<p>I know there are a MILLION threads about schools for vocal performance, but each case is different, so I figured I'd see if I could get any advice for my personal situation. I'm planning on applying to three different types of schools: top music schools, less competitive music schools (back-up-ish) and non-audition schools with good music programs. Here's my list. Please share ANY feedback you may have about any of the schools, which ones in each category I should apply to, and what schools I should add or take off. Thank you so much!</p>
<p>TOP MUSIC SCHOOLS
Boston Conservatory
Mannes College of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Curtis Institute
The Peabody Institute
The Manhattan School of Music
The Oberlin Conservatory
The New England Conservatory
The Juilliard School
Jacobs School of Music
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Hartt School of music
North Carolina School of the Arts
Longy School of Music
Northwestern
Westminster
NYU
University of Michigan</p>
<p>LESS COMPETITIVE
Catholic University of America
Ohio University
University of Delaware
Valparaiso University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Lawrence
Otterbein
University of Denver
Boston University
DePaul University
Baldwin-Wallace
Shenandoah Conservatory
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Anderson University
Roosevelt University
Cleveland Institute of Music</p>
<p>NON-AUDITION PROGRAMS
Bennington College
Willamette University
Boston University
Bard College</p>
<p>Of course I'm not applying to all of these. This is just the rough, long list that I'll be eliminating from. Again, thank you!</p>
<p>dramaticoinky, what year are you and type of voice? Some of these also require strong academics. How are your grades and SATs? For the top conservatories, have you had an independent evaluation that corroborated your possibilities? Have you visited any and had sample lessons with feedback? Your list covers everything, large, small, rural , city, geography. Have you thought about the setting that would suit you? It is impossible to give you advice without knowing more about you. In the end, you should be guided by someone who knows your voice.</p>
<p>Sorry, at first I said that BU is an auditioned program but now I see that you have it in two categories. So I'm editing and adding a bit.</p>
<p>I'm curious as to how you have decided how to divide the programs into lists? I'm guessing you may get some feedback about not only your divisions but the fact that you are categorizing. You can find lots of past threads on this very topic. And on vocal performance--there's lots of past information that will very likely fit your situation, as many of the people who post here are interested in researching the same range of options--conservatory, music school within university, non-auditioned programs. This is a great, info-packed forum and well worth a long, long look-see.</p>
<p>A lot has already been said about many of these schools. Read through the comments already posted, do your homework on the web sites, and then come back with more specific questions. Good luck.</p>
<p>I'm a junior in high school. I'm a soprano. My SAT scores are pretty good. My grades aren't perfect, but they aren't terrible either. I have mostly Bs at the moment. I have a huge variety in terms of types of schools because I haven't really decided yet about a LOT of things. I see the appeal in going to a big city, yet there's something about being off in the middle of nowhere that really appeals to me. Basically, I just want to go to the best school I can get into that I feel comfortable with. I was just accepted into Boston Conservatory's summer program for voice (not sure exactly how selective they are). My concerns are mainly about my middle column of schools. It's easy to find the big-name, famous schools, but I can't only apply to those. I found a lot of my less-competitive schools on a list of the best voice & opera programs.</p>
<p>The "mid-majors" list is not one I would have compiled as tier 2 vocal performance schools. There are other much stronger programs. However, the main thing is your voice teacher. Start researching that issue, whom your teacher recommends, whose students do well at NATS competitions, where other fine singers from your area have gone and how they are doing, etc. Your finances will be a crucial part of the decision....no one should get a music performance degree by going into debt.</p>
<p>What "other much stronger programs" do you recommend as back-ups/less competitive than the top column? I do have one person in my area who went on to Manhattan School of Music who I'm planning on meeting with soon, but my town in not necessarily bursting with culture. Most of my research has to be from visits and internet research for this reason, also because my voice teacher isn't really connected with the current opera world. She was an outstanding singer who performed all over the world. She's helped me enormously, but she's very old. She's not up to date on what schools are good for vocal performance today, aside from the obvious ones like BoCo and Juilliard.</p>
<p>Ask her who her music world friends are, ask if you can contact them. Is she involved with NATS? Are there other teachers in your area who are? Is there a local university or college with voice students? Make contacts with choral directors. Talk to your acquaintance from MSM. </p>
<p>There are big state university with excellent voice programs, like Ohio State, Illinois, LSU; there are LAC's with good voice teachers; there are "directional" and town-state schools with fine music programs, like Wichita State University, North Texas State University; etc. </p>
<p>How far from home can you go? What climate do you want? What size school? Urban or rural? What part of the country? Lots of variables which affect life style and comfort, on top of the professional issues. </p>
<p>What is your goal? What is your back-up plan? Could you get better grades? Do you want to have other options? You are at a disadvantage as a soprano....you would have to be an amazing singer and performer for music to get you into a really good academic institution with those grades. They might be okay for your state university, but maybe not. </p>
<p>Are you an outstanding performer? Do you have much experience? Are you a strong musician? What instruments do you play? How are your language skills.....what languages have you studied? Do you look really good, not too tall, not too heavy, etc? All of these things are factors in the world of performance, especially for a soprano. Know that going into this thing, because you have to prepare yourself in such a way that you have options.</p>
<p>I have around a 3.5 GPA and excellent SATs, and most of the schools I'm looking at are not THAT competitive academically, so that's really not what I'm worried about. Instead of spending countless hours stressing over academics, I've spent them working on my voice. As far as distance and money, my parents have said that location does not matter and that they will find a way to pay for whichever school I choose to attend. I'd prefer not to go to a school in the South. As far as my appearance, I pretty much have the ideal look for a soprano: Thin, petite and blond. I play piano, flute and a little bit of guitar. I've studied French, Spanish and Italian. My goal is simply to sing as well as I can and see where it takes me. If I'm not accepted into any music schools, I plan on majoring in either English or Women's Studies. Thank you for the school suggestions! I will definitely look into those.</p>
<p>Good for you, those are stronger credentials than you indicated in post #5. If you were a bass or a tenor or played the viola, your grades would not matter so much in the admission process....every school allows the music area to give some bonus points to musicians they need for their program. You will not get such help as a soprano. Keep us posted!</p>
<p>My D's and your situation are similar, just one year ahead. I would take a serious look at Westminster (see my recent post copied below from a thread I started a few days ago). You mentioned the conflict of wanting to be near a large city and being in the middle of nowhere. Westminster is within an hour by train to NYC and Phili yet it is in a lovely area, Princeton, NJ which is more suburban, yet a great college town. </p>
<p>Good luck to you. Make sure you check out the advice listed in this forum, start early and don't take everything your guidance counselor says for granted. The top music schools are looking for top music performers and academics is important but not the only deciding factor. We were advised otherwise.</p>
<p>"Hi All,</p>
<p>Thanks again for all of the incredible advice you have all offered. Here's an update on the decision process. </p>
<p>My D and I attended the accepted student day at Westminster yesterday. I have to tell you that we were completely and totally impressed by the faculty, program and facilities. The students audited a class, "The Singing Actor" with Professor Laura Brooks Rice. My D said that Professor Rice is amazing and the experience was incredible. My D then audited a lesson with another professor. D meshed perfectly and felt that the style and personality was the perfect fit. Meanwhile the parents met with the Director of Admissions, Katherine Shields, who answered questions for over an hour. I felt Ms. Shields was very engaging and answered each question completely and honestly. I had no idea how many performance opportunities there are at Westminster. The faculty is top-notch, the proximity to NYC and Phili is great and Princeton is a beautiful and very safe town. The student body and the entire campus felt very warm and welcoming to my D. This experience has put Westminster very high on our list!"</p>
<p>CIM and Boston University are both demonstrably more competitive than Westminster or Boston Conservatory-- especially CIM! Nothing against those programs, but you might reconsider your categories.
The "Less Competitive" group seems broader than could possibly be useful. Roosevelt, CUA, and DePaul are standard backups for contenders for major conservatories; Anderson and Baldwin-Wallace surely can't be considered in the same light.</p>
<p>Frost School of Music at University of Miami is a highly regarded program, also with strong academics, and an unconventional location for those looking to study music. This is probably one of the middle tier schools.</p>
<ol>
<li>Indiana University</li>
<li>Curtis Institute of Music</li>
<li>Eastman School of Music</li>
<li>Juilliard</li>
<li>Manhattan School of Music</li>
<li>Northwestern University</li>
<li>Cleveland Institute of Music</li>
<li>University of Michigan</li>
<li>Peabody Conservatory</li>
<li>New England Conservatory</li>
</ol>