<p>Ok. So Im going to college in the fall of 2009 and I really want to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston MA. Well its super expensive and I can only go if I get a substantial scholarship. Its been hard so I want to look at other schools that offer a GREAT CONTEMPORARY music program. I want to major in vocal performance and minor in songwriting. Or if a school doesn't minor, a dual major in Performance and Songwriting. Im interested in theory as well. I also want a good general Ed. Im looking for options. Help me out! oh and Im a singer. :]</p>
<p>Belmont in Nashville, The New School's Contemporary Music Program. U/Denver has an up and cominh program I believe, and College of Santa Fe might be worth a look.</p>
<p>Merit money is hard to come by at The New School for jazz and Contemporary Music, but it is worth looking into because it is a great program. Contact their financial aid office and ask about the options. The earlier you apply, the better your chances for scholarship money.</p>
<p>UArts in Philadelphia--worth a look for contemporary music. They seemed to have a decent amount of scholarship money. Again, the earlier you apply the better your chances for money.</p>
<p>Son and daughter-in-law graduated in Commercial Music Dept. at Belmont. They were very pleased. Vocal kids are the greatest number in Commercial Music there, and the competition is high. </p>
<p>There is not a large amount of scholarship money, and it is a private school. But the tuition is low compared to most other private schools in the country. I have not checked but would guess Belmont is substantially cheaper than Berklee.</p>
<p>Its so hard to Find what Im looking for. Thank You for answering. Very Helpful. :]</p>
<p>If you are a singer-songwriter there really are only two schools that offer that specific major: Berklee (which you already knew) and Belmont. </p>
<p>However, if you want to study contemporary music as a singer, there are a few more options (and as a songwriter you will write anyway, major/classes in it or not, because that's what you're compelled to do, right?), many of which have been mentioned here such as New School, UArts, etc. </p>
<p>I'd also mention the University of Denver which is a sleeper but a good one.
And North Texas which is primarily jazz-based but has a GREAT rep. Also Miami and USC, both tough to get into and very big but good programs. </p>
<p>One caveat on Belmont, which may or may not matter to you. And I hope no one takes this the wrong way but it's better to know in advance if it IS a factor ... it is a strongly Christian school. If you want to pursue Christian music or country music it could be perfect for you. If that's not your thing, you might want to look elsewhere. In my own DD's case it was a dealbreaker.</p>
<p>Good luck! And start looking around now for additional scholarship and funding options to supplement ... Berklee awards about 30 percent of its incoming freshmen some form of merit aid, but very few get a full ride.</p>
<p>I agree that Belmont is a Christian school, specifically Baptist. My son had many friends that were very interested in the commercial side, especially jazz and/or rock, with little or no interest in either Country or Christian music. </p>
<p>So consider Belmont regardless of your music genre. It is a Baptist University, but it is trying hard to appeal to all student types who are interested in Commercial music.</p>
<p>Henrob, my apologies, you are right that a student does not have to pursue country/Christian music to be successful and happy in Belmont's program. My bad there. </p>
<p>But I DO think the religious affiliation of Belmont is relevant because it is not just mentioned but emphasized in every aspect of the school's mission statement and website presence. </p>
<p>So even if a student CAN success in its program without a Christian-music or country music bent, will they feel comfortable and welcome on the campus if, say, they, are Jewish? Or Buddhist? Or atheist?</p>
<p>If I were to go by the website and mission statement, I would have to say probably not. </p>
<p>And there is nothing wrong with that. I admire and respect and accept a private school's right to emphasize what it believes in. </p>
<p>But at least in my DD's case, she knew it would not be the right place for her. </p>
<p>Fortunately she was accepted to the school that DOES seem right for her ...</p>
<p>The only reason I even bring it up is that there ARE so few schools with this specific major that it was a shame she had to rule out one of them ...</p>
<p>Belmont is a private school supported by the Baptist Church in Tennessee. It is similar to many private schools supported by various major denominations. </p>
<p>I looked at Belmont's mission statement for the first time after reading the post above. This is after my son spent four years there. I then read a few more mission statements of denomination supported schools, primarily Baptist and United Methodist. As I expected, the Baptist churches are more vocal in their mission statement about the school being faith based. But most of them make the point in their statement that they are Christian-based.</p>
<p>But I don't put much stock in mission statements. They are wordy declarations used primarily, in my opinion, to allow the Administration and Boards of the schools to make their own, feel-good statement of the school's purpose. It does not extend much past the Administration building in a practical sense. </p>
<p>Belmont, other Christian-based schools as well as most all colleges are out to attract the best students they can in their various fields. I know there are religious kids at Belmont, but there are plenty others there who went to Belmont because the commercial music program seemed to be exactly what they wanted. My son was one of those. And I think he got what he wanted there. </p>
<p>I think a student can attend Belmont, Oklahoma City, or another church-based school and find their niche at the school as easily as they can at most non-church based schools. </p>
<p>Vanderbilt University has a widespread reputation in Tennessee as a rich kid party school. But it would be just as wrong to scratch Vandy off your list if it had the program that you thought fit you. A serious student with no interest in partying can be very happy and successful there. Visit with an open mind and see for yourself. </p>
<p>The same goes for a religious supported school that might have a program that appears custom made for you. Go visit and do your best not to have preconceived notions. I can virtually guarantee that the majority, if not all, of the major denomination schools will go out of their way to make students feel comfortable, both while visiting and while attending as a student. </p>
<p>No offense taken, PamelaMaeSnap. I guess we all have certain characteristics that we see in a school that might turn us off. And of course students need to feel comfortable with their school choice. But as you said, there are not many schools that specialize in Commercial Music. If that is the direction one wants to go, they should take a careful objective look at each school. They may be pleasantly surprised with what they find.</p>
<p>We have been looking too. I heard SUNY Purchase has a good program. I know REgina Specktor went there and I have seen other kids like Jenn Adler on Myspace who also writes her own stuff. I know that they are the SUNY designated as the music conservaotyr. But, I don't know how hard it is to get in there. Anybody else know anything about that school?</p>
<p>Purchase is a tough admit for many high level music students, and it appears now that they require prescreens for all music (performance) applicants. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/560344-purchase-college-pre-screening.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/560344-purchase-college-pre-screening.html</a></p>
<p>If you search this forum using the button on right upper third of main page, you'll find a number of prior Purchase threads and posts.</p>
<p>Faculty also are on/have been on faculty at schools such as Juilliard, MSM, Mannes, Manhattan, Hartt, Bard, Rutgers/Mason Gross. Overall facilities have gleaned some negatives, but the main performance facility is a plus.</p>
<p>mericksmom: SUNY Purchase is very much a conservatory and application and preparation for audition there should be taken as seriously as anywhere else, so whether or not your son/daughter applies there will depend on his/her background. It would appear from the website that all prospective students must send a pre-screening CD. Last year it was just voice, piano (maybe flutes and violins too?). Numbers of applicants were way up last year, it is becoming very well known and the price can't be beat! Don't really know about the contemporary music scene there-this would bear some investigation. It would appear Regina Spector (I wasn't familiar with her- just looked her up) had long classical piano training. Other than the jazz studies program, I had the impression it was very classically oriented.
Purchase</a> College - Admissions - Areas of Study - Conservatory of Music</p>
<p>If you're looking in the NYC area, quite a few kids from my town in Connecticut are going to Five Towns out on Long Island. I haven't heard what they feel about the place, but none of them has transferred out ...</p>
<p>Purchase is a traditional conservatory in that they have the classical/jazz split. However, they do have a very very selective program in the conservatory for songwriting that I believe has a contemporary approach. There were 10 students in this program last year when my son was auditioning for jazz. I spoke to a girl in the program and she was ga-ga about it. It seems like a unique thing in a traditional conservatory, so I would suggest looking into it.</p>
<p>I spoke with someone in the music conservatory. They accepted 12 freshmen this year, 3 in each voice type (classical) and they said that for the first time they had 100% admittance of all their offers. They say it is a very rigorous program and they expect 25% will not make it through to graduation. They also said that they are very firm on an 80 GPA. It appears they won best college opera for the last couple years and best college opera direction. But, the person I spoke with knew way more about the classical end than the song writing contemporary side of music. She did say they had a very good recording/ engineering department and that there was a lot of collaboration between all the departments.</p>
<p>Even though I'm not voice major (i am applying as a drumset major) I would like you to know that although SuNY purchase doesnt have a contemporary music program they have an good Classical and jazz program..they are VERY selective simply because of the fact that they are small school and well they want the best students as well.</p>
<p>Try out SUNY new paltz which i found that i might like better than purchase <em>anyone else feel the same?</em>..i believe they might be the same acceptance wise because once again they are a small school, but unlike purchase they actually have a contemporary music studies program as well as a jazz and classical program..And just like purchase very close to nyc..it always seems like NEW paltz gets over looked by music majors.</p>
<p>those are the more moderately priced schools where you can still get a great education..believe me if i had the money i'd go to a place such as berklee or Uofarts in philly or the New School.</p>
<p>Also check out columbia college of chicago they have a program called contemporary urban and pop music program..which i find very unique..you seem to get the best of all worlds, you get history, recording, business and of course performance..once again i cannot afford it :/</p>
<p>oh and my friend goes to belmont and loves it..great christian school</p>
<p>best of luck because im in the same boat as your are..well cept im transferring in the fall of 2009</p>
<p>Even though I'm not voice major (i am applying as a drumset major) I would like you to know that although SuNY purchase doesnt have a contemporary music program they have an good Classical and jazz program..they are VERY selective simply because of the fact that they are small school and well they want the best students as well.</p>
<p>Try out SUNY new paltz which i found that i might like better than purchase <em>anyone else feel the same?</em>..i believe they might be the same acceptance wise because once again they are a small school, but unlike purchase they actually have a contemporary music studies program as well as a jazz and classical program..And just like purchase very close to nyc..it always seems like NEW paltz gets over looked by music majors.</p>
<p>those are the more moderately priced schools where you can still get a great education..believe me if i had the money i'd go to a place such as berklee or Uofarts in philly or the New School.</p>
<p>Also check out columbia college of chicago they have a program called contemporary urban and pop music program..which i find very unique..you seem to get the best of all worlds, you get history, recording, business and of course performance..once again i cannot afford it :/</p>
<p>oh and my friend goes to belmont and loves it..great christian school</p>
<p>best of luck because im in the same boat as your are..well cept im transferring in the fall of 2009</p>
<p>djalabingo, I would take a look at William Patterson in New Jersey. They actually have one of the best area jazz studies programs and share faculty with New School teachers. Their application is not due til Feb. And, don't overlook U of Arts because of their cost. They give out a lot of scholarships if you audition as early as you can.</p>
<p>If cost is an issue, I'd look at UNT (University at North Texas). It's cheaper than our state school -- UConn. If you can qualify for any competitive scholarship of $1000 or over, you qualify to get in-state tuition. That is a sweet deal, and you be in one of the best jazz programs in the country. They don't do a lot of studies in music business, or music technology, however. You go there to be a performer.</p>
<p>thanks for all your help guys..but i really think i should stay within the SUNY school system of new york, at least for my bachelors degree..perhaps ill check out your suggestions in a year or two when i try to go for my masters!</p>
<p>thanks again...and if anyone has any more information about new paltz please let me know!</p>