<p>Hi, im Currently in highschool and am starting my search for the right college. I'm an aspiring pianist and songwriter and have had private education in piano for six years. I'm looking for a college with a good music department as well as academics. Specifically in music performance. I am seriously thinking of USC because its near home and their performing arts area is phenomenal, I would like more input however. Know of any? Thanks for you time!</p>
<p>Not sure what size of school you are looking for or location, but you may want to look into Rice. The Shepherd School of Music is great and the school has amazing academics.</p>
<p>I’d suggest Oberlin, though I also second Rice.</p>
<p>Michigan is excellent in both areas.</p>
<p>University of Rochester (NY) (Eastman School of Music)</p>
<p>Vanderbilt. It’s Blair School of Music is very good.</p>
<p>On the east coast you can also look into NYU, Bard, Johns Hopkins.</p>
<p>You may want to re-post to the music major forum ([Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums)) - they’ll have more specific knowledge.</p>
<p>If you’re an aspiring songwriter, are you most interested in commercial or popular music? If so, that will change the direction of your search for music departments. Either you should be looking at a BA in music, or a music minor, or just taking music classes in a college whose academics suit you, or you should look at schools which offer a popular music, or songwriting major - such as USC, NYU, CCM, and Belmont. (There are a few others, as well - and they’re all discussed in great detail on the Music Major Forum.) This is a good thread to get you started: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/6280-suggestions-colleges-music-majors.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/6280-suggestions-colleges-music-majors.html</a></p>
<p>I suspect if you’re planning to apply for a BM in Performance as a classical pianist that the odds may not be in your favor as you’ve only been studying piano for six years. That will be fewer years of study than most of the applicants to a program like USC. However, for Popular Music, that would be another matter.</p>
<p>@spiritmanager thanks so much for the detailed response! Do you know if USC does not offer good programs on classical piano?</p>
<p>USC’s Thornton School of Music has a fantastic program for classical piano - but you will be competing for admission with top pianists from around the world. Do you practice 6-12 hours a day? Are you currently studying with a conservatory level professor? As I mentioned 6 years of private study is starting late for piano. (It would be different for voice or winds or composition.) Have you won any national or international competitions? The other applicants will be able to say yes to those questions.</p>
<p>I’m still unclear if you want to study classical or popular music. Generally when one mentions songwriting it is not for classical music. That would be considered ‘composition.’ And you would be talking about Art Songs and Opera. Or Choral music.</p>