Top 20+ Most Prestigious Schools for Music in The US Today
Music is a field of study for all those who love, have a delicate sense for sound and melodies. When you study music, you are not only required to play and read music, but also learn the theory and applications of these in your own projects. To achieve good results, you need not only to be talented in your major, but also to understand different musical instruments/styles.
Serious bassists, violinists, singers, and jazz musicians aren't looking for colleges or universities with top marching bands. They look at conservationists or universities with top music programs - and these programs can be hard to find and even harder to get into.
For those who have a great passion for music, when choosing to pursue this field of study methodically, they will look to universities, or rather, academies dedicated to the training of talents. in music.
When choosing an institute to attend, music students are always looking for courses to hone their skills, schools with the best conditions so that they can nurture their talents on the path to becoming adults. real artist. Here we take a look at the top famous music academies in the US!
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Music courses in USA
Depending on your goals and personal orientation, you can choose to study degree programs at a music school (Conservatoire) or a University (University and college). While music school courses will give you more opportunities to develop practical and performing skills, undergraduate programs focus more on the academic and academic aspects.
1. The Juilliard School, New York
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| The Juilliard School |
Website: https://www.juilliard.edu/admissions
This top school is famous for its strict admission requirements. The competition to study at this academy is considered to be really fierce because the school only accepts an average of 7.6% of admission applications each year.
Juilliard Academy owns one of the most standard sound and light theaters in the world. Not only outstanding in teaching methods, the academy's facilities are also attracting many students from all over the world.
The school has the most modern facilities in the world, typically the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, located right on the campus of the academy, exclusively for students studying here.
In addition to the Music majors, which include Jazz, Music Engineering, Traditional Music and Vocalology, Opera, the Julliard Academy also offers courses specifically for dancers and actors.
2. Berklee College of Music, Boston
Website: https://www.berklee.edu/admissions
Berklee Academy is known for its Contemporary Music, Musicology and Music Business majors. The courses here are quite diverse, you may not know how to play an instrument but you can still take courses that do not require the ability to perform.
Students regularly showcase their talents and musical styles in academic performances of their own choreography.
Berklee Academy's motto is to create an environment that teaches contemporary music and the skills students need to become a versatile artist.
Berklee Academy owns a world-class recording system to create conditions for students to learn and hone their skills in the best way.
The soundproofing system is very thoughtfully implemented to match the characteristics of each instrument.
3. Yale School of Music (Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut)
Website: https://music.yale.edu/admissions
Yale School of Music, founded in 1894, is one of four art schools of Yale University - one of the oldest educational institutions in the United States. The school is home to many famous music teachers from around the world. Some typical names can be mentioned such as Martin Bresnick, who has trained many professional musicians, or clarinetist David Shifrin.
A very special feature of the Yale School of Music that when it comes to everyone's surprise is that all accepted students will study completely free of charge. This is thanks to a total of $100 million in funding that was contributed to the school in 2005. Coupled with this opportunity is also quite a challenge when, like all Yale schools, , the door to the Yale School of Music is quite "hard". Statistics show that 75% of the students who apply are eligible to enter the school, but among that 75%, there are still some conditions to pass because Yale is a school that attaches great importance to training quality, worthy of being one of the best schools. When studying in the US, majoring in Music.
4. University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Website: https://smtd.umich.edu/
If you're into music and have heard of the likes of Madonna or Darren Criss, check out the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance, because this is the academy that produces artists. that famous. Some notable faculty names include musician Michael Daugherty, who won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
In addition to its reputation in the field of training as one of the best schools in the United States for the music industry, the school is also known for its powerful facilities, such as the Hill Auditorium with a capacity of up to 3500 people. If you intend to study music in the US, the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance is an option worth considering.
5. Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
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| Curtis Institute of Music |
Website: https://www.curtis.edu/
There is no classical musician who has not heard of the Curtis Conservatory, a formidable competitor to the Juilliard School both in terms of the quality of education and the performance of classical music. This is the place where the "piano prodigy" Lang Lang has been trained, one of the crazes that has brought the reputation of Curtis Conservatory to a dizzying increase in the past 10 years.
In particular, similar to the Yale School of Music, students will not have to pay for their studies at the Curtis Conservatory, a tradition that spans 85 years at this premier music institution in the US. However, the entrance rate usually falls in the very low range (under 5%), making Curtis the most "difficult" conservatory in the world and one of the most ambitious destinations if you intend to study in the US. music.
6. Jacobs School of Music (Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana)
Website: https://music.indiana.edu/
Jacobs School of Music, whose main strength is diversity in training fields. With a training target of 1600 students, the school is divided into many faculties under the teaching of big names in the industry such as Sylvia McNair or Andre Watts.
Especially in the period 2016-2017, many ambassadors from the school came to Vietnam to share experiences and knowledge in the field of music. While studying at Jacobs is not as free as it is at Yale or Curtis, all Indiana University students can borrow up to $280 million a year to pay for their education, which can be a good option. for international music students in the US.
7. Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Website: https://peabody.jhu.edu/
The Peabody Conservatory is under the academic auspices of Johns Hopkins University, a very selective private university in Baltimore that has approximately 6,000 undergraduate students in all its programs.
Approximately 270 undergraduate and 310 graduate students attend the Peabody Conservatory, which means you'll have the opportunity not only to collaborate with your university colleagues but also with other international students. sharpen their research (and get a basic look at student life if you go to music school). Peabody grants both a Bachelor of Music and a performance certificate (non-academic college diploma) to undergraduate students.
To attend Peabody as an undergraduate, you only need to enroll in the Peabody Institute (but not at Johns Hopkins) unless you plan to earn a dual degree, in which case you will have to apply and accepted into both. Peabody and Johns Hopkins. Typically, at a minimum of 5 years, dual degree programs with the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences or the Whiting School of Engineering are even more specialized than a typical conservatory degree.
8. Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester)
Website: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/
The Eastman School of Music is affiliated with the University of Rochester, a selective private university located in Rochester, NY. Overall, the University of Rochester is medium in size, with a total of about 6,500 undergraduates, but with a total of about 500 undergraduates, Eastman feels much smaller.
If you're only going to earn a Bachelor of Music, you just need to apply to Eastman; However, if you want to get a dual degree (BA/BM or BS/BM), you must apply to both Eastman and the University of Rochester (30% acceptance rate).
In addition to allowing students to double major with a non-music subject or cross-enroll in non-music classes, Eastman also allows students to dual major in Eastman. This allows students who are interested in pursuing multiple musical fields (such as piano and composition) to pursue both interests equally.
9. Thornton School of Music (USC)
Website: https://music.usc.edu/
Thornton School of Music is affiliated with the University of Southern California (USC), a highly selective private university in Los Angeles. The application process to Thornton is slightly different from other music schools at larger universities—instead of applying to Thornton separately, you must apply to USC and select “music major” on your application ( as well as include all required portfolio documentation).
Even though you have to apply to USC (about 19,000 undergraduates total), Thornton with <1000 students (grads and undergraduates) still has that conservatory vibe.
Like the SMTD at UMich, Thornton allows university students to study two different tracks: the BM track, which is essentially a conservatory degree, or the BA in Music track, allowing students of other disciplines to still study. good in the subjects of the music department.
Thornton's majors in Music Industry and Music Production are relatively unique compared to other conservatories (which are often performance-oriented and theory-oriented), and the fact that Thornton is located in LA means students. Students in those majors may gain some practical experience outside of the classroom.
10. University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA)
Website: https://www.ucla.edu/
The University of California - Los Angeles was established in 1919. And is one of the famous public universities in Los Angeles, California. Ranked #20 National Universities in 2020 (National Universities).
Los Angeles is an international center for the performing and visual arts. Therefore, it can be said that this is an ideal environment for art students to develop their passion.
The University of California at Los Angeles is one of the top schools in the list of art universities in the US in general and in Los Angeles in particular. The school is divided into three faculties: School of the Arts and Architecture (School of the Arts and Architecture), Film, Film and Television (School of Theater, Film and Television), and Music (School of music). Students can easily choose a career according to their aspirations and strengths
11. California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
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| California Institute of the Arts |
Website: https://calarts.edu/
Another option for art students on the west coast of the United States is the California Institute of the Arts - a private school founded in 1961 by Roy and Walt Disney, the founders of the world's largest entertainment group Walt Disney.
CalArts School is ranked #5 Best Fine Art Program by US News & World Report for art students. One of the art universities in the US that many international students choose to study abroad.
The school is located in Valencia, about 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles. CalArts offers visual and performing arts programs with six faculties: Music, Film and Video, Art, Dance, Theater, and Critical Studies.
Alumni are famous as director Tim Burton for the movie "Edward Scissorhands" and John Lasseter for directing the animated film "Toy Story (1995)".
12. New England Conservatory of Music
Website: https://necmusic.edu/
Founded in February 1867, the New England Conservatory of Music is recognized as one of the oldest private music schools in the country and the only one to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
Established in 1867, Boston's famous conservatory and Jordan Hall are National Historic Landmarks. The university's 750 undergraduate and graduate students perform in five different performance halls, including the seat Jordan-101, which has been called "one of the world's most accomplished acoustic performance spaces". Half of the members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra have ties to this greenhouse. (PS This school also accepts Unified Applications.)
13. Manhattan School of Music
Website: https://www.msmnyc.edu/
The Manhattan School of Music, located on Manhattan's Upper West Side, is a competitive environment that provides its students with a variety of valuable opportunities.
The conservatory, which was founded in 1917, is particularly well-known for its jazz program, which has produced a long list of notable alumni, including Harry Connick, Jr., Herbie Hancock, Hugh Masakela, and Herbie Mann.
But the conservatory is about more than just jazz. In fact, the Manhattan School of Music has a diverse range of programs, all of which are led by world-class faculty members from the New York City Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
All students take Music Theory, Music History, and a variety of performance arts classes. Doctorate of Music Arts and Master of Music degrees in Classical Studies, Jazz Arts, and Orchestra Performance are among the most popular.
The school is selective in nature. Forty percent of applicants are accepted into the undergraduate student body of approximately 400. First-year students are required to live in student housing, and approximately 55% of all students receive financial assistance.
14. Mannes School for Music
Website: https://www.newschool.edu/mannes/
Third conservatory in New York City offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in classical music performance, voice, and composition at Mannes on the Upper West Side, and jazz at New School in Greenwich Village. The new school is a consortium of universities including Parsons. Founded in 1916, Mannes joined the New School in 1989. The classical music program includes 314 undergraduate and graduate students, and faculty includes members of the New York Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic. Metropolitan Opera, as well as some of the outstanding composers of the day. The new school for jazz and contemporary music offers a bachelor's degree. (Unified application is also accepted here.)
The school is associated with such names as composer Craig Walsh, classical musician JoAnn Falletta, American jazz pianist Bill Evans, and Professor Helmut Blume, six-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Burt Academy Award winner. Bacharach.
15. Bard College - Conservatory of Music-Hudson, NY
Website: https://www.bard.edu/conservatory/
The Bard College Conservatory of Music was founded in 2005 in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The undergraduate program at the school lasts five years and allows students to earn both a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Arts in a non-musical subject.
Bard's faculty is well-known, and many members teach at other prestigious music schools such as Juilliard and Curtis Institute. Bard's programs are rigorous, but they are known for giving students plenty of opportunities to perform.
Undergraduate programs in standard orchestral and chamber instruments, as well as composition, are available, and popular graduate programs include conducting, collaborative piano, and vocal arts.
16. Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin College)
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| Oberlin Conservatory of Music |
Website: https://www.oberlin.edu/conservatory
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is a division of Oberlin College, a private liberal arts college and the only non-university music school in this category. Because Oberlin is committed to providing a solid liberal arts foundation to all of its students, BM students must take 6-8 non-conservatory courses as part of their degree.
Students can earn a BA/BM in five years or less through Oberlin's dual degree program. Unlike some dual degree programs, Oberlin does not require that the two degrees be related in any way. You could combine majors as disparate as Musicology and Biochemistry or as related as Early Music Performance and History. To be accepted into the double degree program, students must apply to both the College of Arts and the Conservatory.
17. Cleveland Institute for Music (Cleveland, OH)
Website: https://www.cim.edu/
The Cleveland Institute of Music, founded in 1920 as a private educational institution for higher education, is now led by Paul Hogle, former Executive Vice President of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. For both undergraduate and graduate students, there are 26 music programs available, including Audio Recording, Eurythmics, Harpsicord, Orchestral Conducting, and Opera.
CIM also collaborates with Case Western Reserve University to provide students with a more diverse educational experience. Every year, approximately 450 students attend, including new and returning students.
While the CIM Orchestra performs approximately ten times per year, the total number of performances given, including ensembles and individual recitals, exceeds 300, with the majority of them being free to the public. Each year, two fully staged opera productions are presented.
The school is best known for its string and piano chamber music programs. Alumni include violinist Jasper Wood, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic Frank Haung (who attended Cleveland's pre-college program), and late composer David Diamond.
18. Frost School of Music
Website: https://www.frost.miami.edu/
Frost School of Music is part of the University of Miami, a private university located in Miami, FL. While the University of Miami overall has about 10,800 undergraduates, Frost only has a total of 450 undergraduates (or about 112 students per year), so it feels much smaller. There are also about 300 graduate students at Frost.
To be admitted to the Frost School of Music, applicants must also apply to and be accepted by the University of Miami - cross-registration classes are available once admitted.
Most students pursue a BA in Music with a minor in a non-music subject, but some pursue dual degrees. The faculty includes iconic classical music performers, making the school ideal for those interested in pursuing careers in classical music.
19. San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Website: https://sfcm.edu/
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music is a smaller conservatory in the city's Civic Center, just steps away from the San Francisco Symphony and Opera House.
Despite the fact that the city of San Francisco continues to be a big draw for prospective music students, the Conservatory remains one of the least competitive on this list. Each year, approximately 40% of applicants are invited to join the school's 450 students.
A whopping 95% of students receive some kind of scholarship, and student housing is available throughout San Francisco's many desirable neighborhoods.
The Conservatory's programs are well-regarded throughout, with the graduate chamber music program standing out as one of the best in the country.
Students of all degree levels are given a variety of performance opportunities in and around the Bay Area, and the Conservatory's faculty includes an impressive one-third of the world-renowned San Francisco Symphony.
20. Rice University Shepherd School of Music
Website: https://music.rice.edu/
Rice University's Shepherd School of Music is known around the world for its world-class music program and has a long history of admitting talented international students. Rice joins other prestigious institutions such as the University of North Texas and the University of Texas at Austin as one of the leading music colleges in the south.
Some of the world's most distinguished music educators teach at Rice, including renowned French hornist William VerMuelen, trumpet pedagogues Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer, violist James Dunham, and bassoonist Benjamin Kamins, among many others.
Rice is extremely selective, with an acceptance rate of only 12%. Rice also provides numerous performance opportunities, presenting over 400 concerts per year, including two large-scale opera productions. Rice music graduates routinely land top positions in world-class orchestras and college professorships.
21. Carnegie Mellon School of Music
Website: https://www.cmu.edu/cfa/music/
The city of Pittsburgh provides numerous cultural and musical opportunities for Carnegie Mellon School of Music faculty and students. The Carnegie Music Hall itself was built in 1895 and once housed the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic and Wind Ensemble continue to perform in the Hall, which seats just under 2,000 people.
The Music School was formally established in 1912 and is managed as one of the College of Fine Arts' five divisions. Undergraduate, graduate, and Artists Diploma programs, as well as a variety of certificate programs, are available.
Majors include, to name a few, every orchestral instrument, bagpipes, voice, and composition. Contemporary music and conducting are heavily emphasized in the curriculum.
Megan Hilty, known for her role in the musical Wicked, and the late Earl Wild, a legendary concert pianist and composer, are both graduates of the school.
Conclusion
Music study abroad programs in the US are very diverse, depending on your goals and orientation. Currently, there are not too many guidelines for the music industry in the US, making many parents and children confused when searching for information. Join us to find out the details of the route, costs and choose a prestigious music academy in the US to invest in your child's art career!
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