I’m currently a rising high school senior at an arts high school looking at double majoring in violin performance and mechanical engineering. From the advice I have gotten from my teachers and music directors, it would definitely be a good option to do mechanical engineering, as it provides financial grounding. I am also somewhat interested in science, but I am not even close to being as passionate about engineering as I am about music.
Ideally in college I would want to continue private lessons, play with the college orchestra, and stay involved in chamber groups, and have music as a career option in case I really move away from engineering and any other science interests. However, I am not certain of to what degree that would work in a situation of general involvement. I have somewhat gained the idea that minoring in music wouldn’t be the best, since the classes are mostly theory and history, which wouldn’t really be necessary unless I went all in on music.
Although my impulsive solution was to double major, it does seem to be a very ambitious path involving a large amount of time in each that may amount to being too much. Is it doable? If not, are there alternatives in which I could continue with violin and potentially explore other areas of music on the side?
Our son was in the same situation and ultimately decided on straight engineering. He was accepted at Case though and offered to continue privately with his favorite instructor at CIM, but concluded both would suffer. That was just private study. Doubling would be quite challenging.
While it’s great to pursue something that will likely be more financially stable, note that 40-60%, depending on the study, of engineering students don’t finish.
It’s a very difficult major. In my opinion, you have to be all in. You can’t just do it because it would provide a cushion. It’s a lot of work - and then a lot more work than that :). My kid studied 6 and 7 days a week, many hours a day.
Obviously we don’t know your academic profile but some schools I believe allow non music majors to be involved in all their groups. So if you go that route maybe that’s a strategy.
Engineering as a major will have a lot of required classes and if a double with music were possible, it might take an extended length of time, depending on the school.
I for one believe that students should pursue their passion. For me it was sports journalism. I was an epic fail but recovered in life and later got an MBA.
Engineering is sensible and any parent would love it - we don’t want our kids to struggle.
But if your life would be filled with regret - that’s not good either. that’s what you have to decide.
You can do straight engineering, and continue music with lessons, practice, and extracurricular performance, as well as any music electives available to non-majors.
Or you can major in music through either a BM degree (2/3-3/4 music) or BA (1/4-1/3 music). You could take science electives, if you are at a university school of music, for instance.
Double major and double degree are two different paths. The double degree is 5 years and might be more doable than the double major. Both engineering/science and music are time consuming and in a 4 year degree, there may be a lot of scheduling conflicts.
The double major can be done but it is very difficult. If you want to do both, consider a double degree. Check out the Double Degree Dilemma essay in the Read Me thread on the music major forum. I really think that will be helpful to you. It uses hypothetical individuals to illustrate different ways to move forward with music.
I know someone who did engineering at MIT and went on to get a PhD in music. And I know a music major who went on to grad school in science, another in Medieval Studies, and one who is now a doctor. I know many who are making a living in music, performing, writing and teaching.
Majoring in music does not limit you to a career in music, though of course that is an option. My personal view is that undergrad years are a chance to study what you love. The cost of college and burden of loans makes that scary for some, but I do think things can work out with any of the paths possible with these two interests, or if you choose one to prioritize.
My wife works at a large public university, which has a large marching band. She has told me that there is a high proportion of band members who are engineering students – perhaps because they are attracted to the precision required for both the music and the marching. And my son has a friend who majored in engineering but who also played in his university’s concert band.
If you major in engineering, you should have many opportunities to satisfy your musical cravings.
So combining what you love is one way. NW has this program as many schools you might be able to make your own also
At University of Michigan 30 %of the marching band are engineers. Many are baseball players dancers,actors and musicians etc.
My son spent 20 hours a week working a student org with conferences and weekly lecture schedules. Plus working 10-15 hours plus taking 18 credits most semesters. It’s all in time management.
I just searched the combined words “music and mechanical engineering” it’s cool what I found. I Like the idea of combining interests and passions
Also both music and engineering are mathematical. It’s very very common to see someone applying to engineering having a background in music
Some have played with symphonies etc.
My daughter went to a known performance arts high school also. You can be evaluated for college auditions. But your professor is telling you (if I am reading this correctly), that another path might make more sense. If you were a prodigy or high enough talent wise (your all Uber talented), they might suggest another route.
My daughter’s knows tons of her Uber talented friends that are nanny’s, bartenders, Uber drivers etc etc waiting for their break. She decided to go in a different direction but keeps her “making art” theory in everything she does in life.
You can still pursue music on so many levels at college. Many colleges let you explore also and aren’t so rigid. But combining both interests might give you the most satisfaction.
I posted this on your other (identical) thread. Maybe it would be easier to choose which one you wish to use…as some folks are posting on one…and some on the other.
You need to contact the college music departments at schools where you would like to apply. Find out what opportunities are available for students who are not music majors to participate in orchestral ensembles, take lessons, etc. These folks were incredibly helpful to our kid when contacted.
Our kid, like you, wanted to continue lessons and play in a college orchestra. Our kid was an engineering major…but this kid entered college with that in mind due to interest. (Adding…the kid completed their engineering degree but decided a career in engineering wasnt something they wanted to do).
Since you aren’t all that sure about college major, you also might want to look at colleges with a strong core curriculum that gives you a sampling of multiple areas of study. You just might find something that piques your interest.
I agree about reading the Double Degree Dilemma. It will give you good food for thought.
I will add, there were colleges our kid considered that do allow non-majors to audition for seats in their orchestra ensembles. And there were also places where this was a hard NO. I should add, our kid plays an instrument where there are usually only 1-2 in an orchestra. As you know…there are many more violins in each orchestra.
Good luck to you. There are schools out there where you can continue your music studies…and ensemble playing.
I did flag it, but I think this is one of those rare double posting cases where the forums are different enough that the OP will get valuable feedback from both.
Engineering is a lot of math and science. You should be more than somewhat interested if you are going to pursue a major in engineering.
In my opinion, rather than trying to figure out if you should double major or major/minor, you should look for majors that combine your two interests. @knowsstuff linked to a GATech program. USC also has a Music Technology program. It is in Thornton which is a difficult admit, but there are other schools with these types of programs as well. In the case of USC, their engineering department looks for students who have passions outside of engineering (see Engineering Plus)
As was mentioned, many students continue with their interests in music while majoring in another subject. This doesn’t end in college. I know many working professionals who, in their free time, sing in choral groups, perform in community theater, or perform in bands.
My daughter loved jazz piano (which blows me away because she can improvise so well and I need everything written down!). She got a scholarship at Susquehanna which included a small stipend plus free piano lessons, on the condition that she play in the jazz band. Her majors were art history and photography.
Now she’s 25 and living in Portland, Maine, a great town for young people. Her day job is photographing food for a local supermarket’s website. She also helps set up and take down exhibits at the Portland Museum of Art. In addition, she figured out how to get on Spotify and has some of her original compositions on it. She’s also playing with a friend’s band. So there’s a lot you can do even if you don’t major in music.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. The number one correlate with success in engineering is level and facility with math. It has to be more of a calling that “that might be cool.”
I am not sure the OP, who is a violinist, would prioritize marching band, but the OP can clarify.
There really is no reason for a violinist to major in music technology. Music technology means many things and there are other terms for it, but it basically breaks down into technical (studio) work and creative (composition-like) work.
It is easy enough to continue music while doing engineering. The student should submit a music supplement, if accepted by the schools, with recording/video, music resume and letter(s) of recommendation related to music.
If the OP wants to major in music, alone or in addition, the posts about programs geared to that will be helpful. It can be hard to double major, but a double degree could be an answer.
Our kid was in the same boat, had planned Double Degree or double major, but wound up at a tippy-top with no performance music instruction or majors (but they will pay for private lessons) that has a top orchestra and lots of perf music opportunities on campus. Because they’re both premed and majoring in a non-science (very little overlap between premed courses and their major), and with their very busy performance schedule, there is just no time for lessons. Too bad.
I really doubt that you could do a perf violin major and mech engineering major. I do think that you might do lessons and orchestra and even a string ensemble, along with the engineering major, but I suspect that the practice hours involved would be too much. Is it that you just want the pleasure of continuing music, but you know that a future career in perf violin is off the table? Then there are plenty of schools with both schools of music and engineering, where you could probably continue lessons. Is it just that you want to play while studying engineering? Then you have to look at the colleges with good mech E and a great orchestra. But if it’s that you’re trying to keep open the option of a career in perf violin, with maybe a masters in that after college, then it’s gonna be tougher. It is all my kid can do to keep up with the approx 7 hrs/wk of maintenance practicing, which is why they don’t take lessons - it would mean at least another 7 hrs/wk of practicing to justify taking lessons, even though the college would pay for them. I think that violin would require even more hours/week of practicing.
These two schools offer majors that might be able to meld your interests into one degree:
U. of Rochester (NY) offers an ABET-accredited program in Audio and Music Engineering in its engineering (Hajim) school, not the music (Eastman) school:
Again, I don’t, myself, think that a violinist would be happy doing these music tech/audio engineering/acoustical engineering as a substitute. Might as well just do the engineering they want if that is the direction they want to go. I could be wrong of course.
There is nothing wrong with focusing on music as an undergrad. Plenty of paths after that.
There is also nothing wrong with doing engineering and extracurricular music.
Or a double degree- not a double major. I don’t really see any reason to look into music tech. fields. They don’t really combine violin performance and mechanical engineering!
Looking at Hartford’s Acoustical Engineering and Music program, every semester includes 2 credit hours of private lessons and 1 credit hour in a performing organization. There are also various ear training and harmony classes as well as a music history elective. According to the page, this isn’t a sound mixing degree (and a music audition needs to be passed, bolding added):
Those who pursue the field of engineering to study acoustics have many career areas from which to choose. These include audio engineering (high-fidelity sound system design), architectural acoustics (design of concert halls, recording studios, and music rooms), musical acoustics (design of musical instruments), noise control and sound quality (of machinery, jet engines, automobiles, and environmental regulations), and bioacoustics (design of hearing aids, replacement parts for the ear, hearing test equipment). To be accepted into this curriculum, applicants must have the math and science background required of all engineering students and must successfully pass the entrance requirements of The Hartt School, including an audition .
In looking at the Mechanical Engineering with a focus in Acoustics at Harford, that program does not involve music in the same way (link).
From Rochester’s curriculum guide the career options seem much more expansive for this type of major, as well:
The field of audio and music engineering extends far beyond the traditional music recording industry. Career paths for program graduates span hundreds of companies representing industries such as: computer hardware and software manufacturing, audio software development, music and audio recording and production, core audio and signal processing technologies and component manufacturing, musical instruments and audio equipment manufacturing, video gaming, automotive, architectural acoustics, urban planning, industrial noise monitoring and control, consumer product design, and research and development in acoustics. (p. 3)
For Rochester’s program students in the Audio & Music Engineering major must show basic music competency via, “a minimum of 10 credits of music courses, either
from the River Campus Music Department or at the Eastman School of Music. This includes 8 credits of music theory and 2 credits of musicianship.” In comparison with the minimum of 40 credit hours required by Hartford’s program, it is significantly less music-focused.
Based on the more detailed dive, I really do think that Harford’s Acoustical Engineering and Music program could be a good fit for OP, if those types of engineering applications are of interest.
It’s important to point out that audio engineering and acoustic engineering are completely different. Audio engineering has to do with studio production and live performance. Acoustic engineering is much deeper in the true engineering weeds. It has to do with understanding sound, even in its complex wave form, transducer design, enclosure design, and integration. The latter is very fluid mechanics and and typically EE intensive. The former won’t need any of that. In a nut shell, they aren’t even apples and oranges. They’re apples and beef. Very different.