Music Major Looking for a Good School

limits_unknown · Regular Member Joined: 10 Nov 2001 Posts: 93

I'm planning to major in music, but I'm not exactly sure where I want to go. I want to go to either a school in Tennessee, or one of Tennessee's connecting states. I was thinking Tennessee Tech University, they have an excellent music program, and I know the trumpet professor, he's pretty cool. I've also considered University of Alabama, Middle Tennessee State University, but not UT

JGulyas · Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2002 12:52 pm Post subject:

You should look into Brevard College in Brevard, NC. Excellent music faculty, small classes, wonderful area and right down the street from the Brevard Music Center. I got a lot of great training there and it really prepared me for a job as a pro musician. Check it out at http://www.brevard.edu
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PH · Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2002 3:23 pm Post subject:

Of all the schools you mentioned i would consider UT by far the best. Of course, it depends on what your primary interests are. For jazz there is no question that UT blows the others away.

In Kentucky the University of Louisville is very strong and Morehead State is a small but rapidly improving program (They just hired Greg Wing to teach trumpet). If you lean toward the scholarly side then UNC-Chapel Hill is a very good school with an outstanding theory and musicology program and a great trumpet teacher in Jim Ketch. In West Virginia Marshall is a good and improving school. there are many others, both in your area and wider.

However, before anyone can really make a recommendation there are some other issues.

Is money an object?

How do you feel about big school vs. small?

How do you weigh academics vs. the music "trade school" approach?

Is orchestra playing really important to you?

How about jazz combo playing?

Would you prefer to play in decent (but not great) groups where you get a lot of solos and leadership responsibility, or would you prefer to be somewhere where you will be surrounded by a lot of older and graduate students who are experienced and you can be content playing 3rd parts for a while as you rise to the level?

These things all figure in. It is important to find the right school FOR YOU. This isn't the kind of thing where one school is ever clearly better for every single student.

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2002-08-17 18:32 ]