6 answers
Josiah
Student
Sabetha, Kansas
3
Questions
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What colleges should I consider??
I want to be a music therapist and concert pianist; where should I go to college?
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6 answers
George F Spicka
Compose Music \ Play Jazz Piano \ Curator of Paleontology
18
Answers
Baltimore, Maryland
Updated
George F’s Answer
I suggest perhaps the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. It is part of the larger Johns Hopkins University.
Thank you for the advice, George F.
Josiah
Doha Lee
Freelance Sound Designer & Musician
1
Answer
New York, New York
Updated
Doha’s Answer
Hello, Josiah!
I'd like to highly recommend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
I graduated this school.
Berklee has all the music related majors. Like you wish, they have music therapy major, and of course, piano performance major in undergraduate program. Lots of students do double majors, so you can learn both. ( I even saw a person who had 3 majors haha)
Berklee teaches classical music, jazz, contemporary music etc., all kinds of music in the music industry, so you can absorb various genres in music during your school life.
I'd like to highly recommend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
I graduated this school.
Berklee has all the music related majors. Like you wish, they have music therapy major, and of course, piano performance major in undergraduate program. Lots of students do double majors, so you can learn both. ( I even saw a person who had 3 majors haha)
Berklee teaches classical music, jazz, contemporary music etc., all kinds of music in the music industry, so you can absorb various genres in music during your school life.
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1913
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, again, Josiah !
I will repeat the college information that I mentioned in my first response to your question.
If you do not know of the colleges yet, now is a good time to do some first hand exploring and reading about what choices you may have. Explore the University of Kansas and Kansas State University as they both offer degrees in Music Therapy. After your post Master training you can go to a Music School for your three year performance study. It sounds like you want a very impressive named school that may carry a lot of weight. If so, and money is no object, my first recommendation would be Julliard in New York City. There are others such as Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, Yale School of Music in New Haven, CT, Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Royal Academy of Music in London, England, Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and
Colburn School of Music. Keep in mind that these music schools are very selective. Explore their websites and see which one would be to your liking. These schools would have renowned teachers but would also carry a lot of weight on your resume.
My suggestions for the three year music training schools to fulfill the music therapy requirement were based on your previous request for schools with the best opportunities as you had mentioned. You can easily do your Bachelors and most likely your Masters in your home state.
It's basically going to be a lot of reading of course catalogues at different colleges to see if they carry the Major that you want. When you have narrowed it down to a few, visit their campuses and see how you like it. You can compare the colleges well that way.
I wish you well with deciding !
I will repeat the college information that I mentioned in my first response to your question.
If you do not know of the colleges yet, now is a good time to do some first hand exploring and reading about what choices you may have. Explore the University of Kansas and Kansas State University as they both offer degrees in Music Therapy. After your post Master training you can go to a Music School for your three year performance study. It sounds like you want a very impressive named school that may carry a lot of weight. If so, and money is no object, my first recommendation would be Julliard in New York City. There are others such as Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, Yale School of Music in New Haven, CT, Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England, Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Royal Academy of Music in London, England, Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and
Colburn School of Music. Keep in mind that these music schools are very selective. Explore their websites and see which one would be to your liking. These schools would have renowned teachers but would also carry a lot of weight on your resume.
My suggestions for the three year music training schools to fulfill the music therapy requirement were based on your previous request for schools with the best opportunities as you had mentioned. You can easily do your Bachelors and most likely your Masters in your home state.
It's basically going to be a lot of reading of course catalogues at different colleges to see if they carry the Major that you want. When you have narrowed it down to a few, visit their campuses and see how you like it. You can compare the colleges well that way.
I wish you well with deciding !
Dr. Kelly Desso
Protective Services
235
Answers
Somers, Connecticut
Updated
Dr. Kelly’s Answer
I'm totally on board with Austin's viewpoint, especially considering your unique career aspirations and the added weight of a Master's degree. This is partly because your goals seem to be a blend of different paths, and partly because a person with a Master's degree typically has a better shot at landing an interview compared to someone with just an undergraduate degree.
My personal journey began in the realm of music education, but those majoring in performance managed to wrap up their studies a bit faster, thanks to the absence of state testing requirements. If I were in your shoes, I'd go for a Bachelor's degree in piano performance followed by a Master's in music therapy.
Michelle has already highlighted the prestigious institutions, so I won't reiterate those. However, if you're on the lookout for a more laid-back, less demanding program, I have a couple of favorites to recommend. The Hart School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, and Anna Maria College in Massachusetts are both wonderful choices. I've had the privilege of learning from some truly inspiring conductors and instructors at both these institutions.
My personal journey began in the realm of music education, but those majoring in performance managed to wrap up their studies a bit faster, thanks to the absence of state testing requirements. If I were in your shoes, I'd go for a Bachelor's degree in piano performance followed by a Master's in music therapy.
Michelle has already highlighted the prestigious institutions, so I won't reiterate those. However, if you're on the lookout for a more laid-back, less demanding program, I have a couple of favorites to recommend. The Hart School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut, and Anna Maria College in Massachusetts are both wonderful choices. I've had the privilege of learning from some truly inspiring conductors and instructors at both these institutions.
Austin Bradley
Live and studio musician
31
Answers
Millington, Tennessee
Updated
Austin’s Answer
Hello
Let me be honest and Frank with you not to sound redundant but whichever four year university you can get into will be the answer to what you need. And you need to try to pursue a bachelor's and a master's because that's what people prefer nowadays. But it's like I said before, it's not the college you go to it's what you do when you get to the college now if you go and you apply yourself and you do what the instructors want you to do and your teachers and you get your lesson you do fine but now if you going in there and you going to sit there and play around well then you just wasted your money but it's not about the college it's about what it is you do when you get there keep that in mind.
Let me be honest and Frank with you not to sound redundant but whichever four year university you can get into will be the answer to what you need. And you need to try to pursue a bachelor's and a master's because that's what people prefer nowadays. But it's like I said before, it's not the college you go to it's what you do when you get to the college now if you go and you apply yourself and you do what the instructors want you to do and your teachers and you get your lesson you do fine but now if you going in there and you going to sit there and play around well then you just wasted your money but it's not about the college it's about what it is you do when you get there keep that in mind.
Thank you so much for the advice.
Josiah
Nathan Peterson
caregiver, musician
1
Answer
Lafayette, Indiana
Updated
Nathan’s Answer
I recommend Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN, or Indiana University in Bloomington, IN, or Purdue University's campus in Fort Wayne, IN. Wishing you all the best.
Thank you, Nathan!
Josiah