Berklee Music School, whose admission offices are located on 1140 Boylston Street in Boston, opened its doors about 50 years ago on the notion that the best way to prepare for careers in music is to study contemporary styles, as opposed to merely studying the classics, such as Beethoven, Bach or the opera. Lawrence Berk, a veteran arranger for the CBS and NBC orchestras, founded the school, which eventually became the college that honored late jazz great Duke Ellington as the school's first honorary doctorate, in 1971. Once hip hop became popular, the school invited Grandmaster Flash to teach a class. The college is small, with only 4,131 students in attendance. The school employs 524 faculty members, with an average class size of 11.
The New England Conservatory, located on 290 Huntington Avenue, began on Feb. 18, 1867. According to the NEC website, it was a founding member of the National Association of Schools of Music. As of 2009, there are 750 undergraduate students from 39 countries, as well as 325 continuing education students. The school accepts students of all ages, and even has a preparatory school for those as young as 3. You can major in a number of fields, such as jazz, orchestral, wind and chamber music, jazz, voice/opera and composition.
The Boston University School of Music is classic and traditional in its approach to music. It specializes in developing the talents of those interested in orchestral, or symphony music, and the opera. Its admissions process is quite selective. Teachers and alumni are members of major symphonies, opera groups and other colleges and universities. Entrance into this school is selective. According to the School of Music website, you must submit an online application. Then you must appear before the board for an artistic evaluation, which includes an audition.
The Yamaha Music School of Boston, located on 57 Bedford Street, in Lexington, about a half hour from Boston, offers music instruction from age 3 to adulthood. The Yamaha Music Schools is an international chain of schools in 40 countries. It opened the Boston branch in 2006. The institution instructs students based on the Yamaha method, which, according to the Octave Yamaha Music School website, teaches students to listen to a musical piece first, read the notes and then practice playing. it offers private lessons, as well as small classes, of five to eight students. All parents of younger students must attend an orientation for the first semester of the child's entry. You can elect to pay the tuition in full, or you can opt for the payment plan, which consists of a payment for each one of the semesters. A credit card is the only form of payment the school accepts.