Hi there. I’m an absolute newbie but excited to have found this forum! My DS is interested in studying music (composition) at a public non-conservatory school in the southeast. We are familiar with FSU and South Carolina. Are there any other schools we are missing? Thank you!!
University of Georgia is good too.
Why public in particular? Almost all large public universities will have a music composition program. What is your son looking for in a school?
Some well regarded programs: CCM at Cincinnati. North Carolina Chapel Hill. University of Virginia. Duke. College of Charleston. Univ of New Orleans. I haven’t looked at Alabama or Mississippi or Georgia, but I’m sure it’s an option.
@SpiritManager, public because of cost. I know most of the large state schools have music programs; I was just wondering which (if any) are good ones. I guess I forgot to add that part! Lol!
Public out of state universities are often more expensive than private universities - which have more money for financial and merit support. I wouldn’t restrict your search by those parameters.
The programs that will best suit your son will depend on the experience he’s looking for. Without knowing more about his compositional goals and aesthetics it’s hard to be specific. Or the other aspects of a college experience he’s hoping for. Undergrad composers have a wide range of options which can all lead to successful outcomes. BA, BM, small program, large program. Individual instruction, group instruction. Is he currently studying with a private teacher? Does he have particular musical interests aesthetically?
Thank you for the advice, @SpiritManager. He is ultimately interested in film scoring, but he also wants the big university experience, not a conservatory. I am so grateful for any information you can share!
You pretty much have the better Southeast public music schools identified. We looked at most of those before my son chose FSU (which he loves). Alabama has a nice music school facility but it is not at the level of FSU and South Carolina for music. LSU has a good music school and is worth a look. Miami is private but they can be generous with scholarships.
I don’t understand the public parameter either, so I’m going to throw out Loyola New Orleans.
You guys are great. Thank you! I said public because I assumed they would be less expensive, as most we’ve visited seem to be offering in-state tuition with any sort of merit scholarship. We are not opposed to private at all. Just need to find the most affordable but good options.
Blair also has good financial aid and scholarships.
One can study music composition at schools without music programs. There is no need for there to be a performance program. The university will provide ensembles to compose for. Schools like Harvard, Columbia, Princeton, Cornell, MIT, UCSD, Stanford have highly regarded composition departments - and no performance degree. For instance, I know very little about FSU’s composition department, but I know quite a bit about Virginia and Duke. UNO and Charleston have a wonderful composer on staff. So the options are far and wide.
The real problem with many of these schools I’ve mentioned is that the resources are focused on grad students, and not undergrads.
For film scoring I would recommend going somewhere he could meet and befriend aspiring filmmakers - in which case FSU is a good option. You might want to assess the school by their film department just as much as their composition department.
Emory I think has a composition track – Atlanta is a fun city.
@SpiritManager, that’s exactly what we’ve been thinking. That’s why FSU and South Carolina made the list.
Some others I will mention: Columbus State University Schwob School of Music, UNC Greensboro, and NC School of the Arts. Definitely check out UGA – especially if interested in film scoring, since Georgia has a $9 billion film industry (at least for now – politics in the state may send it fleeing). Also UNT if that is “East enough” to be considered SE! Also I don’t know much about it but Shenandoah Conservatory in WV is a private school that did not make it on the list above but might be worth a look – if that is “South enough” to still be SE!
@khill87 Shenandoah Conservatory (at Shenandoah University) is a great school, but it’s actually in VA! I know a few people who have gone there; one was a Fulbright finalist and is now a master’s student and graduate assistant at Miami.
Have you read the Double Degree Dilemma essay by David Lane, posted closer to the top of this forum? It outlines the many ways to study music.
Many students who want to do film scoring may want to start out with a rigorous and broader foundation. USC, which has a well-regarded grad program, actually wants it grads to have done more traditional art composition for undergrad.
That said there is quite a demand for programs the dive right into film scoring, writing for games and so on. Check out the thread on Peabody’s new program of music and media.
Also, if your son wants a more applied program, there are many schools with studio production, that kind of thing (the terminology varies).
When you say he doesn’t want a “conservatory” do you mean freestanding? There are conservatories and schools of music on college and university campuses, where students live with students in other areas of study and take gen ed classes with them as well. But it is BM program with 2/3-3/4 classes in music for the degree, and basically, immersion in music. Is that what he wants? These programs generally require a portfolio, sometimes an interview, sometimes an audition.
Composers can also do a BA, majoring in music or even something else. A BA in music would be 1/4-1/3 classes in music. Key would be access to a teacher and to chances to have pieces performed. Often schools will hire outside ensembles, as Spirit Manager said.
Other options within the BA option are double major and major/minor.
Then there are double degree programs, either BA/BM or BA/MM.
I know composers who didn’t even major in music. Then some just want to be fully immersed in all aspects of music and don’t want to do many gen eds! It really varies.
In sorting out schools- and there are many so I won’t list any yet and others have provided good ideas- it really matters whether your son wants a general music major, a focused traditional composition program, a film-scoring type program, or a studio production program.( Other terms are music production, audio production, music technology. The hardest part is the terminology for the more applied programs!)
An argument can be made that a rigorous foundation in composing is the best preparation for grad work in film scoring. But the demand for film-scoring and game music is so great that programs are popping up all over. And many young people want to get right to it.
Traditional composition programs also have electronic work and technology is part of core courses. But the work tends to be more “art” and less commercial.
If you don’t qualify for financial aid, you can look into merit aid. But state universities tend to be a good choice, and usually have a BM program.
The only caution might be that if he does a BA at a school where a BM is offered, the BM students might get the best teachers and opportunities. There are exceptions but something to think about.
@compmom very true, the BA students at many of the schools listed are taught by TA’s. The BM students get the best teachers and opportunities. @trombonemama’s son should focus on a BM.
I know USC (The east coast one) LSU and AL give excellent academic merit scholarships and they stack scholarships. On the scholarship thread, one person was offered a $4,500 music scholarship at U of SC which doesn’t sound like much. What it doesn’t mention is that the student was offered a merit scholarship which is stacked, resulting in free tuition. If stats are high enough, students could get most of their room and board covered.
FSU is an excellent school but I’m not sure of their merit scholarships. D took it off her list early in the process but I remember reading something about in state tuition for many music majors. GA isn’t great on out of state academic merit scholarships. I have heard their music scholarships can be good though. I don’t know about academic or talent merit scholarships at UNC-G and NC School of the Arts but they definitely are worth looking at. While private, Blair at Vanderbilt apparently gives good music scholarships.
Since grad school is probably in your future, it’s smart to try and keep costs down. What we didn’t know at the beginning is how many of the conservatories (including those within a college) will match the scholarship offered at another school. When you look at the merit scholarships thread, you will see how so different the scholarship offers are for each student so it can be beneficial to audition to multiple programs.
@trombonemama I’m sending you a pm.
No sunnysar, my point was not that the son should do a BM There are many excellent BA programs in schools that do not have a BM. I am not suggesting anything in particular, only saying there are many ways to go. Many composers do not do a BM actually. But many do. It depends on what the student wants.
Check out Furman in Greenville, SC. Yes, it’s private, but they offer a lot of merit aid and have a great music program.
@compmom, I was referring to the schools I know about that offer both a BA and a BM (SC & FSU). I apologize if I read your advice incorrectly. My point was if he chooses SC or FSU he should go for the BM. It may be different for comp but I know the instrumental students getting a BA don’t have the benefit of the professor, are taught by TA’s and have less opportunities than the BM students. D was leaning towards a BA but when meeting with both schools, she was advised to go the BM route. I readily admit I know nothing about composing so it may be different for those students at schools that offer both a BA and BM. I guess that will be a question they will have to ask when touring.