UCLA Music Major Decision, URGENT!!

College Majors Music Major
1

<p>Hello everyone,</p>

<p>I need to select which music major I want to declare for my UCLA application, however i'm stuck between "Composition", and "Music History". I have a pretty rich musical background, however I have decided I do NOT want to be solely a performance artist. How competitive/tough is it to get into UCLA as a composition major (transfer student)? I do NOT have huge scores written or anything, but I do have numerous pieces written and produced electronically (I read on the FAQ that they accept electronic music pieces with a written PDF explaining the song in lieu of scores). I would probably rather do composition, but I dont have that much "academic" experience with it. I obviously know basic music theory etc, but I won't even be taking my first "college" theory/ear training classes til the Spring. If i'd really like to go to the school should I just apply to be a music history major instead? Is it hard to possibly try to audition/switch over to composition if I wanted to try? </p>

<p>Fall 2013 Junior Level CCC Transfer
Major: Composition or Music History
GPA: 3.79 (Will be 3.83 by end of school year hopefully)
IGETC Completed
Major Prep: Fundamentals of Music, Jazz Ochestra, Jazz Study, World Music History, Electronic Music Studio. Next semester will take Musicianship, Music Theory I, Ear Training, Intermediate Piano.<br>
EC: Numerous very notable achievements in the music industry. Have started my own company in the music industry, and worked professionally in various other aspects of the industry for the last 3 years. </p>

<p>Please Help!! ANY info at all is appreciated, (Also, if you have any thoughts, chances of acceptance into CAL as a music major??) Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>I cannot speak directly to the difficulties to applying as a transfer student in composition but I did recently speak with them about composition admissions in general. I was told that about 80 students apply as composition majors in any given year and that perhaps half or a bit more of those students are qualified, meaning that they have a good grasp of creating a music composition score vs. a student who perhaps writes for only one instrument. There are more than 80 students who apply each year, but the music department doesn’t ever see the applications of students who do not meet the minimum UCLA academic standards, so it’s likely that actual applicants are higher than the 80 stated. You do NOT send your scores/music with the general application. There is an additional application submitted in a couple of months. Composition students audition in composition, not on a musical instrument. The audition involves the student bringing in his or her scores and music and discussing them with the music department. I think I recall that the number of admitted Freshmen each year was approximately 4 students. Again, we weren’t discussing transfer students, so perhaps another CC reader can answer that for you. Best of luck!</p>

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<p>It’s been a few years since we investigated UCLA and I know there’ve been changes. But looking online: Music History is a very different application than composition. Music History is in the department of Musicology. Composition is in the separate Department of Music:</p>

<p>"The undergraduate major in Music History was established soon after the Department became part of the College, and it now has about 48 students. This major is designed to provide training in the study of music for liberal arts students who do not wish to pursue a degree in performance. Given the new areas of popular music studies, film scores, and music criticism offered by the current musicology faculty, the undergraduate major is being tailored to satisfy the needs of students who wish to study music in popular culture, as well as those concerned with classical music. "</p>

<p>“Our undergraduate major in Music History is open to all students in the College of Letters & Science; it does not require a separate audition. The goals of the Music History major are grounded firmly in the humanistic study of music, and we interpret Music History in the broadest possible sense: there is no built-in bias toward art music, Western music, or music of the past.”</p>

<p>Composition majors require a separate application and submission of scores. From your relative inexperience in composition I suspect you would have a greater chance of admission to the Dept of Musicology for a Music History major.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the information so far, I really appreciate it! I do NOT want to be a professional performer as I would like a much more diverse well rounded musical career with more options. Do you feel that Music History would provide this? I do however love composing and I still want to create music, just not as a performer. Furthermore, I care a lot about getting a solid overall education so I would really like to get in. So basically, if I care more about going to the school and getting a well rounded education while still relating to music, I should choose to apply as a music history major as it would provide me this as well as having a much easier chance of getting in. Does anyone know how competitive CAL’s music program is to get into? I know its much different than LA.</p>

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<p>Cal is not an audition based undergraduate program. For your particular interests, it sounds like the UCLA Music History major would suit you just fine.</p>

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<p>Thanks Spiritmanager,while its not audition based, they still ask for a “supplemental talent tape” to be sent in by Dec 15. Do you know how much of an importance is placed on this tape? Compared to academic history/personal statements? </p>

<p>Thank you, I think I have decided on the Music History major for UCLA!</p>

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<p>I’m afraid I don’t know much about transfer admissions as opposed to freshmen. For a freshman one would just apply to that particular college, and not to the major at Cal. I don’t know how difficult it is to get accepted into the major. Why not email the department and ask?
Both Cal and UCLA are good for world music/ethno, if you’re interested in that. And Cal is great for musicology.</p>

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<p>I’ve been talking with one of the advisors and while I got a ton of questions answered I couldn’t get a clear picture of how competitive it is. As its not a performance oriented school and its a music department (Not school), with no auditions required im hoping they will base admission mainly on academic performance, major prep, EC’s, and prompts, with the “optional” talent supplement just being a plus. As for UCLA I decided on going with Music History as I realized you can still do Minor in the Music industry which sounds perfect. Thanks for the help!</p>

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<p>I was curious and looked up the music industry minor: [Music</a> Industry and Technology at UCLA](<a href=“http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=853:music-industry-and-technology-at-ucla&catid=44&Itemid=224]Music”>http://www.schoolofmusic.ucla.edu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=853:music-industry-and-technology-at-ucla&catid=44&Itemid=224)</p>

<p>I was a little confused, thinking that the music history major would be in the college of arts and sciences and the music industry minor would be in the Alpert School of Music, but now I see that the BA in music history is also in the Alpert School.</p>

<p>Looks great. But just want to ask if you are sure you don’t want to do more in music technology than a minor? </p>

<p>Here is Cal Arts program:[About</a> MTIID | Music Technology @ CalArts](<a href=“http://mtiid.calarts.edu/about-mtiid]About”>http://mtiid.calarts.edu/about-mtiid) adn admission requirements:
[Music</a> Technology Requirements | CalArts](<a href=“http://calarts.edu/admissions/portfolio-audition/music/music-technology]Music”>http://calarts.edu/admissions/portfolio-audition/music/music-technology)</p>

<p>Or, alternatively, you might be able to reach your goals going to any broad-based BA in music program.</p>

<p>You can major in music at many, many schools and universities without doing a performance degree. It seems to me that many BA in music programs would suit you, and most include some technology work.</p>

<p>Just a thought. Maybe don’t limit yourself unnecessarily-? I just wonder if you might want to step back and figure out what you want to major in according to your interests and talents, not just where you might get in.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the very insightful post, it poses some great questions. I have checked into Cal Arts and I very well may apply there as it sounds great. However theres a couple reasons why I’d really like to go to UCLA or CAL, regardless of if its less of a focus on Music Technology. Although music technology I guess is ideally what I’d like to focus on, I’ve already made some major achievements in the field on my own. I’ve honestly reached some goals which years ago were just dreams. However since this, i’ve also come to realize that I want a great well-rounded education and thus would like to go to a University over say just an arts school. However I will still probably apply to CalArts. Thanks for the great response.</p>

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<p>As you know, electronic work is available at most schools and in a general music major for a BA. (My own technophobe composer daughter is doing a lot of electroacoustic work in her BA music program, a somewhat surprising development but a satisfying one). So I guess you will have a chance to continue that work no matter what you do - in or out of school. No need to focus and I hear you that you want something more well-rounded.</p>

<p>So, last question, is there any way to have someone listen to your compositional work and tell you if it would be possible for you to do composition? I would not want you to exclude that possibility based on responses here, no matter how wise we all are :)</p>

<p>I personally do not grasp what the following means: " I do NOT have huge scores written or anything, but I do have numerous pieces written and produced electronically (I read on the FAQ that they accept electronic music pieces with a written PDF explaining the song in lieu of scores)" But others may.</p>

<p>Is there a faculty member or perhaps a professor at UCLA who could hear your work and advise you?</p>

<p>Overall, getting into the Alpert school at UCLA will open some doors to options and you may be able to decide some things there. That could also be checked out. As a transfer, I don’t know if you will have to take extra courses in the schools own curriculum sequence or not, or whether that issue would make history or composition a better choice.</p>

<p>I personally think the music history major looks fantastic, and you may very well do your technology and compositional work anyway, as I said, on the side or in classes. Just wanted to ask that final question to see if anyone had actually heard your work and evaluated your chances. Admissions for composition is mainly based on the work itself, as with instrumentalists, so it really would be good to have some idea of whether your compositions would be competitive.</p>

<p>On the other hand, you seem happy with the music history possibility. Since it is a BA program, does that mean you can take more classes in other areas of interest that you might have, in the liberal arts or sciences? Does that appeal?</p>

<p>It’s all up to you. I feel that, in reading your posts, I don’t have a good understanding of your composition work, but your desire for a broader focus may very well be better satisfied by the music history BA. And there is always grad school for composition…</p>

<p>p.s. Just editing to add that of course composition can be a “performance” BM degree or part of a general music major. So will repeat that you can satisfy the desire for breadth and the desire to compose at most any schools’ general music major for a BA.</p>