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At this point I have a 3 college college list and I could really use some help figuring out some more. So here's some stats and my critera, go ahead and give me any suggestions if you can:

1) I need a school with a strong music composition program
2) I need a school with a minimal fraternity scene (or at least a school so big that a large scene doesn't dominate the entire social life)
3) I need a school that is not in the middle of a large city
4) I need a school that is not in the Ivy Leauge (except brown which is on my list)
5) I need a school that is not full of all ultra-conservatives
6) I need a school that is not religiously affliated

My list as it stands: Brown, UCSB, U Oregon

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

By Voigtrob (Voigtrob) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 06:35 pm: Edit

look at Vassar.

1) Bingo.
2) No frats.
3) Poughkeepsie, NY... small town.
4) Bingo.
5) Bingo.
6) Bingo.

<3

By Fidel5soc (Fidel5soc) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 06:45 pm: Edit

Thank you, but on closer inspection, Vassar's composition program is almost non-existent with only one composition teacher.

By Snuffles (Snuffles) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 06:50 pm: Edit

Oberlin

By Caramelapple (Caramelapple) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 08:27 pm: Edit

yeah, i was just about to say oberlin.

By Seleucus26 (Seleucus26) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 09:01 pm: Edit

is music composition fine arts? carnegie mellon has a good fine arts program (pittsburgh isnt that big)

By Liek0806 (Liek0806) on Monday, May 31, 2004 - 09:07 pm: Edit

doesn't UCSB have a party scene social life?

By Sarasote (Sarasote) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 01:07 am: Edit

Oberlin is PERFECT. describes all of that, its uber-liberal

By Mulan (Mulan) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 01:13 am: Edit

yeah, UCSB has quite a party scene,
but if you go into music composition, look into the College of Creative Studies,
it's almost like a school within the school, and it's very well known for music composition

By Sbhopeful (Sbhopeful) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 02:51 am: Edit

actually, he said a school with no FRATERNITY scene....UCSB qualifies. The party scene there is minimally influenced by the frat scene.

By Garland (Garland) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 09:18 am: Edit

Wesleyan

By Jenskate1 (Jenskate1) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 11:43 am: Edit

Rice fits all of those, except it's in a city. But really, once you are on campus you can't tell. There's so many treets and lots of grass.

g/l

Jenn

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 11:50 am: Edit

Try Lawrence University in Wisconsin - they have an outstanding music composition program (http://www.lawrence.edu/academics/conservatory/muth.shtmland), it's located in a great small town, and, while there are Greeks on campus, they do not rule the social scene. Two other possibilities would be the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and Skidmore, both in New York.

By Mini (Mini) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 12:02 pm: Edit

Bard has the finest music composition program of all the liberal arts colleges (headed by Joan Tower), and meets every single one of your criteria. Williams (with 3 composers on staff) would come a close second.

My D., with a list almost exactly the same as yours (but there were some other considerations, like opera) is going to Smith.

Robert Kyr at U of Oregon is my d.'s mentor, and the program there is really top notch.

By A2a2 (A2a2) on Tuesday, June 01, 2004 - 04:32 pm: Edit

University of Michigan
University of Rochester/Eastman
Indiana University

By Susu (Susu) on Wednesday, June 02, 2004 - 05:22 pm: Edit

Berklee College of Music in Boston (I would argue that Boston is NOT a "large city".)

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Wednesday, June 02, 2004 - 07:11 pm: Edit

University of Washington fits all of those except the city one

By Mini (Mini) on Wednesday, June 02, 2004 - 08:04 pm: Edit

UW with a "strong music composition department" and a "minimal fraternity scene"? Hey, I live here (and know most of the music faculty) -- this would be a totally one on me.

(Fine pianists, though.)

By Harpgirl27 (Harpgirl27) on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 01:59 pm: Edit

I must admit, I never liked the UW campus and wouldn't apply (even though my parents kind of wanted me to). My friends who go there say it doesn't have much greek life, but then again, it's hearsay knowledge. I assumed it would have a strong music comp. department because it seems to have a good music department (though my friends are harpists or pianists that go there).

Do you live in Seattle? I'm from Issaquah!

By Fidel5soc (Fidel5soc) on Thursday, June 03, 2004 - 08:56 pm: Edit

No, I don't live in Seattle, and frankly, have no interest in living there. Thank you for the suggestions though.