Music students have been studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music since it was established in 1917. Located in the San Francisco Bay area, it is the only school of its type on the West Coast. The Conservatory aims to provide each student with a supportive and intimate environment that encourages them to find their own musical voices, inspired by a faculty that are rich in experience as musicians and composers. The school offers undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees in subjects including chamber music, orchestral instruments and conducting. A range of adult education and pre-college education courses are also available.
The California College of Music, founded by a Grammy-award winning faculty, aims to prepare students for successful careers in the music industry, whether as musicians or audio engineers. Professional studio engineers and musicians introduce students to the skills and technical knowledge that are required to succeed in the industry and encourage them to develop a confident, well-rounded professional attitude. The school offers programs in music, engineering and music and artist development.
Established in 1884, The University of Southern California Thornton School of Music is the oldest continually operating cultural institution in Los Angeles. It is located to the south of downtown Los Angeles, in the heart of the Park Campus at USC. The conservatory-style education is billed by the university as within the top one percent of conservatories and music schools in the United States. The school's academic programs include opera, orchestral studies and jazz. It is also one of only a few schools to offer programs in early music, film scoring and scoring for television and film.
Located in Hollywood, California, the Musicians Institute prepares students for contemporary music careers. When the school first opened in 1977, it was known as the Guitar Institute of Technology. At this time, the school had a curriculum developed by the jazz guitarist Howard Roberts and was one of the only schools to offer a contemporary music program. Today, the Musicians Institute offers bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs in areas such as audio engineering, bass, drums, keyboard and contemporary music.