UCLA's Herb Alpert School of Music focuses on the musical styles of the last century. The faculty includes principal musicians with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, studio musicians and film composers, orchestra conductors and music scholars. Students specializing in performance present junior and senior recitals. Those following composition or music education plans have only a senior recital requirement. Students who qualify receive free private instruction from faculty members. Each year the school awards bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in music. Famous alumni include Jim Morrison and Randy Newman.
The Frost School of Music, created in 1926, is one of the largest music schools in America. Students may concentrate in conducting, music education, jazz, piano, voice or instrumental music. Those interested in the business end of music production may pursue that degree here. In fact, the University of Miami recently announced a new double degree in law and music that would prepare a student for a career in music business and entertainment law. Singer Gloria Estefan is probably the music school's best-known graduate.
With 600 students from more than 40 countries, the music division is the school's largest of three departments, ahead of dance and drama. Students have abundant performance opportunities in New York City from concert halls to jazz clubs. Juilliard offers all levels of music degrees, including doctoral. The school has established an exchange program with Barnard College and Columbia University that allows Juilliard students to earn required liberal arts electives at the two other schools. Many distinguished musicians hold degrees from Juilliard. Among them are classical performers Leontyne Price and Itzhak Perlman, jazzman Miles Davis and composers Marvin Hamlisch, Henry Mancini and Barry Manilow.
This school, north of Fort Worth and Dallas, is the nation's premier college for jazz studies. Its One O'Clock Lab Band, a large jazz ensemble, has performed all over the world. Jazz is not the only field of study at the UNT College of Music, however. Graduates have found careers in opera companies, symphony orchestras, military bands, classrooms and churches. Beginning with Pat Boone and Roy Orbison, some UNT music students have found great success in show business. Other alumni include Meat Loaf, Norah Jones, Don Henley of the Eagles and Lou Marini of the Blues Brothers band.