One of the best colleges in the country for the study of music is the New England Conservatory (NEC). Founded in 1867, the NEC is a founding member of the National Association of Schools of Music. The school enrolls approximately 2,500 students each year. Of these, about 750 are college undergraduate or graduate students (the remainder are preparatory students and continuing education students). The school houses five different concert halls and offers college degrees in the fields of music education, music history and theory, orchestral instruments, orchestral conducting, piano, jazz and contemporary improvisation, world music and historical performance, composition and voice and opera. Degrees are offered in all of these areas at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. NEC students are regular recipients of major awards such as the Grammy Award and the international Rome Prize.
New England Conservatory
290 Huntington Ave
Boston MA 02115
617-585-1130
necmusic.edu
Oberlin College and Conservatory is home of the nation's oldest conservatory of music. Located in Oberlin, Ohio, the conservatory enrolls approximately 615 students per year and offers a plethora of degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Bachelor of Music (BM) program offers concentrations in the areas of composition, technology in music, performance, music study, jazz studies and music history. The school also offers a four semester performance diploma for those focused on a very narrow range of performance studies. Master's degrees include studies in the areas of conducting, opera theater, historical performance and music teaching. The school also offers and encourages students to pursue joint-degree programs with a second degree in the liberal arts in order to encourage a well-rounded education.
Oberlin College and Conservatory
39 W. College St.
Oberlin, OH 44074
617-585-1130
new.oberlin.edu/
The Juilliard School in New York, New York, is probably the most recognizable name in education in the performing arts. What sets Juilliard apart from the NEC and Oberlin College is its focus on drama and dance in addition to music. Originally founded as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, Juilliard quickly outgrew its original location and the original emphasis on music training. Today its music program is still among the best in the world. Like the NEC, Juilliard has both a college division and a preparatory studies program. At the undergraduate level, Juilliard offers the BM in the areas of composition, voice, guitar, piano, harpsichord, organ, orchestral instruments and jazz studies. Master's level programs include the areas of collaborative piano, composition, conducting and most of the other areas covered by the undergraduate program.
The Juilliard School
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023
212-799-5000
juilliard.edu