And compmom, that’s exactly what my D is looking for. What you describe as the liberal arts music major. Do you have a child in that kind of program?
The music department at Tufts is wonderful with a high rate of participation and wonderful faculty, a walk from the Red Line into Cambridge and Boston. Vassar would be good too. Has she looked at Sarah Lawrence? Barnard? Wesleyan is especially strong with world music.
Instrumentalists, vocalists and composers who do the BA route (whether majoring in music or in a few cases, not) DO get into grad schools and develop as musicians. A liberal arts degree in music is a great fit for kids who are interested in history, theory, composing, ethnomusicology, technology, musicology while at the same time they can pursue courses in art, literature, science, language or whatever else interests them. And there will usually still be access to lessons and extracurricular performances. Hope your daughter finds a great fit!
Thanks, compmom! I completely agree–in fact, I have a BA Music from Yale and have had a career as both a performer and music journalist. She really wants to explore it all. We’re in NYC so Barnard and SL a bit too close to home. Wes, Vassar and Tufts are really perfect. We looked at Bard and she was unsure, but we’ll apply there and probably Ithaca too. I’m curious about the PA three: Dickinson, F&M and Gettysburg. We may give them a look, because I think we need some more choices, although I think she’ll apply early to either Wes or Vassar.
Happy to answer Bard questions. My S got a Double Degree there.
@joeycorp If you are coming to PA, maybe check out Swarthmore.
@glassharmonica
Does Swarthmore have a strong music dept? We just toured the school and didn’t get the impression of their having a big music department. A very pretty campus but very small.
Not a huge department, but very close to Philadelphia, which is easily accessible by train. You can take private lessons for credit with teachers in Philadelphia and can study outside the school at UPENN, Haverford, Bryn Mawr via the Quaker Consortium.
@SpiritManager How is the BA music at Bard if you just do liberal arts and not the double degree? Are there performance opportunities for those not in the conservatory? Did your S find it too isolated?
@glassharmonica I almost went to Swarthmore. My mom did go there–it’s so lovely. It’s small, though, and D doesn’t want a college smaller than her high school, so 2500 is the lower limit. I think it may be a bit too intense for her academically, too. But it’s a good suggestion!
@joeycorp - the music department at Bard College is wonderful - with lots of opportunities, and lots of breadth for students wishing to explore many different avenues. The professors are phenomenal, and the offered courses are really interesting. If you haven’t had a chance to peruse the course list, I highly recommend it. (It also is helpful when comparing programs between schools.) The conservatory is more focused on a traditional classical music education/training. @Glassharmonica has a musical family member who recently graduated from the college and she can speak a bit to her experience. The one difference between the two programs is that some of the conservatory private teachers are not available to the college students, except for composition & conducting - but the college has its own private teachers - many of whom are well connected to the New York music scene. Which brings me to the next question - is it too isolated? It is certainly in a lovely rural setting that is about two hours from NYC, but there is a deep connection to New York City and the arts scene there. My S often went into the city for concerts, rehearsals & meetings, and he was always happy to be able to return to the peace and beauty of the Hudson Valley. He made deep connections with the New Music scene in the city while he was a student which was not something we’d seriously thought about when he was choosing a college - but those connections serve him well to this day, many years later. Feel free to PM me with specific questions.
My niece who went to Bard absolutely loved it. She came from the Bay area of California and was enchanted by the setting, but she is someone who is very tied into nature. My own daughters felt Bard was too geographically isolated. My niece is a serious musician but did not audition for the conservatory–she did not want to spend 5 years in undergrad. She double-majored in music and psychology and she adored her instrumental teacher. For her it was a great fit.
Hi my son has been accepted to U of Michigan and Berklee composition program. We are still waiting to hear from USC, Northwestern, Peabody, and NYU. He is leaning towards Michigan and USC. He is interested in composition of orchestra music and possibly one day movie scoring . He, however wants to continue to take saxophone classes and possible double major on Jazz studies while in music school, but his primary goal is composition. Any advise about which of these schools may be best for him? We are definitely very happy that he has been accepted to 2 very good programs.
Thanks
@Beto884 - congratulations on Michigan. And good luck with the others. Berklee is the outlier on your list. I don’t know much about it, because I only know one composer who attended - but I think he started as a guitarist there. There are terrific saxophone programs at Peabody and Michigan for classical music - I’m not as familiar with the other schools - and I don’t know if your son would be able to study in the professors’ studios - but he would have great players to write music for who are interested in classical sax. NYU can be expensive for undergrad, and, unless it’s easy to afford, might be a better option for grad school if your son would graduate with much debt. There are wonderful composition professors at all the options (although, again, I know nothing about Berklee.) The decision may come down to the size of the department, the opportunities for undergrads vs grad students, the curriculum, the school itself and the opportunities to branch out into jazz and sax. As well as any interest he may have in particular professors.
Thanks so much for your response!
As I mentioned in the other thread, Berklee has film scoring for undergrad and is a large, varied, school that students have to find their own way through, but great for kids with multiple interests. Down the street from NEC and Boston Conservatory. Berklee recently merged with Boston Conservatory so that further expands possibilities.
NYU also has opportunities in film scoring and for those with varied interests but yes, is expensive.
USC has a renowned film scoring program for grad school but wants students to have a foundation as undergrads.
All three of these schools are mentioned for music tech/composition/contemporary music interests. Berklee and USC are particularly mentioned for contemporary music Berklee for jazz.
I think of the conservatory at Peabody, and the Schools of Music at Michigan and Northwestern as more classical with more focused majors if composition, but I could be wrong. At the grad level Northwestern is progressive. Most university composition departments are interested in “new music”, meaning 20th and 21st century composers. Is your son familiar with that aspect of contemporary classical? Has he listened to works by faculty, grad students or students?
Some schools will have orchestral competitions but in general it can be harder to get orchestral pieces played.
I believe film work is highly technical.
I am sure he has looked at the film work being done at each school because outside of formal class offerings he could write for film students.
With his interests I would think USC would be #1, Berklee is a good option, I’ll look at Michigan again. It has a PAT program that would also come close to his interests and I wonder if there is any crossover.
Michigan has a fairly traditional composition program, good foundation, with continued instrumental performance included http://smtd.umich.edu/departments/ug_core_curriculum.htm
I don’t see any formal offerings in electronics or technology, or film scoring, or jazz, but that doesn’t meant there isn’t any. Ten non-music gen eds are required which is pretty standard.
Here is the P.A.T. program which might suit him. Perhaps he could take classes in this program. http://smtd.umich.edu/current_students/student_resources/course_descriptions/PERFORMING%20ARTS%20TECHNOLOGY.pdf
Thanks so much! That is very helpful.
Michigan also does have a jazz program, and he would have the option of possibly getting a performance jazz major as well. I know Berklee has an excellent jazz program, as well as usc and NYU, but not sure if Michigan’s is good? Having said that, his main goal is to attend a good composition program, but having a good jazz program would be a plus.
We recently toured Berklee and they made it very clear that their primary goal is training musicians for a professional career in contemporary music. “The music of the time” is the way they put it, and they said their reputation as a jazz school came from the time of its founding, when that WAS the music of the time. It’s very intense–I believe students take upwards of 7 courses a semester as opposed to the usual 4 or 5–and although it is a college, the academic requirements are minimal and are not really enough to offer potential alternative tracks. I know from a friend who went there that they have a very high dropout rate and it’s very expensive. We found it impressive, but not for us–even with the Boston Conservatory addition. I would think for film scoring, USC would be the place. Michigan has always been well known for its music school.
Thanks so much !
@Beto884 Berklee is still EXTREMELY Jazz oriented!!! Great Jazz program! There is, however, all types of music at the school. My son is in his 3rd year. If you take a full load of 16 credits, you could have as many as 10 classes but one would be a lesson and an ensemble. From what I understand, you don’t really apply as a Film Scoring major. You will have to apply for that once you are at the school.
@Beto884 after re-reading your original post. It would appear that Berklee would be a great fit for your son. He can get from Berklee exactly what he is looking for. There are so many options and combinations for students to choose from. Good luck!