JibriaCodman1
What colleges best support the performing arts? Please help!!!
I am a 10th grade student in Boston that has a lot of different talents that connect to the music industry. I sing, dance, and act, but I don't know what college I want to go to. It must have courses in the arts! #singing #actress #dancing #performing
2 answers
Chloebaker
Chloebaker’s Answer
That depends a lot on the type of performing arts you're interested in.
If you interested in acting, some of the top program are:
- American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco
- The Actor's STudio at Pace University, in New York
- California Institute of the Arts School of Theater (CalArts)
- Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg
If you're interested in dance, some programs to look into are:
- Juiliard
- State University of New York, Purchase
- NYU's Tisch School of the Arts
- Fordham University's program with the Ailey school
- Indiana University at Butler
If you're interested in voice, the options are very different for classical vs. popular music. Some programs for popular music include:
- University of Southern California in Los Angeles
- Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (more for jazz)
- Keep in mind that some vocal departments are located in music departments and others are in theater departments
Richard A. (Tony) Eckel
Richard A. (Tony)’s Answer
My neighbor was a performer who was heart set on a career in musical performance - and I asked her, "What is your Plan-B?"
She said, "I don't have one! I don't need one!" She needed a Plan-B. So think about whether music is your passion or simply your ego; it's a tough lesson to learn at 30 that you should have kept a second passion in reserve.
The performing arts are a profession for the very talented, and the question you need to ask is: "Do I Really Have The Talent to Earn a Living being a Performer?" You're at an age where you need to be professionally evaluated and trained, both to determine your range, as well as to prevent injury to your voice. Like an elite runner or gymnast, your performance is based on physical training of about a pound of cartilage and boney structure in your head to form sounds. As you transition through puberty, it will change in size and shape causing the "sound" to change as well. Training in voice is very specialized and required to raise a "good" voice to the elite level. At your age it is also very easy to damage your voice permanently; don't force your voice EVER! Vocal performance at a professional level requires an ability to "hear" as well as perform, so explore all areas of music to develop listening and protect your hearing! Interestingly, what you hear is not what others hear, so listen to yourself via recordings to gain greater understanding of your instrument.
Without hearing your instrument - there is no way to evaluate your personal capability, but that is where you need to see a voice coach to provide a realistic evaluation. Ask your choir/chorus director for a recommendation; do not trust those close to you to be objective evaluators. Do not accept a "Free" evaluation because no one in the industry does anything for free. Many are looking for new paying students and that will shade their evaluation to generate revenue from you. BEWARE.
There are many schools with great music focus, as close as Boston University, or less prestigious like SUNY Potsdam. They will train you in the underlying industry giving you the introduction to its workings, as well as other options to performing. Seeking a community college will be more difficult, but Bunker Hill and Roxbury offer programs in your area that may provide the foundation for greater development of your talents.
Develop your creativity as well - a "voice" in the industry does not "own" their asset; it is rented out per performance. When you own the music, you are paid every time your music is played. If it is you performing your music, you own the gate (and pay for the expenses, but that is a different story altogether). Wherever you take your talent, keep yourself grounded with folks you can trust. It is too easy and common for performers to be manipulated and exploited by the unscrupulous. Learn the financial side of the business to help protect your earnings and value.
As said earlier, have a Plan-B. You may think that a Plan-B will reduce your motivation or "drive to succeed". Counterintuitively, Plan-B will actually expand opportunity by allowing more patience, selectivity, and/or risk in how you advance your career. Take a fighter pilot for example; would they be willing to operate such a dangerous aircraft if they didn't have an ejection seat?
Good luck and be careful - it is a jungle out there.
Tony