Music Colleges in US?

Question

What would you, as a professional, consider to be the best music schools in the US for classical piano?

Answer 1

It really depends on what you want from the program. Do you want to be a concert pianist? Juliard or Eastman are always good places to consider if you've got the chops for it. However, the downside with conservatories is that you don't get the same education in other areas. If there is a chance that you will end up doing anything other than a concert pianist you might want to consider going to a university that will offer a more rounded education. (Don't worry, you will still have plenty of time to practice.)

If you go with the second option some places to consider would be University of Michigan, Indiana University to name a few. If you happen to want to be in the south, University of North Carolina at Greensboro has a great program as well.

The biggest thing that you need to do before choosing any school, no matter what the reputation is would be to take a lesson from one of the piano professors. This applies especially if you major in performance and not education. The truth is for music schools that reputation means absolutely nothing if you don't work well with your private teacher.

Answer 2

All of these schools are quite good (in no particular order):
Juilliard
Eastman
University of Michigan
Indiana University
Oberlin
University of Cincinnati
San Fransisco Conservatory
Northwestern Univerity
Cleveland Institute of Music
Florida State University
Rice University
New England Conservatory
Curtis Institute of Music
Ithaca
Manhattan School of Music
Mannes

You really should go and take a lesson everywhere and see if you can find a teacher who is a good fit for you. That is more important than the reputation of the school. A really good teacher can take you much further than a simple reputation. Take this from an Eastman grad.

Answer 3

So far, you have three responses form people who do not know how to spell Juilliard. Clearly, *they* must be experts . . .

Advise about taking a lesson (or at least, very thoroughly investigating) YOUR prospective teacher is very wise. There are four people in this family (me, husband, son, DIL) who are multi-degreed music professionals - 3 have degrees in piano. For that part of our education, we attended Hartt, Boston University, and Temple. To that list for your consideration add Juilliard, Manhattan, Oberlin, Eastman, and then begins an enormous list of state schools. The reality is that you are NOT going to make a living as a concert pianist, or anything CLOSE to that. We all work in education, and perform when and where we wish. My performing colleagues who MUST perform then also must take EVERY gig that comes up, not matter how far away and poorly-paying; they have no retirement, benefits, health insurance - you name it.

So - if you are independently wealthy, then by all means choose your school on the basis of an outstanding teacher, a great URBAN (that's where all the good music is, my friend) location, and a well-rounded offering of other classes. IF you need to *make a living* when you get out - then that is an entirely different topic.

Answer 4

Tough call. I know people who graduated from many of the schools that people have recommended. Some of the best musicians I know, however went to schools that are much less well known. I graduated from The Peabody Conservatory, where as my Fiance graduated from SUNY Binghamton. I will never be half the musician she is, even though I graduated from a school with (some would say) more prestige. To a great degree, a school is only going to be as good as you make it. It is much more important to find a teacher who you connect with. If you end up with the wrong teacher, the best school in the world will do you little good.

Answer 5

If you want to specialize in being a classical concert pianist, then Juliard, Eastman or Oberlin. They are the best three.

Answer 6

I don't know specifically for classical piano, but if you want a name brand school with great name recognition, try oberlin, julliard, or boston conservatory.

Answer 7

most of us like to paint a more optimistic view of a professional career as a performer but Mamianka's answers tend to be closer to reality than the rest of us like to verbalize .... take the information you have gotten but take Mamianka's answer to heart .... and do not dismiss it