Although we all might be home because of a pandemic, getting back on the search for the best colleges has certainly not ended.
Today, I want to talk to you about one of my favorite topics – amazing music schools & programs that, for some reason or another, may get overlooked in national rankings lists.
These are schools with amazing faculty, incredible resources, and alumni who have accomplished a tremendous amount in music.
These are schools that may fit some particular students better than perhaps a “brand name” music school.
Why these schools? Many of them have unique, niche programs only available in a handful of schools, such as contemporary music, or perhaps they are in environments that are more conducive to some students, like liberal arts colleges.
Most importantly, these are schools that simply offer some of the best opportunities at the collegiate level for a musician.
So what are these hidden gem music schools? Here is our pick for 2020’s top 10 hidden gem music schools in the US.
William Paterson University (Wayne, NJ)
Our list starts off with a hidden gem university just 30 minutes outside of New York City in William Paterson University.
As the students fondly call it, “Willy P” has some extraordinary programs in music.
In particular, William Paterson may very well be the best hidden gem jazz program in the country. Faculty include Bill Charlap, an internationally distinguished jazz pianist and head of their program.
Because of William Paterson’s proximity to NYC, jazz students – and even other music students – get regular access to big city musical opportunities.
Another interesting program at William Paterson is Sound Engineering Arts. Designed for the aspiring professional music producer, this major helps prepare students for a career in audio engineering. William Paterson, like a few other schools on this list, is also among the few schools in the country with a Popular Music Performance program.
Illinois Wesleyan School of Music (Bloomington, IL)
Illinois Wesleyan is one of two schools on today’s list that is distinct for a specific reason; it is a liberal arts college housing a dedicated school of music.
The advantages of a liberal arts education can be many for the right student. A liberal arts college is smaller than a major university, meaning students will have less of a chance of feeling like they are “lost in a crowd.”
Additionally, most liberal arts colleges – including Illinois Wesleyan – are exclusively undergraduate. This ensures all student resources are pooled towards freshmen through seniors, which is often in contrast to major research universities who pool the majority of resources towards graduate and doctoral students.
Illinois Wesleyan’s School of Music is among the oldest in the nation at 150 years of age! Many of their students go on to study at “brand name” graduate programs, including Eastman, Michigan, Northwestern, Rice, USC Thornton, and many more.
For the aspiring professional classical musician, Illinois Wesleyan is a good choice for the undergraduate student who wants a solid foundation in music at a liberal arts college intending to ultimately pursue a graduate degree.
Michigan State University College of Music (East Lansing, MI)
A true hidden gem, MSU’s College of Music is a distinguished program & one of the midwest’s best music schools.
Perhaps their most well-known faculty member is double bassist Rodney Whitaker. A legendary jazz musician, he has collaborated with some of history’s most important musicians, including Jimmy Heath, Diana Krall, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Chick Corea, and countless others.
MSU represents a unique opportunity for a student to get the best of a conservatory education with a Big 10 college experience; MSU is complete with sports, Greek life, and everything else that makes a large university the experience it is.
One unique initiative the school has championed is the Young Women Scholars Program. Created by music faculty member Sandra Snow, this initiative promotes equality for women interested in choral music through a 5-day intensive summer program.
The school is also making big changes to their facilities. The new Billman Music Pavilion – pictured above – at MSU adds 40% more space for students, including major new rehearsal halls.
University of Houston Moores School of Music (Houston, TX)
The Moores School of Music has a strong connection with one of the world’s leading orchestras, the Houston Symphony. In fact, numerous faculty members at the Moores School of Music jointly perform in the Houston Symphony, giving aspiring orchestral musicians the opportunity to study with professionals in their instrument.
Additionally, the presence of the nearby Houston Grand Opera – one of the nations’ most eminent arts organizations – and the Houston Ballet Orchestra supplement the music education of Moores’ students.
The Moores School of Music is among the south’s larger music schools with 600 students and about 80 faculty members. Although that number may sound small, that is actually about the same size as most independent conservatories in the country.
Outside of traditional performance options, the school has a unique degree in “Nonprofit Music Leadership.” This program is a partnership between the Moores School of Music and Houston’s College of Social Work. Courses in this unique degree program include Marketing, Management, and Public Relations.
Montclair State University John J. Cali School of Music (Montclair, NJ)
Montclair represents an interesting option for the aspiring music major.
It’s most well-known program is unequivocally musical theatre, which is actually a collaboration between the school’s department of theatre and their music program, known as the John J. Cali School of Music.
Montclair State is especially appealing in musical theatre for a few reasons. One is their track record; alumni are routinely finding themselves on Broadway, international tours, major regional theatres, and in other venues of employment, such as cruise lines and theme parks.
Additionally, although Montclair State is in New Jersey, it is right on the New York/New Jersey border and is a 25-minute drive to Manhattan, ensuring MT students have easy access to Broadway productions and even internships.
Their John J. Cali Music School is on the rise, bringing in new faculty to strengthen their musical offerings. The school brings in a number of notable musicians each year as in-residence musicians. One such artist currently in-residence is pianist Wu Han, named Musician of the Year in 2012 by Musical America.
University of Hartford Hartt School of Music (Hartford, CT)
Connecticut’s top undergraduate music program, the Hartt School of Music offers a standard fare of conservatory offerings – classical and jazz performance, composition, musical theatre, and music education.
The school boasts an impressive list of alumni. They include Grammy-nominated guitarist & pianist Tony MacAlpine as well as 2011 winner of The Voice Javier Colon. Notably, a former State Representative of Utah and current political commentator, Mia Love, also attended the Hartt School of Music.
Because of the school’s proximity to NYC, some of the school’s faculty here hold dual appointments with NYC music schools, including Manhattan School of Music and Mannes.
Hartt’s jazz program is particularly excellent, hosting a number of highly accomplished faculty. They include Javon Jackson, who came to prominence as a soloist with Art Blakey, and Nat Reeves, a double bassist who has performed with Kenny Garrett and Jackie McLean.
Columbia College (Chicago, IL)
Columbia College in Chicago – not to be confused with Columbia University in Manhattan – is another example of a small school doing big things in the world of music and academia.
One of Columbia’s signature programs is their Contemporary Urban and Popular Music degree. In this program, students can study contemporary music performance; it is among the few schools in the country offering such a major.
Another intriguing option is their Master’s in Film Scoring – one of the best film scoring programs in the country, Columbia College Chicago’s program is unique in its capstone project. At the end of the Master’s degree, for 5 weeks students get to be the intern for a professional film composer in Los Angeles.
Additionally, MFA students will get access to a live orchestra to score their music, enhancing their portfolio for showcase outside of academia.
Other strong programs include Music Technology and Music Production.
What we like about Columbia is their dedication to the arts – in music, film, and the visual arts, Columbia College has allocated tremendous resources to growing their arts programs. The environment here is that of a small school with a strong focus in the arts throughout a large majority of the student body.
Lawrence University Conservatory of Music (Appleton, WI)
The definition of excellence in a liberal arts college music school, Lawrence University melds a traditional conservatory education with a progressive social outlook.
In late 2017, we did an interview with their Dean Brian Pertl – you can read that article here, entitled Is This the World’s Most Socially Conscious Music School?
What we like about Lawrence is their environment – it is a small, progressive university with an outstanding conservatory of just 300 or so students. The offerings here are the standard fare among traditional conservatories – classical & jazz performance as well as music education and composition.
Lawrence’s newest degree, the BMA – Bachelor’s of Musical Arts – grants a well-rounded musical education in conjunction with a strong liberal arts curriculum. This addition makes sense, as many students at Lawrence have already opted for double-degrees in music and an academic major anyway.
Unique musical opportunities at Lawrence are abundant; they include Music for Food, an initiative raising money for hunger relief, as well as Mile of Music, a four-day music festival in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Belmont University (Nashville, TN)
Finally, a school in the nation’s music capital – Nashville, Tennessee!
Belmont is unsurpassed in its contemporary music program; it is among the very best in the country in this particular genre.
Between Belmont’s School of Music and their Mike Curb College of Entertainment, offerings here include an impressive list of unique majors only available in a handful of colleges. These include songwriting, music business, commercial music composition (think film/television scoring), audio production, and more.
The focus at Belmont’s Mike Curb College is less on performance and more about the skills to succeed in the music industry. It is similar to NYU’s Clive Davis program in this regard.
The focus at Belmont’s School of Music is certainly in performance and composition, although their “Commercial Music Major” does have concentrations in business and songwriting as well.
Although Belmont is perhaps best known for its contemporary music offerings, it also has a solid classical music performance program as well.
Located in the capital of music, students here frequently gain internship opportunities in companies on “Music Row” – an area of Nashville where a large conglomeration of music companies have their own campuses.
