<p>Hi,
has anyone heard something about the Music Dep. since i know i professor there and maybe it would be easy to get in ! Thanks</p>
<p>I think that University of Maryland University Park is pretty competitive in terms of music. I do not know anyone who went there for undergrad. But I know a few who went there for graduate school.</p>
<p>It is a very competitive department. I have known some very talented singers who got into the school but not into the music department. They also have a big graduate program so there is concern on the part of some undergrads that there will be too much competition with the grad students. Many of the local voice teachers do not recommend auditioning there as an undergrad for that reason.</p>
<p>I do not know any of their composition teachers, but the performing arts building there is first rate.</p>
<p>The performing arts center at UMDCP is amongst the nicest we saw on any college campus. My husband thought it was like Lincoln Center at a college (he used to work in theater in NYC). There were fabulous studios, rehearsal spaces, performing halls, practice rooms and classrooms in one gorgeous building. The music department is competitive for performance majors. The year DS auditioned, they were only accepting one student on his instrument. It was the only school he did not get accepted to and his list included some competitive conservatory programs. If you are not a performance major (e.g. music education) the acceptances are not as limited and not as competitive, but anyone who is not a performance major does not study with the applied faculty on their instrument...they have grad students who teach these undergrads. In addition to getting accepted to the music program, applicants also must meet the admissions criteria for the university.</p>
<p>Completely agree about the facilities. We are in Maryland and I decided not to even take my D to see the facilities because it was not recommended that she audition there for undergrad. She also didn't want to go to such a large school. I didn't want her to compare the other places that we visit to Maryland. It will very likely be on her list for grad school.</p>
<p>Yeah, the performing art building is fabulous. As for the department and competitiveness, I think it probably depends more on your instrument and also what faculty members it has at this moment. I know that a few absolutely wonderful piano teachers left UMCP a few years back, so in that case for me UMCP is a less attractive place for me (than what it would be a few years back, of course, but it is still a nice school).</p>
<p>I'll admit that I have not looked into any area of study other than voice.</p>
<p>This school is better than you might think for violin performance. James Stern is an outstanding violinist. Fischbach is a well-known teacher. The space is beautiful (as others have noted), but there is quite a lot of strong competition from Maryland state students who get a low tuition.</p>