Introduction
Music gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind and life to everything. This quote is considered very fitting considering the current status of music worldwide. It is heard by all irrespective of race, gender, religion and even boundaries of a nation. The reasons for listening might vary though, most people listen for motivation, getting over losses, internalizing happiness and is also heard from an escapist perspective. This is where music universities came in; previously where musicians only relied on their singing and instrument playing abilities, nowadays they have degrees associated with those exact talents, to make them all the more renowned in the field.
History
Music has been in existence for the past 500,000 years and one of the first recorded music school in the world was Schola Cantorum which was led by Gregory the Great. Wells Cathedral School in England was probably the next one to gain importance and to date educates choristers and instrumentalists. Other famous ancient music universities included the Saint Martial School and Notre Dame School amongst other prominent names. The course outline in these universities however, focused on traditional themes of music and playing of instruments. It was not until the mid 19th Century that other forms like Pop, Rock and Rap and instruments like drum kits, acoustic and bass guitars. The importance of music was being realized by powerful bodies and The Child’s Bill of Rights in Music, declaring the fundamental rights of gaining music centered education was passed in 1950. A few years ago this was considered a taboo and was not seen as a successful venture, now music universities are receiving increased support and enrollment with admission restrictions being applied.
Features
Berklee College of Music is the single most renowned and one of the Ivy League music universities. The admission criterion is tough and applicants are required to show a passion and strong taste in contemporary music to make it into this prestigious school. They provide over a dozen performance and non-performance majors that have given the music industry today artists like Steve Vai and Joey Kramer. Full Sail University yin Florida has a complete music school that recently achieved 13 Grammy Awards with the aid of its past graduates. Their curriculum focuses on both contemporary and traditional forms of music, depending upon student preference. Students with prior experience of instruments are given more precedence than others. These music universities whether private and expensive or even publically owned give students diverse options, to study music as a theory or in practical terms. Practical portion can include singing, playing various instruments and on the stop innovation and performances. Studying theory would consist of reading upon the history of music with reference to particular ages or just researching on popular music personalities who have contributed extensively to the field.
Tips and comments
Laid back students might feel music universities are a piece of cake, but that is not the case. They require extensive dedication and efforts to make it through and achieve a decent GPA. Everything from one’s singing voice to instrument playing capabilities is graded strictly. Sometimes music universities might even call in their expert alumni to give a lecture or speech about the importance of making it in the industry and how to treat music like a passion rather than a money earning source.
