Even if you don’t know music, you may know the name Herb Alpert. Leader of the band Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Alpert is responsible for some of the best-known sounds of the 1960s, pieces with both wide appeal and impressive musicianship.
Thanks to that legacy, Herb Alpert is the ideal namesake for the music school at the University of California – Los Angeles. Part of the flagship of the California state system, UCLA Alpert is not just one of the best music schools in the state, but in the entire world.
Even before the school took its name from the famed band leader, UCLA Alpert has a proud history that goes back to 1919. With facilities such as the stately Schoenberg Music Building and the high-tech Evelyn and Mo Ostin Music Center, UCLA Alpert is a top destination for young musicians across the globe.
With such popularity comes a lot of competition, making UCLA Alpert one of the most competitive music schools for some majors.
That might sound intimidating, but this article will explain not just why UCLA Alpert is so great, but also how to make your application as strong as possible.
Acceptance Rate
UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music has an overall acceptance rate of 20%.
In 2023, 1,054 people applied for admission to the Alpert School of Music. Of that group, 218 received offers of admission, giving Alpert an acceptance rate of 20%.
Before anyone gets too discouraged or too excited about that number, keep in mind that acceptance rates at Alpert vary according to the major.
The ethnomusicology major at Alpert has a 72% acceptance rate in some years. Conversely, the music composition program admitted just 4.6% of its applicants in 2024!
That said, acceptance rates don’t always mean the same thing across programs. After all, nine people were admitted to the music composition program in 2024 while five made it into ethnomusicology. If four more people joined the music composition program than the ethomusicology program, why are the percentages so different?
The answer has to do with popularity. Just 18 people applied to the ethnomusicology program, which is why that major has a 72% acceptance rate. In contrast, 130 people applied to the music composition program, making the competition that much tougher.
Thus, Alpert Music hopefuls should consider their majors when making application plans. The more popular the program, the greater the competition, even when a major seems to have a high acceptance rate.
For example, 328 people applied to join the Music History and Industry program, making it the most popular major at Alpert Music. Out of that group, 84% were denied, making it quite difficult. However, the second-most-popular major Music Performance accepted 31% of its 291 applicants, making it easier to get into on average.
Perhaps choosing a major that not only best suits your skills, but also gives you the greatest odds of admission could be wise when applying to UCLA.
What Makes UCLA Herb Alpert So Selective?
As those application numbers indicated, people from all over the world want to study at UCLA Alpert. It’s not hard to see the appeal.
As part of UCLA, Alpert operates in one of the most exciting cities on the globe. UCLA offers access to both the hub of the entertainment world and seemingly unlimited on- and off-campus opportunities to explore your music-making.
A tier-one research university, UCLA Alpert has produced Grammy winners, Fulbright Scholars, Nobel Laureates, and champions of every sport.
Things look even better when focusing on just the Herb Alpert School of Music.
Alpert students have access to a 4,300 square foot recording studio, full of the latest equipment. Adorned with absorbent Douglas fir and spruce baffles, the main recording space has room for up to 40 performers.
UCLA Alpert offers a host of performance opportunities, including ensembles devoted to chamber music and old-time strings, music of Korea and Thailand, jazz and marching bands, and everything in between.
UCLA Herb Alpert’s Stats At-a-Glance
Before we go further, let’s take a look at some basic stats about UCLA Alpert.
Number of students: 671 (source)
Number of faculty: 156
Student-to-teacher ratio: 4:1
Tuition: $42,059 (source – in-state and resident hall housing.)
UCLA Herb Alpert Ranking & Reputation
U.S. News and World Report places UCLA number fifteen on its list of American institutions and number one on its list of public universities.
So it should come as no surprise that UCLA Alpert also regularly appears toward the top of music school ranking lists.
Niche.com puts UCLA Alpert number #8 on its Best Music School list, beating out Carnegie Mellon University and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
As these numbers demonstrate, UCLA Alpert has a reputation for being an excellent place to study all aspects of music.
UCLA Herb Alpert Notable Faculty – Who You Could Study With
One of the main appeals of the UCLA Alpert is the top-flight musicians teaching there. Not only are these performers great instructors, but they’re also masters of their instrument, able to pass their knowledge on to the next generation.
Composition students can study under Ian Krouse, whose work has been performed by orchestras across the globe. Students frequently remark to me how much they have enjoyed lessons and classes with Professor Krouse at UCLA.
A founding member of the award-winning Prima Trio, clarinetist Boris Allakhverdyan is also the Principal Clarinetist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He has performed in such esteemed venues as the MET Chamber Ensemble series at Carnegie Hall, the Chicago Chamber Music Society, and the Dayton Art Institute.
One of the most respected performers of Afro-Cuban jazz, Arturo O’Farrill has worked with greats such as Wynton Marsalis and has won multiple Latin Grammys for best jazz album and best instrumental composition.
Lou Anne Neill has served as the harpist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for more than 40 years and has taught at UCLA Alpert since 1981.
In addition to teaching at UCLA Alpert, multi-instrumentalist and ethnomusicology Dawn Norfleet teaches at Columbia University and University of California – Irvine, multiple colleges with excellent musicology and programs.
Accomplished Alumni of UCLA Herb Alpert
Even more than the success of its teachers, UCLA Alpert best demonstrates its excellence through the achievements of its graduates.
After earning his degree from UCLA Alpert in 2006, conductor Brian Asher Alhadeff has gone on to work with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra, the California Polytechnic State University Opera Theater Workshop, and more. Alhadeff’s work with the Citywide Arts Collaboration for Opera San Luis Obispo set the model for renewing community interest in opera.
Violinist Eric Gorfain co-founded the Section Quartet, famed for its ability to combine classical with contemporary rock music. Gorfain has worked with Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, A Perfect Circle, Neil Diamond, and other pop rock legends.
2007 graduate Sean Friar won the 2011 Rome Prize in Music Composition, and has had works commissioned by such groups as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New World Symphony, and the American Composers Orchestra.
Before winning a Grammy Award for her part in the Metropolitan Opera production of Porgy and Bess, opera singer Angel Blue graduated from UCLA Alpert in 2007.
Composer Jake Heggie’s successes began even while he was studying at UCLA, having won the Henry Mancini Award in 1987. Since then, Heggie has contributed to several new American operas, such as Dead Man Walking and Moby-Dick.
Tips for Getting Accepted to UCLA Herb Alpert
Here are some tips for getting accepted to UCLA Herb Alpert:
- The main UC application is important to fill out, particularly the section called “Personal Insight Questions”, or PIQs. Being able to clearly convey leadership & musical experience in these essays can be crucial for your admission.
- Find ways to interact with faculty members before sending an application, taking advantage of trial lessons with performers or volunteer opportunities with recording and engineering teachers. Not only will these opportunities give you insight into the methods at UCLA Alpert, but they’ll also show initiative.
- Look for ways to show diversity in your portfolio. If jazz, show a variety of genres in the standards you choose, such as blues + ballad, etc. If applying for music industry, showing musical & technical strengths in your original portfolio is essential for admission.
Finally, remember that Alpert is part of UCLA, a liberal arts university.
Your full academic track record matters, not just your musical ability. A high GPA and strong academic track record will show admissions boards that you take education seriously and want a well-rounded education.
If you can demonstrate the ability to learn and basic mental discipline in addition to musical skills, you’ll be a much more attractive candidate to UCLA Alpert.
