The Berklee College of Music's strength is in contemporary music, the art of music and the business of music. They offer both performance and nonperformance majors. The school was founded by Lawrence Berk, an arranger with the CBS and NBC radio orchestras, who desired a practical school that would teach contemporary music and practical career preparation for working musicians.
Berklee College of Music
1140 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215
617-266-1400
berklee.edu
The Cleveland Institute of Music turns out professional working musicians; according to their website, 80% of its graduates "perform with the world's most acclaimed musical organizations, in major national and international orchestras and opera companies, as soloists and in chamber ensembles, and hold prominent teaching positions around the world." They offer undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees, as well as a professional studies certificate and an Artist Diploma.
Cleveland Institute of Music
11021 East Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
216-791-5000
cim.edu
The Curtis Institute of Music is one of the world's most famous conservatories. Its student body is small, with only approximately 165 students studying a year. Every student admitted to the conservatory is given a full-tuition scholarship. Students are immersed in performance opportunities, allowing them to develop as world-class artists and performers.
Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6187
215-893-5252
curtis.edu
The Jacobs School of Music is a college within Indiana University. Its Opera Theater is the only university opera that has ever been invited to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Every year, approximately 1,600 students study in a conservatory-like setting that also offers the academic offerings of a top-notch university. The school holds more than 1,100 performances a year, including seven fully-staged operas.
Jacobs School of Music
1201 E. Third Street
Merrill Hall 003
Bloomington, IN 47405-2200
812-855-1583
music.indiana.edu
The Juilliard School is one of the most famous conservatories in the world, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. Approximately 800 undergraduate and graduate students study dance, visual art, drama and music every year. Acceptance to Julliard is very selective: in 2007, 162 students were admitted from a pool of 2,138 application for admission.
The Julliard School
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023
212-799-5000
julliard.edu
The Manhattan School of Music has approximately 275 faculty members to teach 800 students a year. Its setting in New York City allows students to be immersed in an environment of high-caliber performances. With over 400 concerts, recitals and master classes a year, students have many performance opportunities to develop as working musicians. They offer undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and diplomas.
Manhattan School of Music
120 Claremont Avenue
New York, NY 10027
212-749-2802
msmnyc.edu
The New England Conservatory is the oldest independent conservatory in the United States and the only music school that has been declared a National Historic Landmark. Approximately 750 students do undergraduate and graduate studies a year. The programs offered are the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts, as well as the Undergraduate Diploma, Graduate Diploma and Artist Diploma. Double degree programs with Harvard University and Tufts University are available.
New England Conservatory
290 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115-5018
617-585-1100
necmusic.edu
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is the oldest conservatory of music in the United States that has been continuously operating. It has eight undergraduate majors with private study in 32 areas. It enrolls approximately 615 students a year, with a student/faculty ratio of 7:1.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music
39 West College Street
Oberlin, OH 44074
440-774-7722
new.oberlin.edu/conservatory/
The San Francisco Conservatory of Music opened in 1917 as the Ada Clement Piano School. In the 1920s, composer Ernest Bloch was named director. The faculty comprises of members of the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Opera. As the only conservatory on the west coast, it offers undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees in composition, conducting, chamber music and orchestral instruments.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
50 Oak Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-864-7326
sfcm.edu
The Kaplan/Newsweek Guide called the Eastman School of Music the hottest music school in 2008. In individual areas, Eastman ranked 1st in composition, instrumental performance, music education and piano performance; 2nd in conducting, jazz and piano/organ/keyboard; and 4th in opera and vocal performance.
University of Rochester
Eastman School of Music
26 Gibbs Street
Rochester, NY 14604
585-274-1000
esm.rochester.edu