A. Kori Hill

So, you’ve started prepping for your audition, and you know what major and degree you want to pursue. But there’s still a choice to make: should you go to a conservatory, a school of music, or a department of music??

It depends on what you’re looking for. If you want a program that focuses on performance, you’ll want to consider a Conservatory. While some conservatories are individual institutions, like The Juilliard School, the New England Conservatory of Music, and The Curtis Institute of Music, many are affiliated with a university, like UC’s College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music. Conservatories can also have musical theatre, ballet, and production programs, so you’ll be able to not only access a wide network of professional and semi-professional musicians but also dancers, actors, producers, costume designers, stagehands, and more. You will be in an environment that allows you to eat, sleep, and breathe your craft. 

A School of Music is similar in that it provides a high level of training, but with a bigger emphasis on the liberal arts curriculum. For my first graduate degree, I wanted to attend West Virginia University, which has a School of Music. Because I was in a master’s program, I didn’t spend a lot of time outside the music building. Still, my experience was nonetheless a nice balance because I chose to double major in performance and music history. While not out of the question at a conservatory, this double dipping is more common within a School of Music and a Department of Music. 

A Department of Music is smaller than a School of Music and often facilitates more interaction between music majors and minors and folks from other programs. For my undergraduate degree, I chose Miami University, which has a Department of Music. I met many people in the marching band and those taking private lessons who were either pre-med or pursuing a degree outside of music. I was also able to improve my skill on the violin and pursue a research project, ultimately leading to me becoming a musicologist! I purposely chose a liberal arts university because I knew I wanted an experience where I could easily meet and connect with students from other programs. 

Now, there are exceptions. There are Schools of Music like the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music that are very performance focused; Departments of Music like my alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where you can get a MA/PhD in musicology; and Conservatories like Boston Conservatory at Berklee, which you can blur the boundaries between classical and jazz, as so many others have done.  

Just like picking your degree, applying to colleges that align with what you’re looking for requires research and asking questions: about the faculty, the environment, funding options, and the community you’re joining. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! And remember: if you get to a place and you’re not vibing, you can always transfer!