looking into colleges

[greggmanX-Kingsmen]

Why don't you look at the University of Southern California? The Spirit of Troy, aka "The Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe," has appeared on the Grammy’s, Oscars, performed with Outkast, The Offspring, John Williams, George Clinton and recorded a song (Tusk) with Fleetwood Mac. They go to either Europe, or Asia, every year and appear on T.V. during the Rose Bowl or BCS Championship game almost every year.

Going to USC puts you in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world where many musicians are employed either in Hollywood or higher education. In fact, Herb Alpert is an alum of the band.

Fight On!

http://www.usc.edu/dept/band/home/index.php

Edited January 4, 2007 by greggmanX-Kingsmen

[shawn craig]

I would assume any music ed program worth anything would require that. I graduated from Montclair State in NJ back in 75, and I was required to do four semesters of choir, even though my primary instrument was percussion.

At the time the instrumental majors had to take voice class but I don't think they were required to take choir. Voice classes are fine but it's not the same as choir.

I know vocal majors have to take some instrument classes but many never play in an instrumental ensemble. Don't know what music schools require currently.

[MikeD]

At the time the instrumental majors had to take voice class but I don't think they were required to take choir. Voice classes are fine but it's not the same as choir.

I know vocal majors have to take some instrument classes but many never play in an instrumental ensemble. Don't know what music schools require currently.

Wow, that is odd....at Montclair in my day the voice folks had to take some sort of instrumental ensemble...many ended up with us in the percussion section.

[shawn craig]

Wow, that is odd....at Montclair in my day the voice folks had to take some sort of instrumental ensemble...many ended up with us in the percussion section.

I think, in part, it's becuase the school of music was so large, especially the band department. We already had 4 concert bands so if the vocal folks had to play even a semester in a band or orchestra it would have meant adding more groups.

That's not to say many of us didn't both sing and play, but it wasn't required.

[MikeD]

I think, in part, it's becuase the school of music was so large, especially the band department. We already had 4 concert bands so if the vocal folks had to play even a semester in a band or orchestra it would have meant adding more groups.

That's not to say many of us didn't both sing and play, but it wasn't required.

Interesting how various schools do/did it.

I had never performed with a choir prior to college, and I absolutely LOVED it. After the first semester I auditioned for and made the Concert Choir, the top one in the school at the time. It was a gas.

[The Oz]

<snip>

I forgot U Del. A very nice marching band and overall good school. Do the sousas still snake their way onto the field?

<snip>

Mike,

My daughter auditioned at UDel and played under Ms. Sarver in Southeast PA District Band. I've never seen the UDel band, so I can't answer your question. I do know that Ms. Sarver marched with Reading and participates in George Parks's summer programs. Pretty good credentials.

PS - Just to stir the pot - My daughters thoughts on woodwinds in drum corps (and remember, she is a woodwind performer), "That would be wrong!"

[socalcontra]

First of all, I'd go to a college where they actually offer a Bachelor of Music degree in music education. Most people don't realize how much more goes into a BM degree than a BA degree in music. Not to say that you wouldn't learn how to do your job as a teacher or performer with a BA degree, but the BM is more indepth in the requirements. Here's a synopsis of what I took at Long Beach State in the '80s:

Music Theory-Musicianship and Harmony (as seperate classes-1 year), Counterpoint, Musical Form, Materials of Modern Music (one semester each);

Music History-3 sememsters (Medieval to Renaissance, Baroque to Classical, Romantic to modern)BTW, enjoy Grout!;

Ethnomusicology (one semester)

Piano (4 semesters including a proficiency test WITH sightreading and sight transposing);

Flute/Sax

Clarinet

Oboe/Bassoon

Upper Brass

Lower Brass

Percussion

Upper Strings (violin/viola)

Lower Strings (cello/bass)

Guitar (took that at LBCC-couldn't fit it in at LB State)

Voice class

(those are one semester classes-I passed out of the brass classes by proficiency tests)

Introduction to music education (one semester)

Marching Band Techniques (one semester)

Teaching Strings (one semester)

Scoring and Arranging (one semester)

Instrumental conducting (one year)

Lab Band (pre-observation of music programs/classes out in the field-one year)

7 semesters of private instruction on my major instrument (tuba) including a performance jury each semester.

7 semesters of listening to your classmates perform on their instruments (concurrent with the private instruction). You were required to play once a semester in front of the other majors (you had to go 2x a week and sit in the recital hall).

1 semester for senior recital preparation/performance

Performing in at least one performing ensemble during your undergraduate work on your major instrument (better make sure you go to a college with a marching band-mine does not have one anymore). You might want to pick up a second instrument and join the #2 or #3 band (if they have one). I also took brass ensemble about 4 times (which had it's ups and downs).

While doing all that, I marched in the Blue Devils for 3 years (and yes, I took full loads every semester-if not more!). I also worked at a local h.s. as an assistant band director/music aide for 4 years (paid for 15 hours a week, I worked 30-40 hours-or more!).

I threw in an avant garde music and art class, a science class on acoustics and music, and a general history class that was music based. Including the other GE classes I had to take-it took 5 years for my BM (some took longer but no one got out any earlier that I know of that did a BM program). Most colleges, you take about 1/2 of that load for a BA degree in music. More is better when it comes to teacher preparation. The 6th year I worked on my teaching credential, which included general studies in the educational process and a seminar approach to the music major, culminating in student teaching the spring semester. I also took techniques of choral singing, choral repertoire (which, you do have to sing in that class) and sang in men's chorus while working on my credential (thought that might come in handy if I had to teach choir, which I haven't yet in 20 years). If you want to be a good music teacher, then this is the road to go. Anything less prepares you less for what you'll need to know out in the field. Too many colleges try to cram it all in 4 years (including your credential). If you don't know the three ways to play Bb on a sax, putting on a violin string in less than 2 minutes or showing your percussionists how to do the different roll strokes, don't expect to be an effective teacher (and trust me, there's a lot more of those things you'll need to know when you work with kids). Don't expect in your first year you'll have a "pro" to teach those things to your students/individual sections. If you do, you have awesome boosters! Trouble is, what happens when you have to go it alone (or you start that way)? I hope you got the training you needed in college. ;)

[Jared_mello]

I like John Mayer's new single.

He's a very talented musician. I like a decent amount of his music. My roommate from last year, who is a jazz guitar major (and literally one of the best jazz guitarists I've ever heard, no joke), pretty much only listens to blues, jazz....and John Mayer. I most definitely don't get how people can accuse him of "selling out" when once he got popular and well known and all, he collaborated with some AMAZING musicians and put out a blues CD; his original passion.

Off topic, I know, but I had wanted to say that for a few pages now. His music doesn't necessarily showcase all of his talents (mainly referring to the earlier solo stuff), and a decent amount of it is a bit too simple for my liking (though the lyrics are usually good even in those cases), but for those hastily labeling him as a pop star without any credibility or ability to play the guitar, you should take the time to reconsider. Not too much time, since there definitely are much better guitarists out there, obviously (I currently have a Nick Drake song in my head; he's an unbelievable guitar player), but at least a little time.

[MikeD]

Mike,

My daughter auditioned at UDel and played under Ms. Sarver in Southeast PA District Band. I've never seen the UDel band, so I can't answer your question. I do know that Ms. Sarver marched with Reading and participates in George Parks's summer programs. Pretty good credentials.

When my daughter was in HS, she attended the Vivace/Parks camps three years....as bass drum section leader in 10th grade and DM in 11th and 12th.

PS - Just to stir the pot - My daughters thoughts on woodwinds in drum corps (and remember, she is a woodwind performer), "That would be wrong!"

No prob..to each their own POV.

[JayM]

He's a very talented musician. I like a decent amount of his music. My roommate from last year, who is a jazz guitar major (and literally one of the best jazz guitarists I've ever heard, no joke), pretty much only listens to blues, jazz....and John Mayer. I most definitely don't get how people can accuse him of "selling out" when once he got popular and well known and all, he collaborated with some AMAZING musicians and put out a blues CD; his original passion.

Off topic, I know, but I had wanted to say that for a few pages now. His music doesn't necessarily showcase all of his talents (mainly referring to the earlier solo stuff), and a decent amount of it is a bit too simple for my liking (though the lyrics are usually good even in those cases), but for those hastily labeling him as a pop star without any credibility or ability to play the guitar, you should take the time to reconsider. Not too much time, since there definitely are much better guitarists out there, obviously (I currently have a Nick Drake song in my head; he's an unbelievable guitar player), but at least a little time.

Agreed. Regardless of what you (the general you) think of his music, you can't deny his talent. I'm not necessarily a huuuge fan, but I will say I own all of his commercial CDs.