The path to a successful music career takes a long time and is challenging. Yet, it will reward those that are courageous and dedicated enough to go after it.
The music field spans classical performances to production engineering, business, pedagogy, etc.
The boundaries between these fields have become more blurred in the past since musicians have been required to become more adaptable professionally.
The days are gone when instrumentalists were able to practice, get experience in performance and compete in the market.
Today, business acumen or production expertise is often required to enhance the value of a performer when booking gigs or recording.
One of the most important things you need to do while at the high school level determines which institutions you’ll try to join in the next few days and weeks. Based on the subject you wish to learn, there can be many choices that are likely to declare to have the ideal suitable for you.
Suppose you’re planning to pursue a career in music. In that case, you’re both fortunate and constrained in the field of college according to your level of optimism. Many schools offer music programs; however, only a few have earned solid reputations as top educational leaders, and these are the ones you should choose.
Many students would love to go to these schools, and spots are available. However, since there aren’t many adored outstanding options and the competition is less crowded, it could be more challenging to get noticed and eventually be admitted to a college or university. You’ll have a lot of work for you if you’re hoping for admissions officers to view your application with a smile. To be fair or not, it’s the way these things work.
If you’re starting to think about where you can go to learn music, think about these ten universities and colleges.
Best Music schools in the world
In no specific order, here are our choices for the top music schools around the globe include:
- The Juilliard School
- Berklee College of Music
- Yale School of Music
- New England Conservatory of Music
- University of Southern California Thornton School of Music
- Curtis Institute of Music
- The Royal Academy of Music
- Royal College of Music
- Indiana University – The Jacobs School of Music
- Mannes School of Music
The Juilliard School
Location: New York City, NY
Founded: 1905
Notable Alumni: Barry Manilow, Yo-Yo Ma, John Williams
The Juilliard School, also known as Juilliard in the way that most people refer to it, is considered the most highly regarded performing arts school around the globe as per a variety of rankings released each year. The school teaches students in various verticals, including acting, dancing, and music, which it is perhaps most well-known for.
The school is located near the equally prestigious Lincoln Center, which plays host to some of the finest live music performances that can be seen anywhere, focusing on opera and classical. These are excellent options for those who might like to compose or join an orchestra. However, it’s not ideal for those who want to write more popular and contemporary music.
Berklee College of Music
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1945
Notable Alumni: Melissa Etheridge, Quincy Jones, John Mayer
Contrary to many other music programs across the globe, Berklee College of Music is focused on creating musicians who eventually be top of the charts and dominate the conversation about pop culture. Many students who have made it big doesn’t belong to orchestras or write classical compositions; instead, they’ve centered their efforts on rock, pop, and other contemporary genres.
Yale School of Music
Location: New Haven, CT
Founded: 1894
Notable Alumni: Marco Beltrami, Michael Daugherty, Matt Brubeck
Yale does not need an introduction, but unfortunately, most people do not know about the music school since other departments receive the bulk of the attention. The renowned musical wing at Yale is famous worldwide, and it’s not just due to its name. It’s truly earned its reputation for excellence. It lives up to the Yale name, producing a variety of exceptionally talented musicians.
New Haven, Connecticut is a city that is smaller with none of the glamour of (relatively) close by NYC; however, it’s worthwhile when you graduate from college and have Yale as a reference on your resume.
New England Conservatory of Music
Location: Boston, MA
Founded: 1867
Notable Alumni: Neal E. Boyd, Aoife O’Donovan, Vic Firth
Sure it’s not the only time that a Boston college is on the list! Although Berklee receives a lot of the attention collegiately devoted to music in Beantown, there’s plenty of space to include The New England Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music since they don’t coincide very much. With the number of schools in such a compact space, it’s hard to exclude more than one school in the city from any list of top universities.
In a world where Berklee is dedicated to creating hitmakers and pop stars, the NECM focuses on keeping their eyes (and ears) on helping people with a desire to play become the best performers playing woodwind, strung, and brass instruments.
University of Southern California Thornton School of Music
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Founded: 1884
Notable Alumni: Herb Alpert, James Newton Howard, James Horner
The Thornton School of Music is one of America’s most storied musical schools. It has benefited from more than 100 years of understanding the skills required to become the perfect musician. It was established just four years itself was set. While the school is focused on classical, jazz, and other earlier styles of music, it also offers a renowned program for people who wish to enter the music industry, even though they might not be musicians themselves.
If you’re looking to be on the creative side, being an artist taking classes that help you understand what’s happening in the industry can benefit you. These are the ideal location to get an integrated education. Students interested in becoming Music Business majors should be aware of this college. USC additionally has solid ties to the industry of film music.
Curtis Institute of Music
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Founded: 1924
Notable Alumni: Leonard Bernstein, David Brooks, Lang Lang
Although it isn’t widely known for being one of the best musical cities in America, Philadelphia has at least one gem that anyone considering attending college to learn the art should look at at the Curtis Institute of Music. Although you may not have heard of it, everyone who works in the opera field (the school’s specialization) has! The school has just turned on a hundred years of existence and has been making some of the world’s best musicians for quite a while.
It’s notoriously hard to get accepted since it accepts less than 5 percent of applicants. Therefore, you’ll need to prove something unique if you wish to get here.
The Royal Academy of Music
Location: London, UK
Founded: 1822
Notable Alumni: Elton John, Annie Lennox
Suppose you’re planning to travel to another country while pursuing your musical studies. In that case, the Royal Academy of Music may be just what you’re looking for. The school welcomes students from all over the world. Therefore, you’ll be likely to be accepted, but you’ll have to be excellent to be part of the coming class. These are one school that can afford to be very selective.
It is linked to The University of London, which can help when you’re seeking to learn something different from musical instruments (in addition to being a professional artist naturally).
Royal College of Music
Location: London, UK
Founded: 1882
Notable Alumni: Andrew Lloyd Webber, James Horner, Vanessa-Mae
When it comes to London, If you are unable to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Music, there are plenty of other options in this great city. And the second option that you should consider must include The Royal College of Music. Both of these universities belong to the ABRSM (the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music), Four excellent schools of education in the U.K. committed to teaching and educating students about the craft of performing.
Two of the four are in London, where you’re likely to want to reside if you’re considering moving to the United States to attend college. Alongside helping students develop into better musicians and musicians, the Royal College of Music does extensive research on everything related to performances, which affects the teaching method, how live events are staged, and how structures are constructed.
Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University
Location: Bloomington, IN
Notable Alumni: Joshua Bell, Carl Broemel
It might not be as impressive as the other schools listed on this list and doesn’t have the same name recognition to help employers notice you just because of the name. Still, the Jacobs School of Music, located at Indiana University, offers the most likely acceptance rate for numerous up-and-coming musicians. Many of the schools I’ve mentioned previously only accept a handful of new students every year. Still, it is Jacobs School has almost 2,000 students at any time.
Since it is a public institution, the option is typically available at a lower cost than other private schools, specifically for students living in the area.
Mannes School of Music
Location: New York City, NY
Founded: 1916
Notable Alumni: Burt Bacharach
A different New York City school, I know. However, there’s a reason why so many of these schools are inside New York City. Big Apple!
While it isn’t easy to get a foothold being an accomplished musician in the largest city in America, it is also the place that is the center where the majority of the industry’s music is based. The students of Mannes School of Music benefit not just from outstanding professors with decades and years of expertise but also from being a short train ride away from endless opportunities for jobs, internships, and opportunities to perform at any time they want.
Additionally, in the New School, which houses another college for artists, Parsons (known for being among the top in the world of fashion), there is a wealth of facilities and professors willing to assist in every way they can to make your career a success.
Other Music Schools that are good all over the world
There aren’t 10 top music schools around the world. There are many. If you aren’t able to get into the schools listed above or need to expand your search, you can do so by kicking things off.
Below are ten more institutions worth a look at (which could be all included in a different piece):
- San Francisco Conservatory of Music – San Francisco, CA
- Boston Conservatory at Berklee The Boston Conservatory at Berklee Boston, MA (yes, another school in Berklee’s more fantastic Berklee organization)
- The Johns Hopkins University – Peabody Institute, Baltimore, MD
- Cleveland Institute of Music – Cleveland, OH
- Northwestern University – Bienen School of Music, Evanston, IL
- Oberlin College – Oberlin Conservatory, Oberlin, OH
- Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Paris, FRANCE
- The University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music – Rochester, NY
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama – London, UK
- Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, NORWAY
Commonly asked questions regarding how to choose the Best Music Schools in the world.
Which is the most challenging music school to enter?
In 2019 in 2019 in 2019, the Curtis Institute of Music was the most challenging music school to gain admission to. Curtis is a small school with a 4.5 percent acceptance rate. Contrastingly, Harvard has a 4.7 percent acceptance rate, and Stanford has a 4.4 percent acceptance rate. While this number fluctuates each season, Curtis’s acceptance rates remain stable between 4-5 %.
All students at Curtis receive a full-tuition scholarship, so it makes sense that the school is so competitive. Especially when you learn that enrollment ranges from 150-to 175 students, past students have included legendary figures such as Lang Lang, Leonard Bernstein, and Hilary Hahn. Any students accepted at Curtis can be assured of being in the company of legends!
Is Harvard good for music?
It’s not a reason to be surprised that Harvard is a top choice for music. The rigorous music program at Harvard generally includes about 50 undergraduate or 70 master’s students. So individual attention is the goal, and admissions are highly competitive.
Alumni include the 2017 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy winner Forrest O’Connor, Hamilton Assistant Conductor Kurt Crowley, and 2020 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award winner Aram Demirjian.
IS Berklee worth the cost?
If you’re searching for an experience at a university that will concentrate on your musical skills and the entrepreneurship abilities you’ll require to establish an enviable career in the music business, Berklee College of Music is a great option. The school boasts a 47.6 percent acceptance rate, which means it’s more accessible than conservatory programs such as Curtis or Juilliard and Juilliard. The training you get will be top-quality and comprehensive.
To gain experience and an experience that is practical in the business of music, Berklee is one of the top college options. Students will get to know professionals working in the field and gain from the many real-world industry associations on campus, including radio stations, record labels, and recording studios. Students also benefit from long-lasting internship relationships and regular networking opportunities with industry professionals since, after all, every person on campus has a connection to the music industry at some point.
