# [Help]Choosing a Undergraduate Music School. Major is Composition.



## YigeChen (Mar 15, 2017)

Friends, this is the case: I'm now accepted by Berklee, UNT, and UIUC and I know all of them have decent BM Composition programs, which makes me hard to choose cuz I have plenty of reasons to choose either of them. I really wish that you can give me some advice. Thanks a lot!


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

If it's just for contemporary Classical composition = Illinois
If it's just for jazz/commercial writing = Berklee
If it's for both some jazz and contemporary Classical = UNT


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## YigeChen (Mar 15, 2017)

Vasks thanks so much for your input! I should have mentioned that I am a contemporary classical guy
It seems to me that Illinois has better facilities and professors, but UNT is more famous and accomplished. Is that true?


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

No, Illinois has had a big, strong vibrant composition for at least the past 50 years. Though they tended to lean toward the more advanced technique/electronic type of compositions (I don't know if that's still the case however)

UNT is a very good program. A bit more diverse and the composers that were there in the past were more "traditional' than those of Illinois.

Maybe if I could see the current comp faculty of both I could quickly tell if what was true in the past still holds up.


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## YigeChen (Mar 15, 2017)

Vasks said:


> No, Illinois has had a big, strong vibrant composition for at least the past 50 years. Though they tended to lean toward the more advanced technique/electronic type of compositions (I don't know if that's still the case however)
> 
> UNT is a very good program. A bit more diverse and the composers that were there in the past were more "traditional' than those of Illinois.
> 
> Maybe if I could see the current comp faculty of both I could quickly tell if what was true in the past still holds up.


Wow very specific comparision! Thanks a lot!
Illinois had Eli Fieldsteel(http://www.elifieldsteel.com/about) as the director of their experimental music studio last year and Prof. Sever Tipei is still there(http://ems.music.uiuc.edu/people/tipei/). Here is the complete list of Illinois comp facultyhttps://music.illinois.edu/people?category=16&title=
As to UNT, it seems that their faculty hasn't changed for around four years.http://composition.music.unt.edu/faculty


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

Very interesting for several reasons. First, there are no "big names" at either school (I really expected at least one at Illinois, although undergrads very rarely get to study with a big name). Second, there are as many "experimental" composers at UNT as there are at Illinois.

So, I can offer no more advice except: (1) Study the other non-composition music divisions/ensembles to see what seems more attractive (2) If there is any way to find out how much each comp. dept. offers performance/reading/recording opportunities for undergrad comp students (you want as much as you can get to build a portfolio and learn from your mistakes) (3) which area of the country do you prefer to live. 

Good luck. Whatever you decide, you'll have a ball. I loved those days of being an undergrad comp. student even though it was over 40 years ago.


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