http://majoringinmusic.com/finding-the-right-school-2/
This article is about whether it is more beneficial to study music at the conservatory, liberal arts university, or music school within a university setting. This is the time of year when prospective students are making their decisions on where to attend musical school. I'm curious to hear everyone's opinions and the pros and cons of each!
I think that this article is interesting, and I certainly wish I had had something like it when I went to start looking at schools a year ago! I personally think the most useful part of the article is actually not its description of the types of schools (which I find overly general and not particularly helpful), but is the list of questions to ask yourself at the top. I wish it suggested schools that might coincide with each of the points it asks you to consider (examples of academically-minded music schools verses performance-focust schools, for example). I think that would help people classify where their interests lay and where to go from there. However, as far as the advantages of different types of schools, I think it vastly understates the values of a Liberal Arts education. It certainly makes it sound as though that is only for the students who don't have any clue what they are doing with their lives and the ones who do not intend to seriously pursue performance, which I do not agree with at all. I think it actually is better for students hoping to seriously pursue performance, especially at the undergraduate level, because they leave school with far stronger resumes, especially at a school like DePauw, with a good music program. At conservatories, undergraduate students perform rarely and in highly competed for spots. Only the best of the best get the opportunities, and so talent is left by the wayside, forgotten. Liberal arts schools also offer a more rounded education which provides ways to access music from different backgrounds and encourages collaboration with areas outside of music, skills all performers will need for the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of these settings can help any musician grow. What it all comes down to is how much effort a student is going to put into their playing. At a conservayory you are put in an enviornment where you almost have to be playing your instrument at all times. For some people this can be tiresome and it might be easy to burn out. I personally enjoy the balance that I have here at DePauw. I am able to put a lot of time into practicing as well as doing other things.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really great article I would have loved to have read before I picked schools but it wouldn't have changed my choice. I definitely like the liberal arts setting with music because it will help make students more useful to the outside world.
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