<p>I posted a few posts back that my interests would mainly be concerts and the overall music scene at the school. I’d love to be in a band with friends, but not like majoring in music/etc. More as a social/other outlet.
It seems like the general consensus is Vanderbilt, UT Austin, and Oberlin (at least those have been brought up the most).</p>
<p>^[The</a> Wesleyan Mafia: MGMT, Boy Crisis, Amazing Baby - Page 1 - Music - New York - Village Voice](<a href=“http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-08-04/music/the-wesleyan-mafia-mgmt-boy-crisis-amazing-baby/]The”>http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-08-04/music/the-wesleyan-mafia-mgmt-boy-crisis-amazing-baby/)</p>
<p>Oberlin because (1) you can take mandolin lessons for next to nothing (if you want to continue), or virtually any other instrument, without being in the conservatory; (2) you can take an exco in taiko drums; (3) there’s a steel drum band; (4) if you want to play in an ensemble you will definitely find like minded people; (4) the Cleveland Orchestra comes to Oberlin (as well as Itzhak Perlman, just to name a few); (5) Dave Brubeck recorded live at Oberlin; (6) more Steinways than you can imagine; (7) first year dorm has a 6 foot Boston grand in the lobby; (8) UPS has Grammy nominees, Oberlin has Grammy winners.</p>
<p>Oberlin has been mentioned many times, and while I understand it is a great school and obviously has a great music scene, I know for a fact I will not apply there (mainly family reasons). So if we could stop mentioning it that’d be awesome!
Thanks though.</p>
<p>Rjknonovi, that wacky list says absolutely nothing about how good Vanderbilt’s music program is. And it is an excellent program. Like Vanderbilt overall, the music program (Blair) has been increasing its visibility dramatically in the past decade, and in the past few years in particular. Basically, as a young music school (mid-1980s), it’s been building momentum, and like I said, especially recently – and I would point to the many “top” graduate music programs Blair students are being accepted to in just this past year alone. It’s purposefully a small program (with 190 students) and focused solely on undergraduate students, which may limit its visibility somewhat compared to the much larger programs with grad students, but its visibility is increasing nevertheless. They basically accept the same students who are accepted to Juilliard, Eastman, Northwestern, etc., give them generous $$$, and some of them come (they don’t need many, given the size of the program). They don’t really do much in terms of wait lists because the profs can fill their required teaching hours with pre-college students, thus keeping the quality of the undergrad program where they want it. I can say more but it is an excellent music program that is only getting better and gaining more recognition every year.
All of which, of course, is off the OP’s topic. Re the music scene, in addition to Nashville, OP may not be a music major but at Vanderbilt a ton of music classes (not all classical by any means) music lessons, bands of all sorts and concerts (classical and many other) would still be available to you. I suggest you check it out for yourself, if you can, to see if it suits you.</p>
<p>UCLA and USC definitely, because it’s LA, as musicamerica said above. But I’m not really sure about smaller colleges</p>
<p>University of Texas at Austin! Live music capital of the world! Large school but one of the coolest towns you’ll ever visit!</p>
<p>If you are looking for a smaller school in Austin you could look at St. Edwards.</p>
<p>I think the original question is asking about off campus musical entertainment. Not sure why that should be a criteria for choosing a collge, but to each their own.</p>
<p>The original question is about on and off campus music. And, like you said, “to each their own”. So it’s an important criteria for me.
Thanks posters for the information!</p>
<p>I would also look into Rice University- it has a great music program (Shepherd school of music). good luck!</p>
<p>Since you’ve ruled out Oberlin, another liberal arts school to shift your focus to is Wesleyan. It’s known for having an extremely collaborative music scene where forming student bands is a celebrated pastime. There is a frat devoted to music (Eclectic) that’s produced the likes of MGMT, and many weekend events revolve around watching these student bands perform in university venues. The campus has a general respect for the craft of making music, as well as a pretty successful world music program. Definitely worth checking out.</p>
<p>For “music scene” it’s hard to beat Athens, GA and UGA.</p>
<p>Rolling Stone Magazine named Athens the #1 College Music Scene in America in 2003. In March 2013, Rolling Stone named Athens’ 40 Watt club one of the top 20 clubs in America.</p>
<p><a href=“http://livability.com/top-10/top-10-cities-with-the-best-music-scenes-outside-of-nashville-nyc-and-la/athens/ga[/url]”>http://livability.com/top-10/top-10-cities-with-the-best-music-scenes-outside-of-nashville-nyc-and-la/athens/ga</a></p>
<p>Is there a sorority devoted to music? Since I’m a girl, haha. Thanks all!</p>
<p>Link to Indie Music Blog for Nashville:</p>
<p>[Anna</a> Haas’ Women Who Rock Nashville Showcase Debuts Friday At 12th & Porter](<a href=“http://nashville.thedelimagazine.com/13808/anna-haas-women-who-rock-nashville-showcase-debuts-friday-12th-porter]Anna”>Anna Haas' Women Who Rock Nashville Showcase Debuts Friday At 12th & Porter — nashville)</p>
<p>Lead article is Women Who Rock Nashville Showcase.</p>
<h1>2 Nashville based band listed (left column) - Paramore.</h1>
<p>I’d say UCLA. There are always concerts on campus including Jazz Reggae fest etc.Off campus you can find any kind anywhere!</p>
<p>You need a car and lots of cash in LA as clubs are far apart and $$$. Austin much easier to navigate and cheap.</p>
<p>I would also put in a vote for Nashville; it’s not just country music there! Fun city, lots happening with music, great restaurants, wonderful weather…The largest, best known school in town is Vanderbilt but only slightly smaller and better known for students who hope to have careers in music is the hip Belmont University (about 5,000 undergrads only 1/3 of whom are from Tennessee) and finally, there is Lipsomb University with just under 3,000 students. (Tennessee State Univ. a HBC, is also in Nashville.)</p>
<p>“Rjknonovi, that wacky list says absolutely nothing about how good Vanderbilt’s music program is.”</p>
<p>Exactly right. That was my point. Vanderbilt isn’t listed at all as a top 30 school.</p>
<p>Your haven’t made an actual point, sadly. My point is that there is no recognized music school ranking list – and of all the lists I’ve ever seen, that one is pretty much the most ridiculous. No self-respecting music student would ever use it in a MILLION years. It is – without doubt – nonsensical, the order would make no sense to any musician, schools widely regarded as absolutely among the very best and most selective in the country (not even counting Vanderbilt) are left out entirely, and others no serious musician would ever consider are included. Whether you choose to recognize it or not, Blair is an excellent music school. Who knows where it would fall any so-called ranking list, especially because it is solely undergrad focused, but it’s clearly in the top 30, and those students choosing it over Eastman, Northwestern, Boston U., Juillliard (those are students I actually know about), recognize it, and grad schools recognize it…even if you – and your list – do not.</p>