Second Thoughts?

You were the lead or member of the cast in your school musical. Now you’re thinking you might like to major in musical theatre to keep that level of excitement alive all four years of college and beyond.

Majoring in musical theatre is an extremely demanding path requiring high-level training in voice, acting, movement, and dance. It also requires business savvy, resilience, patience, and self-confidence.

Not everyone who achieves success in musical theatre has majored in it, but getting a degree in it should provide you with the skills you’ll need to move forward in this field.

Guidance for choosing a school

• Find a musical theatre program that fits who you are and what you want to do. 
• Choose a school where teachers not only have experience in musical theatre but also continue to be directly involved in it. Teachers who are open and candid about your proficiency are more likely to help you gain a chance at success in this highly competitive field.  
• Find teachers who understand what is healthy and safe for your voice and for your body. 
• Look for schools that help bring their advanced students to the attention of musical theatre scouts through showcases and other opportunities.
• Consider the range of career paths associated with musical theatre, aside from lead and chorus roles. At some schools, you’ll find training offered in non-performance areas such as lighting, choreography, stage management, theatrical makeup artistry, and costume design. These are all necessary aspects of any production.
• If you apply to a program that does not offer musical theatre, you can still enter this field with a strong background as a voice, dance or theatre major although you may not get the training in the triple threat that’s needed for lead roles. Note that most non-musical theatre voice departments train students in classical voice.
• The business side of musical theatre includes learning how to market yourself as a “brand” and requires that you have a professional résumé, a website and up-to-date headshots in the most popular style of the moment. Musical Theatre programs should include this as part of your education.
• Look for schools where you’ll find mentors who you’ll click with and who will help you strengthen your proficiencies in voice, acting, and dance. They should also be able to assist you in learning the ins and outs of how to interview and audition. Note that mentors want to work with those who have already set clear goals for themselves instead of taking that task on for you.

Benefits of summer musical theatre programs 

If you’re thinking about majoring in musical theatre, take a summer music program focusing on musical theatre before your senior year. You’ll strengthen your skills, increase your self-confidence, meet your competition, learn more about your musical theatre “type,” and gain greater understanding about the world of musical theatre.

You will find yourself rehearsing and training beyond anything you’ve done so far. This will help you figure out whether you can really handle what it takes to survive and flourish in this field. As musical theatre teachers and coaches will tell you, it’s far less expensive to attend a summer music program and find out if this is really the world you want to be a part of before you start applying to schools and taking on the expense of college. You’ll be able to ask yourself: “Do I love this enough to be exhausted after 18 hours of work each day, and still want to wake up the next day and do it all over again?”

Photo credit: Arizona State University School of Music

Prospective music majors frequently ask us: “Which is the best music school for me?” Regardless of your area of interest, instrument, or genre, the answer is typically the same: it’s subjective. You can get ideas and advice from teachers, parents, college counselors, private consultants, and websites that match you to a school based on your answers to a few questions. But only you can determine what the best fit really is for you, and which school or schools can provide that.

Create a criteria list for your best music school

Answer these questions and then prioritize them so that what’s most important is at the top. This becomes your list of criteria. Add to it as new ideas come to mind.

• What do you want to study? Are there areas in addition to music?
• What do you think you want to do career-wise? What kind of training and real world experience will you need?
• Who do you want to study with?
• In what kind of environment do you learn best? Large school and student body? Small? City? Small town? Competitive vs. non-competitive?
• What’s your financial picture like? Do you need financial aid and merit scholarships?

Then, read about schools that you’ve heard about or that offer what you want to study. Look at their videos. How do the schools stack up against your list of criteria?

Before You Visit

Once you’ve narrowed your choices down to a few, consider visiting the schools that appear to be the closest “right fit.” Include a school that’s a stretch for you as well as one that you’re likely to be accepted to.

• Set up a lesson with one or more faculty who may become your private studio teacher over the course of four years. You may or may not need to pay for this lesson; every school is different.
• Ask to sit in on a few classes to get a sense of what it’s like to be a student at the school.
• Find out if you can spend a night in the dorm with a student pursuing a similar major.

Once you’re there

Take your list with you when you visit schools. Use it to make sure you get information you need. And to rate the schools according to how well they meet your needs. This will become really helpful especially if you are accepted to more than one school.

• In addition to getting a lesson, sitting in on a few classes, and spending a night in a dorm, hang out in different areas of campus to get a feel for student life.
• Take the tour of the school if it’s offered. It’s a great way to see the campus highlights, but be sure to do the following as well:
  1. Visit the practice rooms.
  2. Eat in the cafeteria.
  3. Talk with students. Find out what they like and don’t like about the school.
  4. Get a sense of how well you’ll fit in with other students – as friends as well as people to collaborate with.
  5. Find out about opportunities to perform and hear music.
  6. Get a sense of the surrounding town or city – and how you would get back and forth from campus.

The Audition

Music schools encourage you to ask them questions. They even want you to consider the audition as a time for them AND you to assess whether their school is the right fit for you. They’ll be checking you out; you should do the same.

Arrive at your audition prepared with a few questions that will help you learn more about the school and also show your sincere interest in the music program. These should be things you can’t easily find answers to on school websites such as:

• What kind of support is available to students to help prepare them for careers in music?
• What kind of support is offered to prevent repetitive motion/overuse injuries?
• How does the alumni network support new music grads?
• What are the benefits of getting a BM vs. a BA? (Note that some music programs offer BFA or BS degrees.)
• Can you study abroad and still graduate in 4 years?
• What would it be like to double major or minor in another area?
• Who are some current students and recent alumni you can talk with?

Create a spreadsheet of application requirements and deadlines and audition dates and requirements. This will help organize all the details you’ll be accountable for. Here’s a sample:  Tracking College Applications

Note your most memorable reactions – both positive and negative – when you communicate with and visit schools. It’s so easy to confuse schools when you don’t take time to note your observations and perceptions while they’re still fresh.

Afterwards

• Review your perceptions, feelings, and observations while they’re still fresh. Make notes about all of it to refer to later, when you have to decide which school to accept.
• Send thank you notes to anyone who helps you, gives you a private lesson, or auditions you.

Starting out at a community college may be a good choice for some music students. Benefits can include:

• Lower overall cost
• Diversity of curriculum and student body
• Flexibility in scheduling (many students work while going to school)
• Opportunity to raise your GPA and improve your study skills before taking on the pressure of a four-year school
• Opportunity to build your performance skills and music theory background to the level expected by four-year music schools

If your goal is to transfer your community college credits to a four-year music school, there are a number of things to know up front that will ultimately save you time, money, and aggravation.

1. Who is likely to benefit from starting out at a community college?

“Community college music programs are particularly suited for students who are not sure that they fit into the traditional model of four-year college music programs,” says Andy Krikun, music professor at Bergen Community College (New Jersey). “These students get a chance to work on remedial courses in music theory and musicianship, as well as help in defining their academic and career goals.”

Bart Grachan, former director of the Community College Transfer Opportunity Program (CCTOP) at NYU’s Steinhardt School, and now admission director at St. Thomas Aquinas College, adds, “Community college students are either academically solid but not ready to make a full commitment to school; did poorly academically in high school and want to ‘recover’ on the community college level before going on to a four-year school; or are attending community college purely for financial reasons.”

Steve Enos, chair, Cuyahoga Community College Jazz Studies Program, sees additional value. “Because community college programs usually have a smaller enrollment base, students can get considerably more individualized attention and save on tuition costs as well.”

2. Can I study music at any community college?

According to the American Association of Community Colleges, there are currently 1,132 community colleges located across the U.S. They differ dramatically from each other. Some have strong music programs, with state-of-the-art production and performance facilities. These schools tend to have strong, active musicians and other music professionals on faculty. Other schools offer music classes geared more to non-music majors. So it’s important to check carefully, particularly if you’re using the community college as a springboard to a four-year music school.

The good news? According to Andy Krikun, who teaches songwriting and music business, “The community colleges that have developed strong music programs offer music students a solid foundation for transfer opportunities to four-year music programs in music performance and composition, music business, music education, and music technology. At the completion of the two-year transfer program, A.A. (Associate of Arts) or A.F.A. (Associate of Fine Arts) degrees are awarded.  Most often, these degrees duplicate the first two years of a four-year bachelor in music program, including core music courses as well as general education courses.”

3. What classes should I take?

Continuing with lessons and practice is very important. Dr. James Arnwine, Dean of the School of Visual, Media and Performing Arts at Pasadena City College in California, urges students to also take music theory and musicianship classes. Otherwise, upon transferring, you are “still at freshman level in the theory and musicianship courses.”

But according to Dr. Bjorn Berkhout, music theory professor at Queensborough Community College in New York, not all community colleges offer private instruction on your main (“primary”) instrument. And not all offer ensemble experience. “Some may not require ensembles to be taken each semester,” he says. “This can be a problem for students who transfers to a 4-year program where it may be a requirement [for graduation] to have 4 years of lessons and ensembles.”

Berkhout adds, “Without the lessons the student may not have the necessary level of applied proficiency. They may lack essential performance/audition experience. Without opportunities to give a recital, or play in front of others (both fellow students in convocations and faculty members in an end-of-semester jury), students will often be under prepared for the eventual audition into the 4-year degree. This is one of the challenges students in community colleges can face if the college doesn’t have private instruction on the instruments.”

Brad Andrews, director of admissions at University of Redlands Conservatory of Music, adds that to transfer, “you must play at a high level because sophomore and junior transfers are evaluated differently than freshmen.”

If there’s room in your schedule, getting some of the gen ed classes out of the way will also be helpful. Thomas Hynes, assistant professor of guitar at Azusa Pacific University School of Music, says that “lightening the academic load of the student who will eventually be involved in a time-intensive music degree program –– is not a bad idea.”

4. Will my credits transfer?

Unless your community college has an articulation agreement with the four-year schools you’re interested in transferring to, you may discover that music credits taken at a community college won’t transfer. Some community colleges like Bergen, Cuyahoga, and Pasadena have strong music tracks, while others have “relatively undemanding theory courses with a gentle grading scale that don’t prepare students for a demanding university program,” says Hynes.

Arnwine encourages students to “investigate the articulation of their community college courses to the university they are aiming to attend.” This requires time and attention but will pay off down the road.  Articulation agreements ensure that specific classes taken at the community college level will transfer, with full credit given.

According to Hynes, “Universities vary significantly on their flexibility in accepting transfer units. The bachelor’s degree reflects the standards of the university, not the college you transferred from. All the more reason to counsel with the new school.”

Remember that if your credits don’t transfer or if you need to take more classes at a four-year school, you could end up squandering some or all of the money you saved by starting out at a community college.

5. Do I need an A.A. (Associate of Arts), A.F.A. (Associate of Fine Arts), or A.S. (Associate of Science) degree to be able to transfer to a four-year music school?

It depends on who you talk to. Some community colleges prefer that you do get your A.A., A.F.A., or A.S. degree before transferring. If they have articulation agreements with the four-year schools you’re interested in, spending two years at the community college level and attaining a minimum GPA may be required. As long as you follow their recommendations, your music classes and GE classes will transfer.

If you’re considering community colleges that don’t have articulation agreements with four-year schools, it’s essential to check with the schools you’re interested in transferring to before you get too immersed in your community college education. And it is unlikely that obtaining an A.A., A.F.A., or A.S. is necessary for transferring.

6. Do I have to apply and audition in order to transfer from a community college to a four-year music school?

Yes, applying and auditioning are required, even at four-year schools that have articulation agreements with community colleges.

Phillip Placenti, assistant dean for admission and student affairs at USC Thornton School of Music, reminds students that “transferring, in general, can be tricky for music majors, simply because there are so many different types of course requirements. Different schools have different course requirements, and students’ backgrounds in these various courses can vary considerably (especially in courses such as music theory and keyboard skills).”

“In most music courses,” Placenti says, “students take placement exams at the start of their first semester in order to be sure that they are enrolled in the appropriate courses.”

Colleen Glenney, assistant director of admissions at Berklee College of Music, assures students that as long as they’re working on their skills and following the plan that Berklee sets up with specific community colleges around the U.S. and abroad, there’s a good chance of acceptance. She describes the student who transfers well as one who is “serious about their studies,” maintains “a GPA that is a reflection of their work ethic,” and who exhibits “a passion for music in their audition interview.”

7. What can I do to graduate in four years?

Some four-year schools will tell you that it’s unlikely you’ll be able to graduate in four years if you transfer from a community college. Indeed, if your skills or music theory are not up to par, you won’t. Arnwine reminds students that “there is a possibility you will need to repeat a class or two.”

At schools with articulation agreements, however, especially where the community college music curriculum is designed for students who plan to transfer, it is possible to graduate in four years.

Adam Torres, assistant professor of music at Colorado State University Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance, urges students to “Obtain a copy of degree requirements for the university you want to ultimately attend. Those classes that require 6-8 semesters of commitment (ensembles, lessons), or have a long sequence of required classes (class piano, music theory, etc.), should be built in, as best as possible, into classes taken as a community college student.” Torres goes on to urge students to “make sure that you practice hard and put in the hours while studying as a community college student, so that your applied lesson placement stays on track, to keep you on pace for a timely graduation.”

Getting a BA instead of a BM in music may be another way to graduate in four years as a transfer student. Brad Andrews at University of Redlands points out that the “Bachelor of Music degree requires four years of lessons and ensembles” while the BA allows room for more General Education and elective credits.

8. What about scholarships and merit aid for transfer students?

Transfer students are eligible for federal need-based aid just like freshmen. However, the availability of merit or academic awards may be less. Ask each four-year school you’re interested in about your chances of getting the kind of financial aid you’ll need in order to attend.

Final Thoughts – Music School Requirements for Transfer Students

• Know that every four-year music school has its own set of guidelines and requirements for transfer students. 
• Check with each school you’re interested in to make sure that as a music student, your credits will transfer and that the time, energy, and money spent at community college will be well-used.
  

In recent years, many graduates of music conservatories have found that excellent instrumental or voice training alone is not sufficient career preparation for 21st-century musicians. Fewer available orchestral jobs and a larger pool of highly-trained performers prepared to take them is a reality. Dwindling classical and jazz audiences add to the challenges musicians face.

Although no two music conservatories are alike, many have been discovering the same thing: the needs of 21st-century musicians are different than those of previous generations. These institutions are hard at work to meet the challenges.

9 ways music conservatories are changing to provide more relevant education

Harold Abeles, co-director of the Center for Arts Education Research and professor of Music and Music Education at Columbia University Teachers College, encourages students to seek out opportunities in addition to performing. No matter how successful you’ve been in high school, he says, it’s a myth that a career as a performer is ready and waiting for you once you get your degree.

So what are music conservatories doing for their students to facilitate a greater chance of success?

1. They’re taking a close look at core curricula and making changes to strengthen students’ chances of working in music when they graduate – while maintaining the very high level of technical and musical mastery for which they’re known.

2. They’re finding new ways to address student career interests by adding new majors. San Francisco Conservatory of Music now offers a Technology and Applied Composition major for “a new generation of composers who are equally at home in the realm of concert music, film and video game scoring, and sound design.” Manhattan School of Music is adding a musical theatre major, while Eastman School of Music is adding a master’s degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media, Digital Media Composition – to prepare students to write for film, video games, and new media.

3. Students are being introduced to new ways of relating to and understanding their audiences. “They have to create their audiences,” says David Van Zandt, president of The New School.

4. The kinds of opportunities “which used to be offered around the edges of a conservatory education, as optional add-ons, are now moving into the core curriculum and being integrated into a more holistic conservatory experience,” says Townsend Plant, associate dean for enrollment and student life at The Peabody Conservatory.

5. Students are learning to be flexible in their approach to where they perform. According to Deborah Kelleher, director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, “In simple terms, these (traditional) venues are no longer where most people access music performance. We need to understand the audience and where it wants to have its experience.”

6.  Collaborative projects with non-music students in venues outside the traditional concert halls are encouraged. For example, students at the 100-year-old Mannes School of Music collaborate with the two other components of the The New School’s College of Performing Arts – the School of Jazz and The School of Drama. Music students are also working in conjunction with New School’s Parsons School of Design, Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, and the social action-based Schools of Public Engagement to create innovative performances.

7. Music conservatories are taking a wider, more holistic approach to education than in the past. At the Royal Irish Academy of Music, for example, “RIAM Holistic” provides performance psychology coaching, Feldenkrais education to reduce pain and movement limitations, and yoga training “to ensure that the mind and body are also fit and ready for the profession,” says Kelleher.

8. Entrepreneurial skills training is giving students the tools needed to create and build their careers. Marketing, audience engagement, donor engagement, outreach, public speaking, media interface, website development, digital portfolios, résumé preparation, and grant writing are typically included. At some schools, students are also learning to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset described by Astrid Baumgardner, arts coach and coordinator of Career Strategies at Yale School of Music, as including “risk-taking, resilience, and the ability to spot and take advantage of opportunities.”

9. Funding to support students’ creative efforts is expanding. For example, at Peabody Conservatory, the Dean’s Incentive Grants fund “innovative student projects.” At Oberlin Conservatory, students can apply for financial support via competitive grants “to implement their entrepreneurial ideas and explore their intellectual and artistic passions.”

Despite these innovations, it’s still up to conservatory students, like all music majors, to find the classes, mentors, and experiences they will need to help them meet their career goals. And while entrepreneurship training is more available now than ever before, learning to work from an entrepreneurial mindset is less defined and often neglected despite its importance for self-starting a career.

Are you a good fit for a music conservatory?

Students drawn to studying at a music conservatory tend to be:

• Passionate about studying and performing music.
• Seeking a highly-focused, performance-heavy degree.
• Able to maintain a strong work ethic.
• Willing and able to keep going when the going gets tough.
• Able to use constructive feedback without being too tough on themselves.
• Capable of maintaining a strong, efficient, and effective practice schedule.
• Open to career opportunities beyond a seat in an orchestra.
• Academically capable although academics are secondary to learning and mastering their instrument at the highest level possible.

As Joe Bennett, vice-president for Academic Affairs and Dean of Boston Conservatory at Berklee, says: “There are many thousands of hours of learning in a conservatory education, and it is this devotion to the craft and art that will help our students to succeed – to perform and create at the highest artistic level.”

What can you do to prepare to apply and audition?

1. Start early! Many conservatory students are already serious about practicing and performing by middle school.

2. Find a good teacher who has experience helping students prepare for college-level music as well as auditions.

Cathy Partlow Strauss, director of Communications at Oberlin Conservatory recommends “teachers who address issues of technique, musicianship, and expressiveness; those who provide guidance and leads to resources for enhancing experiences outside the teaching studio.”

3. Find opportunities to perform solo as well as with youth symphonies, choirs, and ensembles.

4. Take summer music programs where you can find excellent mentors, students of similar proficiency to perform with, and opportunities to explore areas of music you haven’t had time for during the school year. Many of these are offered by schools where you may want to apply.

5. Investigate other musical genres and contexts outside your norm and comfort zone to inform your music and your sense of possibility in music. At Boston Conservatory, Joe Bennett says, “We like to see musical breadth – evidence of curricular and extra-curricular music activity, including community groups, youth orchestras, bands and small ensembles. And our recent merger with the Berklee College of Music means we are starting to welcome more applicants who have musical experience beyond the ‘classical’ repertoire, including digital music-making, popular musics, music of other cultures and music with other media, such as dance, theater, moving image or via the internet.”

6. Work with your teacher to select the right repertoire. Make sure:

• it matches what each school requires.
• it’s not so difficult that it doesn’t show your talent and skills well.

7. Townsend Plant at Peabody reminds students that “what music school faculty are really looking for are students who love to perform. And that is demonstrated by making music – paying attention to phrasing, dynamics, and all of the things that go into a communicative performance.”

8. “Most of all, practice and follow your passion. Dig deeper into other works written by composers you are studying. Listen to as much music as you can—both recordings and live concerts in the genre you wish to pursue in your studies, as well as music outside of that sphere,” says Partlow Strauss at Oberlin.

What are alumni doing now?

Music conservatory graduates take many paths, including:

• Performing in orchestras, opera companies, and chamber ensembles throughout the world
• Graduate school for K-12 and higher education teaching careers
• Certificate and diploma programs to prepare for competitions as well as graduate school auditions
• Composing
• Arranging
• Creating performance ensembles
• Working for or creating non-profit arts organizations
• Teaching at private music studios and community music schools
• Switching gears and going into non-music fields

Portfolio careers are common. Recent grads often have several income streams. Here are a few examples:

Matthew Lowy, B.M., Composition, Boston Conservatory at Berklee (’15), chose a conservatory “for the intense work environment and full immersion in music.” His interest in musical theatre led him to explore opportunities to accompany and direct productions while getting his degree. He now freelances as an accompanist and music director at a middle school; arranges and composes; is assistant music director of the summer conservatory at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey; and tours as a keyboardist (“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” national tour, 2015; “My Fair Lady,” China tour, 2016).

Jennifer Nicole Campbell, B.M., Piano Performance (’14); M.M. Piano Performance (’15), Peabody Conservatory, is a soloist with symphonies in Pennsylvania and Delaware. She’s also an active composer with several commissions to her credit. Campbell teaches at two community music schools; runs a private piano studio; and has been serving as Artist-in-Residence at Delaware County Symphony. As a musical entrepreneur, Campbell also sells the sheet music for her chamber, choral, vocal and solo piano compositions and arrangements. “I starting realizing that you really have to work hard to promote yourself in addition to practicing and networking,” she says.

Scott Miller II, B.M., Composition, SUNY Fredonia (’13); M.M. Composition and M.M. Music Theory Pedagogy (’15), Peabody Conservatory, is a composer, educator and bassist. He composes; substitute teaches at Peabody Preparatory; is a private music theory tutor; and works as the archives assistant at Arthur Friedhelm Music Library. He’s also been selected to be a 2016 Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival and School in Composition Studies.

Gabe Pollack, B.M., Jazz Entrepreneurship, Oberlin Conservatory, created his own major that set him up well to direct the Bop Stop, voted as Cleveland’s best jazz club in 2015. In addition to booking and producing all of its events, he teaches trumpet technique and improvisation and performs with a big band, quintet, and at weddings, church gigs, and private parties.

Bryan Hayslett, B.M., The Hartt School; Graduate Performance Diploma (’15) and M.M. (’13), Cello Performance, Boston Conservatory, is taking doctoral-level classes at NYU. He also performs contemporary music as a dancing cellist; is an adjunct cello teacher at NYU; teaches private lessons; freelances; and tutors students in GRE prep. His goal? “More of the same! I want to teach at a university, but because there are so few of those positions, I plan to freelance while applying for jobs,” he says.

by Karen D. Goodman

Are you wondering how to choose a music therapy program? Here are several suggestions:

Read, Read, Read

The website of the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is a great place to start. Then you can move on to numerous books and articles concerning music therapy. Reading will continue to inform you, through case example and theoretical explanation, what the work is really all about. Reading also forms a basis for intelligent questions when you meet with faculty interviewing you for their programs.

Observe Music Therapy

Contact AMTA for regional information where you can find music therapists to observe. Seeing is believing, and you may even want to volunteer with a music therapist for a period of time to decide if this is truly the profession for you. That was what I did many years ago.

Consider These Criteria:

• Location
Proximity to clinical facilities is particularly important during training in a music therapy program. You do not want to be in the middle of nowhere no matter how beautiful it is.

• Strength of music school
Your admission through a music audition and your training as a musician are integral to your role as a music therapist. The strength of the music school in terms of faculty, students, ensemble offerings, and curriculum is key, no pun intended.

• Strength of academic offerings
Music therapy is truly an interdisciplinary art and science. You want to be at a school with competitive academic entry criteria, a strong general education component, opportunities for developing your writing ability, and connections with a strong psychology department.

• Accreditation
Accredited academic music therapy programs are indicated on the AMTA website. Programs are offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Don’t let a school advise you that you can become a music major and a psychology minor and go on to practice music therapy! Music therapy has been a specific academic field and training program since 1950.

• Faculty and leadership
Look for a music therapy program where there is diversity of faculty: at least two full-time faculty who can present varied theoretical approaches and a minimum of five years of full-time clinical experience, preferably supplemented with adjunct faculty with definitive areas of expertise and clinical experience. Many training programs thrive on rotation of leadership positions in order to provide fresh perspectives.

• Clinical training opportunity
Ask specific questions about how much clinical training opportunity each program provides and if you will receive both on-site and faculty supervision with experienced clinicians. Ideally you will have clinical opportunity for six successive semesters with different ages and challenges; the supporting practicum classes should be taught by faculty with a minimum of five years of clinical experience in those areas.

• Class size
Music therapy is an intensive and demanding curriculum that requires a smaller class size, ideally no larger than 20.

• Class format
Although the COVID-19 epidemic necessitated online learning, has the program adapted to offering safe face-to-face instruction? If not, what would the pros and cons of online or hybrid learning be?

• Research opportunities
What kind of research is being done in the music therapy programs you’re looking at? In 2019, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded $20 million over a five-year period in order to move music therapy and neuroscience initiatives forward. This research builds on the Sound Health Initiative, an NIH-Kennedy Center partnership in association with the National Endowment for the Arts. Approved grants in music therapy initiatives are quantitatively based, where the collection and analysis of data are numerically based.

• Ranking
There is no legitimate ranking of music therapy programs on the internet. It is up to you to investigate the possibilities!

• Preparation for CBMT exam
Upon graduation from an accredited music therapy program, you are eligible to sit for the Board-Certification exam, overseen by the Certification Board for Music Therapy. The successful passing of this exam grants you board certification, MT-BC, which is supplemented with continuing education. Many employers require this credential for hire. The current pass rate is 65% (2021). Does the program provide any guidance or support for this?

• Alumni successes
Does the program keep a database of graduates and their success in finding jobs?

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Karen D. Goodman, Professor Emerita, Music Therapy, Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey, is a seasoned educator, clinician, supervisor, administrator and author. Publications include Music Therapy Groupwork with Special Needs Children (2007), Music Therapy Education and Training (2011), and International Perspectives in Music Therapy Education and Training (2015).

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For More about a Career
in Music Therapy

• Is Music Therapy Your Calling?
• Becoming a Music Therapist
• How to Choose a Music Therapy Program
• Music Therapy: Making a Difference One Note at a Time
• Music Therapy for Children with Autism: A Rewarding Career Path
• Music Therapy Addresses Trauma – Careers That Change Lives
• Music for Comfort or Healing
• Music Therapy Practitioners and Educators Reimagine Their Profession
• American Music Therapy Association
• World Federation of Music Therapy

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According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), if you have a bachelor’s degree in music but not in music therapy, you can apply for a 60-credit, 3-year  combined equivalency/master’s degree program. For a complete list of music therapy degree programs, visit AMTA’s website.

Not experiencing your current school as a good fit and considering whether to transfer to a different music school? According to a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, nearly a third of college students switch schools. With music though, things can be more complicated then just starting fresh in a new music school.

by Amy Mertz

If you’ve been thinking about changing schools, consider the following to see if transferring is worth pursuing.

Normal transitions

You did your research, visited campuses, and decided on the perfect college. You showed up in August or September excited for the next step in your journey only to find that it no longer seems like a great fit.

Maybe classes are harder than you expected, you’re not getting the grades or feedback you’re used to, or making friends is not as easy as you thought it would be. You may feel lonely and miss your family, friends from home or high school, teachers, and the routines you are used to.

This is all pretty typical of the first-year student experience. Combine it with having to learn how to juggle your time more than ever and fit eating and sleeping into the equation, and it’s a huge stretch.

But unless you’re profoundly unhappy with something very specific to your particular school, consider giving it a chance. It often takes a semester or even a year to really get settled into a social and academic routine. Perhaps a visit with your resident adviser, academic adviser, department chair, or a counselor or maybe a conversation with your family or students at your school who have been in the program longer can help you see your next steps more clearly.

When transferring makes sense

Transferring as a music student can be time-consuming and complicated. But for some students, it really does make sense.

For example:

• You chose a college far from home, and a change in family circumstances requires you to move back to your area.
• You chose your current school to study with a particular teacher and that teacher has just taken a position at another school.
• You have new goals as a musician, and another institution will help you fulfill them better than your current school due to programs or resources currently unavailable to you.

These are just a few of the legitimate reasons to consider a transfer. Just make sure to do some true soul-searching as well as research before you proceed.

Timing

Most schools have guidelines specifically for transfer students, so be sure to do your research.

Some schools of music will not accept spring semester transfers because they would be out of sequence with the core music classes (music theory, music history, ear training, private lessons, and ensembles). Most allow students to apply during the regular decision process, but some have transfer-specific deadlines.

Be sure to visit the websites of every school you’d consider transferring to, and look carefully at the overall college or university policies as well as specific music school policies regarding transfer applications.

Financial considerations

Generally speaking, financial aid and scholarship allocations are less robust for transfer students than for regular decision students. If you currently have a scholarship or a great financial aid package, those will not necessarily be matched by any of the schools you’re now considering. In fact many schools are not able to award any scholarships to transfer students. Leaving your current institution could actually end up costing you in the long run.

Getting accepted

As a transfer student, you will have a few hurdles to surmount compared to regular decision students:

1. You already have a musical and academic record at the college level that specifically shows how well you are performing in your classes.

This can work in your favor if you have done exceedingly well. It can also work against you if you aren’t succeeding in core music classes.

2. Many institutions only accept transfer students on a space-available basis.

Though you may have a great audition and an outstanding transcript, there’s still no guarantee of acceptance.

If an institution admits and matriculates their target number of students in your particular area from the first-year population, you will probably not get into the program.

3. Because of the “space-available” policy, as a transfer student, you will tend to hear much later about your acceptances than regular decision students.

Transfer credits

Don’t expect a full-blown assessment of how long it might take to finish your degree at a new school until after you’ve been admitted and are enrolled.

Because all music classes are not exactly the same at all schools, you may have to pass some tests at a new school to show you are at a proficiency level equal to students at that school.

For example, even though you’ve taken two semesters of music theory, you may still be asked to pass a set of diagnostics to prove that you do not need to take those classes over again.

It’s also possible that even though you were at your previous school for two years, you may not play at the same level as students in your new school. This could mean doubling up on or even retaking some semesters of lessons to bring you up to speed.

For any of these reasons, transferring could delay your time of graduation.

Community College

Attending a community college for the first year or two may seem like a cost-saving measure, and it could be if done correctly.

Unless you do your research up front and/or go to a two-year school with an articulation agreement with a four-year music school, it can end up costing you more time and money.

If you are in a community college program right now, or are considering it for the future, check these guidelines for making it work.

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Amy Mertz is a freelance writer who worked in admissions and community programs at the Syracuse University Setnor School of Music. She guided both undergraduate and graduate applicants through the admissions process, and also directed the Setnor Community Music Division.

How do you go about finding the right music school for you? Conservatories, music colleges, music schools, conservatories within universities, university music departments, liberal arts colleges with music departments, community colleges –– what does it all mean, and how do you find the best fit?

It’s easy to get lost in details and irrelevant Internet searches, especially when you’re new at this. To prevent unnecessary confusion, start from the inside out, by considering the following:

• At this stage in your musical development, how do you think you measure up in terms of talent and skills?
• What area(s) of music are you most interested in studying? Are you focused on music performance or on the more academic aspects of music?
• Do you know of specific faculty you’d like to study with, and who will help you develop as a musician? (Most schools allow you to express your preference for private music teachers but won’t guarantee you your top pick.)
• In addition to music, what else do you want to study and learn?
• What makes you thrive and feel successful and fulfilled?
• At this point in your life, what do you think you will want to do with a degree in music?

Once you’ve collected that information, you’re ready to look at different ways to study music. As a quick rule of thumb, consider the following:

Conservatory

The main characteristic of a conservatory is that it offers focused, performance-intensive training for students who want to pursue a career typically in performance. While conservatories generally emphasize music requirements, no two conservatories are alike. For instance, some encourage students to take non-music classes and require more general education classes, though not to the extent you’ll find at university-based music schools or liberal arts college-based music programs.

There are also a couple of conservatories that waive tuition for undergraduates who get accepted.

Be sure to check conservatory websites to learn about the specific classes their students must take and other important requirements.

Conservatory, Music College and Music School within a University

Many universities house their own conservatory, music college or music school. It’s not unusual to see their programs listed as a “conservatory education” but within a university environment that offers an NCAA football team, Greek life, and a host of other academic programs, non-music activities and opportunities. BM degree candidates are likely to have set music and non-music academic requirements, whereas BA students will have more flexibility in choosing courses as well as electives (see Degree Options).

Music Departments

Many universities have exceptionally strong and highly-competitive music departments where students can major, minor or take electives in music. Ivy league schools typically have music departments as well, but do check as to whether the music education is performance or academically-focused.

Others with less competitive music departments offer students an opportunity to major in music without auditioning. Students can choose to participate and audition in instrumental and vocal ensembles, orchestras and bands once they get to school.

Liberal Arts Colleges

Liberal arts colleges are great places for students who want to explore a variety of music options as well as other paths, but not commit up front to any one particular area. Many liberal arts schools have strong music faculty and excellent music course offerings. Since their focus is less on preparing students for high-powered auditions upon graduation, ask lots of questions and find out whether you’ll really get the kind of preparation you need if you dream of a job in a big city symphony or opera company.

Finding the Right Music School – Honor Yourself

Honor yourself by not rushing into making a decision about where to apply. Talk with your private music teacher, your music teacher at school, your parents, current music majors, and any musicians you know. Look at the websites of the schools that you know about or that are recommended to you. Doug Long, academic and college counselor at Interlochen Arts Academy, recommends conversations with admissions officers to help clarify the distinctions between and among different types of music schools. Attendance at visual and performing arts fairs can also shed light on how schools differ and on what they offer.

And remember you can explore the possibility of double degree programs at many schools. This is where you receive a degree in music plus a degree in an area other than music. This may take up to an additional year beyond the usual four to complete. It also prepares you to work in another field that may even enhance your opportunities for work in music.

Most importantly, get in touch with what makes the most sense for you!

By Angela Myles Beeching –

What have music majors found most useful in their music school education? Music career advisor and consultant Angela Myles Beeching focuses on the importance of finding a mentor and getting involved in a challenging project as the two most impactful experiences a music major can and should aim for.

College in Hindsight

In an informal survey conducted over the years, I’ve questioned musician friends, colleagues, and alumni decades after they graduated, asking what actually mattered most in their college experiences. There have been two phenomena cited time after time, two kinds of educational experiences that made the most impact, no matter where, when, or what the individuals studied. And from watching hundreds of students make their ways through degree programs and on out into the world, I’ve observed that those who have had these experiences are the ones who tend to fare the best in transitioning to the professional world. If I had a magic wand to wave over every school’s curriculum deliberations, I’d wish these were the transformational experiences all students would have.

The Mentor Phenomenon

One of the most important experiences a college education can provide is that of making a strong personal connection with a caring faculty member who challenges, encourages, and dares the student to expect more of herself or himself. An ideal mentor is someone who coerces a student into having a more ambitious mission—not just a career—in life. Such mentors serve both as models and as mirrors, reflecting back on students a view of themselves as capable and full of potential. With such a mentor, a student dreams bigger. Music departments may have the advantage in this over others, since performance majors spend the most intense part of their programs studying one-on-one with a master teacher. However, true mentor-matches are probably made in heaven, not in studio teacher or advisor assignments; institutionalized mentoring programs often leave much to be desired.

The important thing is satisfying a student’s hunger for the attention of an inspiring adult role model and the challenge of working with a mentor. And schools can do better to help make more authentic, substantive mentoring possible. In the end, whether a student finds a mentor on his own, through a class, a work study job, or through a program, the objective is to make a connection with a trusted adult role model.

The Power of a Project

The second educational phenomenon I’ve found to have a lasting impact on students is the experience of becoming fully engaged in a challenging project, something that ignites her or his imagination and motivation. Projects that have lasting impact are those that demand the best of a student’s intelligence and put to the test her or his assumptions and worldviews. These projects (in the best cases) involve working closely with other students and one or more faculty members both on and off campus. Such projects can connect a student’s learning to a community beyond the campus and to a future the student can envision.

But the most important aspect of any student project—whether it is a thesis or a community service project, starting a concert or lecture series, or working as editor of a fledgling newspaper—is that it be fueled by the student’s initiative. The student ends up taking responsibility and therefore owns her or his learning. Such a project can be the light of an actual education, or the petri dish where critical thinking, analytical skills, communication, organization, and interpersonal skills are all developed. In the end, it’s where a student has the opportunity to discover her or his mission, and finally, to gain the confidence that she or he will live a meaningful life.

For any musician heading off to college or in the middle of a degree program now, I recommend making sure your education is the best it can be. It’s up to you. Ask yourself, who might be a good mentor? And, what project would you like to take on?

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Music career strategist Angela Myles Beeching is author of Beyond Talent: Creating a Successful Career in Music and has advised hundreds of musicians on a full range of career-related issues. This article has been excerpted and adapted from a piece she originally wrote for New England Conservatory’s Career Services Center where she was director from 1993-2010. She has also worked as a consultant to the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She currently directs the Center for Music Entrepreneurship at Manhattan School of Music and maintains a thriving consulting practice, Beyond Talent Consulting.

Excerpted from “Curriculum Reform—A Perspective,” an article published in the Journal of the Music and Entertainment Industry Association Journal, 2005.

Copyright, Angela Beeching, July 13, 2011 (Reproduction granted with credit to the author and MajoringInMusic.com.)

Want to save yourself time, money and aggravation before visiting music schools?

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Here are 10 great tips to investigate before ever heading out the door.

 

1. Curriculum

• Does each music school offer what you want to study?

• What classes, ensembles and other musical groups are required in order to graduate?

• Are there foreign language requirements?

• What are the options for elective classes?

• If you have taken AP or IB exams, can you get credit for any of them?

• Are there any basic classes you can test out of?

• If you want to explore other areas, is a double or dual degree an option? Or can you take a minor? Will this require additional time to graduate?

• What classes or programs in addition to your major area of interest appeal to you?

• How flexible is the curriculum? What support is there for pursuing independent projects?

• Are there study abroad opportunities for music majors? Will it take you more than four years to complete your degree if you do study abroad?

 

2. Teachers

• Are there faculty you’d like to study with?

• How accessible are they for lessons, meetings, etc. ?

• Will they give you a sample lesson when you visit?

 

3. Facilities

• What facilities are available for what you want to study? How up-to-date are they?

• What kind of equipment and unique resources are available –– and can you use them as an undergraduate?

• Are there enough conveniently located and readily available practice rooms? Can you use them 24/7? What are the pianos like in the practice rooms?

• Is there instrument storage in a safe, climate-controlled area on campus? Where is it, in relation to practice rooms and classrooms?

 

4. The Music Environment/Your Fellow Students

• What is the playing level of other students and where will you fit in (top, bottom, middle)?

• Are there students you will be able to learn from?

• How competitive are students with one another?

• How many undergraduate music majors are there and how many are in your area of study?

• Is there a graduate music program in the area(s) you’re interested in?

• What is the student/teacher ratio?

• What is the average class size?

• Does the school sponsor musicians/groups in residence?

• What master classes have been offered within the past year?

• Is the school religiously affiliated?  If so, will that affiliation be comfortable for you? Will you be accepted for who you are?

 

5. Applying

• If the music school is part of a larger university, do you need to apply separately to both?

• Do you need to submit SAT or ACT scores? If so, what were the average scores for students admitted to last year’s freshman class?

• Will you meet the academic requirements?

• What was the average high school GPA for students admitted to last year’s freshman class?

• Are transcripts and letter of recommendation required?

 

6. Auditions

• Are pre-screens required? If so, when are they due?

• When and where are auditions held?

• Do you need to bring an accompanist?

• If recorded auditions are acceptable, are they as competitive as live auditions?

(See Applying and Auditioning for more information.)

 

7. Career Opportunities

• What career services are offered?

• What support is available for performing outside of classes?

• Is there a gig office?

• Is there support for students teaching private lessons? Is there space at the music school where you can teach? Does the school help promote this?

• What support is there for performing in music festivals and competitions?

• Are entrepreneurship classes or programs offered?

• Are there opportunities for students doing their own projects?

• Are internship opportunities available through the school during the school year and in the summer?

• For alumni: what services are offered and how long after graduation are these available?

 

8. Paying for School

• What is the total cost of attending? Include tuition, room, board, books, travel (going home for vacation, required travel to competitions and festivals), school fees, property insurance, and health center fees (and health insurance if you won’t be staying on your family’s plan).

• Are lessons included in the tuition or do they cost extra?

• Are academic and performance scholarships available? Do they continue for all four years? Are they adjusted for cost of living increases?

• What financial aid opportunities are available for music students?

• What percentage of students receive financial aid?

Bear in mind that the bottom line may be lower than what is stated on school websites, once scholarships (academic, performance, etc.) as well as financial aid are taken into consideration.

(See “Paying for School” for more information.)

 

9. Housing

• Where do freshmen live? Sophomores? Juniors? Seniors?

• How is housing assigned?

• What kind of support will the school offer in finding housing?

 

10. Location

• Does the location of the school appeal to you and if so, why? Or –– why not?

• What are the features of the campus and areas surrounding the school?

• What transportation options are there for leaving campus?

• Is having a car important? If so, where can you park it and how much does parking cost?

• What transportation options are there for getting home or to anywhere else that’s important to you?

• Do you have family members or friends who live in the area?

 

 

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There’s good news about going to college for a music degree. According to the latest findings from a national survey of more than 33,000 arts alumni, arts graduates, including those who studied music performance, are likely to find jobs after graduation and use their education and training in their occupation.

by Caitlin Peterkin

The Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) is an organization dedicated to analyzing the impact of arts education. In its online survey, SNAAP asked alumni from fields including performance, creative writing, and film, about employment, relevance of their education to the work they’re doing, and their satisfaction with their education in the arts.

Raymond Tymas-Jones, Associate Vice President for the Arts and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah, praised SNAAP for its efforts in a recent post on ARTSblog. “The information from the survey provides important insight as to how artists develop in this country, helps identify the factors needed to better connect arts training to artistic careers, and allows education institutions, researchers and arts leaders to look at the systemic factors that helped or hindered the career paths of alumni,” he says.

When asked about  the skills and competencies acquired during their studies, respondents listed the following transferable skills: critical thinking, creativity, listening and revising, teamwork, broad knowledge, leadership, project management, networking, research technology, entrepreneurial, and writing skills. “Each skill,” stresses Tymas-Jones, “is applicable for any vocation and often provides opportunities for arts majors to be major contributors in any environment.”

Success in employment

Arts graduates have also seen success with employment, with 67% working in the arts. Outside the arts, alumni are employed in a variety of fields, including law, management, computer science, engineering, and communication. Overall, 87% of arts alumni said they were satisfied with their primary job, and 81% had opportunities to create work that makes a difference in their communities.

Tymas-Jones says that the SNAAP findings “confirm that arts schooling is a good economic investment as well as a meaningful ladder to meaningful work.” He goes on to say that SNAAP stats indicate that alums “do not consider that they are without options and opportunities. It is inherent that artists can create for themselves and others through the power of their imagination, creativity, and innovation.”

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Caitlin Peterkin is a writer/editor and arts enthusiast who has worked as program manager for Earshot Jazz (Seattle) and has written for BestNewBands.com, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and Paste Magazine. She graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Music.

If you have strong academic skills, want to major in music, and don’t want to lose your academic mojo, look for schools with honors programs that welcome music majors.

You’re likely to get:

• smaller classes for your non-music requirements;
• an opportunity to broaden your social circles and mingle with non-music majors;
• in-depth exploration of a host of subjects;
• more time with the professor;
• credit, of course, for your non-music-specific requirements.

This is a great way to keep your writing skills in good form as well as exercise different parts of your brain. It’s also a great way to appease your parents in case worry about what will happen to your academic prowess if you ever decide to focus away from music or decide to go to graduate school.

You may have to run interference between the music school and the honors program, especially if advisors at the school haven’t had many music students do both. Learn what you can, ask as many questions as you need to, talk to students who’ve done both. Stand up for what you want ––  that in itself will serve you well in your career in music.

If you want to major in jazz, you need an understanding and appreciation of the unique aspects of this genre.

MajoringInMusic.com spoke with Dr. Lou Fischer, bassist, jazz professor at Capital University Conservatory of Music, and former president of the Jazz Education Network (JEN). Fischer’s background includes over 40 years as a performer and composer in the entertainment industry, and as guest director, clinician and adjudicator at international jazz festivals and at high schools, All-State jazz events, and universities across the US.

1. What’s different about jazz auditions from any other type of audition?

“The improvisation component, says Fischer, “is what sets jazz auditions apart from any others. Improv is what makes jazz, jazz.” Each school, of course, will differ in terms of its expectations of how savvied applicants actually need to be at audition time.

“Some schools,” he notes, “put an emphasis on style…they want to see flexibility and what you’ve been exposed to. Some also want to see what you do with things that are new to you.” Fischer urges students to read through each school’s audition requirements very carefully. “Make no assumptions!” he warns. “Colleges are looking for your ability to follow directions to a “T.”

Be prepared to tailor your audition to each school you apply to. You basically get one shot at it because schools don’t have the time or staff to go back and forth with you to help you make changes or corrections if you neglect to read their audition requirements carefully.

What about video interviews? Fischer believes that if offered that opportunity, “you should go for it…it saves money and time.” But he also acknowledges that many schools want you to audition live.

Note that virtually all Bachelor of Music programs will require auditions. But for Bachelor of Arts majors, it may vary from school to school and major to major.

2. How is studying jazz changing?

Fischer sees no decline in interest in studying jazz on the college level. In fact, at his university, the number of students applying “is growing like crazy.” But the demands on students are changing and growing as well. Technology is an important part of the curriculum but so is learning about the history of the music. A focus on career development is also an essential part of the education of a jazz musician. Students need to pay attention to what audiences are interested in, as well as how to attract and keep those audiences filling the seats and buying the music.

Working gigs while going to school is an important aspect of majoring in music, say Fischer. So is learning to network. And developing a breadth of skills is also necessary. “You may have to pay your dues,” he explains. “It’s not demeaning to look at what else you are good at (besides performing). Sometimes you need to know how to ‘subsidize your passion.'”

How do you choose a music school you can call home? How you choose a music school, college music department, or university music program, can be a daunting task for the uninitiated. 

 

by Steve Lipman

Even for professionals in the music education field, it’s not always a slam-dunk advising a student as to which school would best serve his/her educational and career goals.

In my 25 years as a director of admissions, and later as assistant vice president for student affairs at a major music college, I always advised students and their families that overall “fit” was the key to a successful college experience.  Contrary to popular belief, fit is not just about, “who will my private teacher be?” or, “what ensembles will I be placed in?” or even, “ what are my chances of getting into that major?”  It’s about all of those things and much, much more.  In fact, and this may surprise you, those factors may not even be the most important criteria in making your college years rewarding, fun, and the launching pad to a successful career in the music industry.

So, what are the keys to a successful fit between student and institution?

Well, there are many.  In no particular order or priority they include:
Size of school, location, setting, facilities, curriculum, faculty, educational philosophy, majors available, performance opportunities, minors available, academic rigor, diversity and attitude of students attending, school-wide culture, extra-curricular activities, student clubs, financial aid, scholarships, and career advising.

Criteria often not thought about, but I consider important enough to at least take into consideration are: Leave of absence policy, so students can accept occasional short professional gigs, musician-directed wellness programs, and even the goals and objectives of the president of the institution.  Got your head spinning now, don’t I?

You may notice I left out such obvious things as dorm life, dining hall food, and a few others that some of you might be concerned about.  I have a personal philosophy about such things.  And that is:  if all, or at least most of, the other things listed above are chart-toppers and working to your advantage, you won’t even notice that the food may be bland, or that the dorm mattress is way too soft for your liking.  If you’re excited about going to class, practicing, jamming with friends, writing music, playing gigs, engineering sessions, networking for the future, and sitting in on clinics with world-class musicians, then the other stuff is small potatoes as they say.

Each of the components of “fit” listed above, as well as a few others, could take up a whole blog by itself.  So, in future blog posts, I will focus on one, or a few at a time, and discuss each in more depth.   I hope you will return to MajoringInMusic.com regularly to learn about orchestrating the right fit as you search for the school from which to launch your career in music.

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Steve Lipman is the founder of Inside Music School, a music school admissions consulting business. Steve is one of the country’s leading experts on music education and college admissions.