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Boston U is pretty competitive for piano performance, but achievable. There are about 20-25 undergrad piano performance majors. If you put in the work and give a great audition, you have a good chance of getting in. (I auditioned this winter and was accepted). Northwestern is extremely selective, as well. I don’t know much about UT Austin, but it is probably the least selective of the three. I’m a little confused though, are you looking to actually major in piano performance or are you using piano as an extracurricular to help you get into a more selective academic school? If you’re looking to major in piano performance, do you have more repertoire than just the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata? Most schools, especially selective ones like the schools you mentioned, require at least a prelude and fugue, a complete classical sonata, a romantic piece, and possibly an additional virtuosic etude/contemporary piece.
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