The 20 Best Music Schools in the World

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As a seasoned professional in the world of film and music, I find myself constantly seeking out new and innovative programs that cater to the unique needs of aspiring composers in the realm of visual media scoring. The array of institutions listed here offers an impressive range of opportunities for those eager to delve into this fascinating and dynamic field.

For aspiring film and TV composers, the key phrase today is “technology.” Notably, esteemed institutions like Juilliard, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Yale have incorporated tech-focused programs, demonstrating that combining traditional composition with modern skills has become crucial. As Keith Mason, Belmont University’s coordinator for music technology, explains, “COVID has significantly shifted what it means to be a desktop digital musician, to the point where you can sit at your computer and essentially function as a one-person orchestra.” Veteran composer and orchestrator Conrad Pope, who has collaborated with numerous schools on THR‘s list of top music schools, emphasizes that mastering advanced technology can serve as a strong foundation for a composer’s talent: “Schools cannot give you an original voice. Creativity cannot be taught. However, they can teach the craft.

This year, we surveyed representatives from Hollywood’s Society of Composers and Lyricists, the Composers Diversity Collective, as well as music branch members from both the Motion Picture Academy and Television Academy, to help us determine our school ranking.

  • The Juilliard School

    Juilliard’s vaunted reputation continues to be the gold standard for music schools as it returns to the top of this list. Edward Bilous is the founding director of the school’s Center for Creative Technology and teaches more than two dozen students in composing for visual media and scoring to picture, and he leads an independent study in emerging and collaborative arts. Also offered is Art of the Score, a program in which Juilliard composers create original music for short films and visual media from around the world. This year, the college celebrated the 25th year of its Music Technology Center (now called the Center for Creative Technology) with the inaugural Future Stages Festival, a four-day event that screened a number of international shorts featuring music by Juilliard students. The school is also expanding classes to include composing for immersive experiences and installations in reaction to the growth in theatrical multimedia attractions. Students will get increased instruction in music production and mixing to meet this need. In February, the school featured a live collaboration between its New York and Tianjin, China, campuses with musicians simultaneously performing Terry Riley’s minimalist piece In C at Juilliard’s Center for Innovation in the Arts.

    TUITION $54,400

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Andrea Datzman (Inside Out 2), Jongnic Bontemps (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts)

  • USC Thornton School of Music

    USC Thornton seamlessly combines the academic rigor of a conservatory with an exceptional connection to Hollywood’s movie, TV, and music industries. In her third year as chair of the Screen Scoring program, Jeanine Cowen emphasizes the invaluable opportunities provided to students by working alongside entertainment professionals at the school. As Cowen puts it, “We serve as a breeding ground for incredibly talented, creative individuals who are honing their skills for real-world practice.” She continues to be astonished by the diverse community of creative people in Los Angeles. Alumnus Bear McCreary, composer of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, lauds USC as an excellent school for aspiring media composers, stating that being near filmmakers was crucial to his success: “If you don’t have film students living next door to you, you are essentially wasting your time.

    TUITION $69,904

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Benjamin Wallfisch (Twisters), Jason Graves (Gran Turismo)

    • Berklee College of Music

    Sean McMahon, chair of Berklee’s Screen Scoring program, has been consistently elevating Berklee’s media scoring prowess. He’s been attracting high-caliber visiting talent like composer Mychael Danna and Netflix VP music Amy Dunning to share their insights with students. This year, he plans to introduce several new components to the program, which currently provides bachelor degrees in film and media scoring, as well as game and interactive media scoring.

    TUITION $50,540

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Jan Hammer (Miami Vice), Trey Parker (South Park)

  • Columbia College Chicago

    Columbia’s two-year Master of Fine Arts in Music Composition program, led by Kubilay Uner, emphasizes creating music for feature films, television, video games, and other visual content. The program culminates with a five-week term in Los Angeles that includes internships and thesis projects performed by a 70-piece orchestra. A significant aspect of the curriculum involves hosting composers-in-residence – accomplished professionals who spend seven weeks at Columbia College Chicago mentoring students as they rework one of their projects. Recently, Heather McIntosh (from The L-Word) completed her residency, and Brandon Campbell (from The Thinning) is wrapping up this semester’s session.

    TUITION $32,316

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Austin Deadman (Hamilton), Jonathan McReynolds (Grammy-nominated gospel musician)

  • The Oberlin Conservatory of Music

    At Oberlin College, students can explore multiple fields through their combined liberal arts and music education programs. These areas of study encompass instrumental and vocal performance, composition, conducting, ethnomusicology, jazz composition, recording arts, and production, as well as voice and opera theater. This academic year, the college has introduced a new major in Recording Arts and Production, led by Associate Professor Andrew Tripp who also serves as the director of conservatory audio services at Oberlin.

    TUITION $66,410

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Mark Cohn (singer songwriter), John Kander (Chicago, Cabaret)

  • The San Francisco Conservatory of Music

    The SFCM’s technology and applied composition degree program features a film scoring track, which introduces students to digital audio workstations like Pro-Tools, Logic, and Ableton, as well as sample libraries from EastWest and Vienna Symphonic Library. These tools provide pre-made music pieces that students can incorporate into their own compositions. Using these resources, students compose and produce music for a wide range of live instruments, ranging from solo performers to large ensembles, such as chamber groups.

    TUITION $54,400

    NOTABLE ALUMNI John Adams, Gordon Getty (concert composers)

  • UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music

    As a passionate gamer and budding composer, I’ve found a perfect opportunity with UCLA Extension. Their certificate program in film scoring is tailored for musicians like me who are eager to level up our skills and venture into the fascinating world of film, TV, and video game music composition. Through this program, I’ll get hands-on experience learning the intricacies of film scoring, understanding the business side of film music, and mastering technologies such as MIDI (musical instrument digital interface). This knowledge will not only enhance my composing abilities but also open up new possibilities in the ever-evolving landscape of the entertainment industry.

    TUITION $15,154

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Randy Newman (Toy Story), James Horner (Titanic)

  • The New England Conservatory of Music

    NEC, one of the oldest and most esteemed music schools in the nation, ensures its students are well-versed in modern music technology through their concentration and the Robert Ceely Electronic Music Studio. Notable alumnus Conrad Pope has returned to share his insights with current students. “I aimed to provide them with a comprehensive understanding of scoring for film,” he explains. “The school provides exceptional music education.

    TUITION $58,910

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Carl Davis (The French Lieutenant’s Woman), Stephanie Economou (About My Father)

    • Eastman School of Music

    The Beal Institute for Film Music and Contemporary Media at Eastman offers an exclusive two-year master’s program with a maximum of six students per year. Now in his seventh year as director, Mark Watters oversees this program, which was founded by Jeff Beal, the composer known for House of Cards. This academic year, Stephen Roessner, a Grammy-winning sound engineer, will teach a recording and mixing class. On January 24th, the school will hold its seventh Visual Music concert featuring an original score performed live alongside Lon Chaney’s classic silent film Laugh Clown Laugh, along with the world premiere of Laurence Rosenthal’s Vienna, a 30-minute string and harp composition. The school will also host its inaugural film festival in October, showcasing live-conducted scores for films like The Red Violin, with its composer, John Corigliano, conducting. Additionally, 98-year-old Laurence Rosenthal is expected to attend the event.

    TUITION $65,870

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Yixin Huang (Johnny Keep Walking!), Garett Reynolds (House of the Dragon)

  • Indiana University Jacobs School of Music

    Jacobs’ program for composing music for visual media provides a master’s degree, as well as undergraduate and doctoral minors and two certificate courses, all led by Professor Larry Groupé. This program now includes an intensive course on scoring for episodic television in Los Angeles every spring, taught by veteran TV composer Rick Marvin. Moreover, they have been successfully placing top assistantship positions with Mike Post (of Law & Order) and Kevin Kiner (of CSI: Miami) and high-level scoring engineers.

    TUITION $40,369

    NOTABLE ALUMNI David Baker (jazz composer), Alexandra du Bois (concert composer)

  • Film Scoring Academy of Europe

    The FSAE provides two options: a one-year master’s degree program on campus or an online graduate course with a summer program lasting three-and-a-half weeks. The academy is led by Andy Hill, a former Disney music executive, who invites industry veterans to serve as visiting lecturers. Notable figures like Danny Elfman have even premiered their works at the academy. As Hill puts it, “Sofia, Bulgaria might not be a global media hub in its truest sense, but we strive to bring the industry to you.” Hill emphasizes that students will have the opportunity to present their music to an ensemble of 84 musicians, an experience that will stay with them for life. Pope, a professor at the academy, teaches orchestration for two weeks each year. He appreciates the assignments given every week for various ensemble sizes, as well as the close-knit environment created by the fact that Sofia is isolated and Bulgarian is a difficult language to learn, resulting in shared workspace where students collaborate frequently.

    TUITION 36,950 euros ($39,000)

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Michael Drew (Dome House Six), Seiji Hotta (Rick and Morty: Samurai & Shogun)

    • New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development

    Steinhardt provides students with the chance to obtain a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees through its Music Theory and Composition: Screen Scoring programs, led by chair Ronald H. Sadoff. According to Sadoff, these screen-scoring majors are viewed as filmmakers and storytellers from the music department. One of the defining aspects of our training is our collaborations with NYU Tisch Film, TV, Video Game Center, and Columbia University’s film school.

    TUITION $31,398

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Ariel Marx (A Small Light), Herdís Stefánsdóttir (Knock at the Cabin)

  • University of North Carolina School of the Arts

    For nearly two decades, UNCSA’s filmmaking school has hosted a two-year Master of Fine Arts in Film Music Composition program. Recently, this program has been relocated back to the university’s School of Music, its original home. The decision was made due to limitations in film production opportunities as the program expanded. According to Chris Heckman, chair of the film music composition department, “The growth of our master’s program seemed to reach a plateau – if we continued to expand, there simply wouldn’t be enough film projects to go around.” In the interim, Heckman is focusing on developing an undergraduate degree that will become available in the next two years. Additionally, he aims to encourage graduate programs to create more advanced content and collaborate with other institutions, such as the International Film School of Cologne, Germany, where UNCSA students have been composing music for feature-length films.

    TUITION $24,399

    Distinguished Alumni include Terrence Mann, renowned theater director and singer best known for his work in “Cats”, as well as Atli Örvarsson, a celebrated composer who has contributed to blockbuster films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean”.

  • Yale School of Music

    Under Dean José García-León’s leadership, Yale School of Music (YSM) remains one of the country’s most prestigious traditional conservatories, boasting a highly competitive admission process that narrows down approximately 1,500 applications to just 100 students from the U.S. and abroad. YSM doesn’t have a grading system, but its media production department and recording studios offer students the opportunity to explore electronic music, technology, and recording, as well as audio/video recording, editing, livestreaming, and content creation.

    TUITION $39,500, but full-tuition scholarships are available to all students

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Roger Sessions, David Snow (classical composers)

    • Belmont University

    Introducing Belmont University and its College of Music and Performing Arts, located in the bustling Music Row area of Nashville. This esteemed institution offers master’s degrees in composition, commercial music, and audio engineering. Keith Mason, the coordinator of music technology for Belmont’s College of Music and Performing Arts, highlights that media scoring is a crucial aspect of their curriculum, even though it doesn’t have a dedicated degree program. According to Mason, the pandemic has brought about a new significance to being a desktop digital musician, enabling individuals to create an entire orchestra from their computer. As such, the students are increasingly drawn towards this versatile skill set, and Belmont aims to equip them with various abilities rather than limiting their focus on one medium.

    TUITION $42,540

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Country artists Trisha Yearwood, Pam Tillis

  • Columbia University in the City of New York

    Columbia University’s School of Arts in New York offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program in Sound Art, in collaboration with its Computer Music Center within the Department of Music. This unique program accommodates around four students annually, providing them with an immersive experience to delve into the fusion of sound with various artistic media. Through this program, students are encouraged to experiment with new media, performance, and ideas. They have the opportunity to work on projects involving sculpture, video, ceramics, and more, collaborating with Columbia’s vibrant community of artists and musicians. However, it is important to note that attending Columbia University in New York can be costly.

    TUITION $74,846

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Jason Everman (guitarist, Nirvana), Art Garfunkel

  • Musicians Institute, Los Angeles

    The Musician’s Institute’s Composition for Visual Media program provides lessons on arranging, scoring, orchestration, music theory, ear training, and music history. These courses can be taken either in-person or online. Students can earn master’s, bachelor’s, associate of arts, or associate of science degrees, with the basic concepts being covered extensively. Tuition for a music master’s degree typically ranges around $25,000 yearly, while a visual media master’s degree can cost as much as $90,000.

    TUITION $32,400 (bachelor’s)

    DISTINGUISHED GRADUATES Justin Derrico (accompanist on Pink’s tours), Frank Gambale (award-winning composer in the Grammys)

  • Cal State Northridge

    The Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication’s music department provides master’s degrees in both composition and conducting, as well as a master’s program in music industry administration. At the undergraduate level, the Bachelor of Music program offers concentrations in either composition or commercial and media writing. The composition concentration focuses on modern art music styles and techniques for creating chamber, symphonic, or electronic music, while the commercial and media writing concentration is a scoring degree that teaches students about songwriting, vocal arranging, instrumental composition, and orchestration within the context of the music industry.

    TUITION $7,458

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Troy Glass (rapper), Serj Tankian (System of a Down)

  • Los Angeles College of Music

    LACM is just on the other side of the Hollywood Hills and offers a master’s degree in composing for visual media run by chair James Sale. Sale has added some specific classes most media scoring programs don’t tackle. “I’ve seen that a lot of programs don’t have specific classes, like composing for action, composing for horror, composing music for trailers and libraries,” Sales says. “I’m adding a class about theme and melody writing, and I’m also adding a class called working with temp music, which is a crucial part of our profession.”

    TUITION $27,000

    NOTABLE ALUMNI Mark Wayne Salling (Glee), Drew Louis (RuPaul’s Drag Race)

  • Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program

    The Pacific Northwest Scoring Program at the Seattle Film Institute, led by experienced composer Hummie Mann and program director Sammy Applegate, allows students to obtain a professional certificate in film and media scoring within a short period, typically less than a year. Students collaborate on ten scoring projects with student directors, participate in live studio recording sessions, create electronic and synth scores, and can earn a master’s degree in just 40 weeks. Starting this fall, the original evening program has been restructured into a new two-year online evening film scoring program, offering individuals the opportunity to learn about film scoring, theory, orchestration, and writing a film cue through one-on-one mentorship. This program will be recorded by professional musicians with a weekly time commitment of only two hours over the course of two years, all from the comfort of their homes.

    TUITION $35,000

    Prominent Graduates: Antonio Di Iorio [from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire] and Michael Paraskevas [from Agatha All Along]

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2024-11-22 20:27