The mission of Berklee College of Music is to educate, train, and develop students to excel in music as a career.
Developing the musicianship of all our students is the foundation of our curriculum. We believe that the lessons and qualities derived from that work—the self-discipline needed for excellence, the empathy required of music making and the openness and inquisitiveness essential to creativity—are critical to achievement in any pursuit, musical or otherwise; and that music is a powerful catalyst for personal growth, which is central to any collegiate experience.
Founded on jazz and popular music rooted in the African cultural diaspora, our comprehensive curriculum is distinctly contemporary in its content and approach, and embraces the principal musical movements of our time. Through a course of scholarly and practical learning experiences integrating performance and writing, our curriculum covers the variety of influential styles, relevant technologies, and career opportunities open to today's music professional.
Objectives
* To define and refine the individual talents of our students by providing a broad range of major programs offered by a distinguished faculty, and to prepare them for careers in music that reflect the diversity of expression and opportunities that define music today.
* To enable our students to employ their musical education in a global society by providing a coherent liberal arts curriculum that informs their thinking about issues that have shaped our time.
* To encourage our students to appreciate and apply music's enormous force for the enrichment of society and intercultural understanding.
* To cultivate a supportive learning environment by actively promoting a climate of respect for personal and cultural differences, and by offering a range of services and activities to support the needs of the student musicians who come to us from around the world.
* To maintain the vitality of our college community by encouraging and supporting continuing professional development for all of its members.
* To provide an environment in which all know that they are full and valued members of the community.
* To value ethical behavior in all aspects of personal and professional life by establishing a community that values integrity in all relationships.
* To retain our leadership position in music education and to ensure that our curriculum remains relevant by pledging to value academic freedom and innovation.
Philosophy
Berklee was founded on two revolutionary ideas: that musicianship could be taught through the music of the time; and that our students need practical, professional skills for successful, sustainable music careers. While our bedrock philosophy has not changed, the music around us has and requires that we evolve with it.
For over half a century, we've demonstrated our commitment to this approach by wholeheartedly embracing change. We update our curriculum and technology to make them more relevant, and attract diverse students who reflect the multiplicity of influences in today's music. We prepare our students for a lifetime of professional and personal growth through the study of the arts, sciences, and humanities. And we are developing new initiatives to reach and influence an ever-widening audience.
More than a college, Berklee has become the world's singular learning lab for the music of today—and tomorrow. We are a microcosm of the music world, reflecting the interplay between music and culture; an environment where aspiring music professionals learn how to integrate new ideas, adapt to changing musical genres, and showcase their distinctive skills in an evolving community. We are at the center of a widening network of industry professionals who use their openness, virtuosity, and versatility to take music in surprising new directions.
Berklee College of Music, founded in 1945, is an independent music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students and a 2004 faculty of approximately 430. Berklee offers an accredited four-year baccalaureate degree or diploma.
Berklee was founded by Lawrence Berk and was originally named Schillinger House of Music, after his teacher Joseph Schillinger. The original purpose of the school was to highlight the Schillinger System of musical harmony and composition. After expansion of the school's curriculum in 1954, Berk changed the name to Berklee School of Music after his son Lee Berk. When the school received its accreditation, the name was changed to Berklee College of Music in 1973. Lee Berk never formally studied music, instead focusing on Business and Real Estate Law; however, his daughter Lucy Berk is an alumna of the college.
At the time of its founding, almost all music schools focused primarily on classical music. The original mission of Berklee was to provide formal training in jazz, rock, and other contemporary music not available at other music schools.
Admission requirements for applicants include a minimum two years of formal music study on their primary instrument and/or significant practical experience in musical performance, a diploma from an accredited secondary school with satisfactory marks in college-preparatory courses, Test scores on either the SAT or ACT are optional while the TOEFL (for international students) is required. In 2007, a live audition was added as an admission requirement. This is a change from the school's open-admittance policy it used for many years. Berklee's acceptance rate for prospective students is now 34%. In 2003, Berkleemusic, the online branch of Berklee College of Music, was founded.
Berklee has a large percentage of undergraduate students from outside the U.S.—23 percent—representing more than 70 countries. Women compose 26.9 percent of the student body. Domestic minority enrollment is African-American, 6.8 percent; Latino, 6.5 percent; Asian-American, 3.3 percent. The five countries that supply the largest percentage of foreign students to Berklee are Japan, Korea, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The school's current president, Roger H. Brown, was inaugurated in 2004.
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| Percent of Students International: | 23% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 21% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 22,290 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 21,790 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 500 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,824 | 13% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 924 | 7% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 6,402 | 39% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 10,418 | 55% | |
Any Aid: |
72% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 79% (Selective) |
| Application Fee: | $ 100.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Not Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Required |
| TOEFL: | Recommended |
| Test Scores: | Recommended |
College Advice
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Question:
Berklee College of Music?
I am just finishing my freshman year in high school and have been playing guitar for the last 5, almost 6 years. I considered myself competent on the instrument, and seriously considering playing music as a career. I am wondering about some things concerning Berklee college of music:
1. What kind of grades/test scores are necessary to get in? Is it very selective in that regard, or more concerned with your musical ability?
2.How long has the average freshman at Berklee been his or her instrument? By the time I graduate from high school, it will have been 8 or 9 years (can't keep track exactly) since I began playing guitar. Is that on the high side?
3.Are there scales, methods, or concepts I should absolutely master before applying there?
Any other general info would be helpful...
17 months ago
Best Answer
1. grades are only moderately important in any big music school. audition tapes are what make or break an application.
2. 8 or 9 years is not long at all. Most non-music oriented kids who started playing instruments in 4th grade have 8 or 9 years under their belt, and that's your average high school senior. A lot of the kids applying to major music schools such as Berklee have started much earlier than that and put in thousands of hours of practice. I have friends who attended lesser known schools who had been practicing 4-5 hours per day for years.
3. That I don't know for guitar. Ask your teacher.
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Question:
Berklee College of Music?
I am currently a high school student who practices guitar around four hours a day. I have completed the Berklee Modern Method for Guitar books and was wondering how difficult it would be for me to get into Berklee when I graduate. I have a 4.1 weighted average if that helps.
17 months ago
Best Answer
I think you will have no problem with the normal acadmeic courses at Berklee. And of course, if you are going to major in performance music you will have to do an audition, but if you are a dedicated musician you will be OK.
I have two young friends who are at Berklee now and they TOTALLY love it. I saw one of them at a jam session recently when he came home from spring semester and he said he had been playing in 8 different music groups from 6 to 10 hours a day - all different genres of music from folk to celtic to asian to African drumming to metal rock to classical. His playing has taken a quantum leap upwards since he went to school last fall.
This is ONLY a place for people obsessed with playing music - but if that's you, go for it!!!
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Question:
Berklee College of Music?
I'm trying to transfer to this school, if there are any students on here, can u tell me anything i should know? i'm a vocal performance, music ed minor any help will be great!!!
18 months ago
Best Answer
Well I'm a high school senior who got accepted for this fall. The main thing I could tell you is the audition process and application process being as though I havent attended yet. DO THE EARLY ADMISSION!!! I REPEAT DO THE EARLY ADMISSION!! Reason being is that you have months ahead to prepare, gather up money for deposits and have a sense of relief because you wont be rushing and your chances of getting in the dorm you want is way higher. I dont know what semester you want to apply for but ill go based on my fall semester admission. The deadline for early action was november of 06 and I was applying for sept 07. We got our decisions back in JANUARY! as opposed to regulars who get them in MARCH!. It took me about 2 months to cough up the tuition deposit and I had my housing deposit in by March! The same month regular applicants JUST find out when they're accepted! So by the time the majority of students get their acceptance letters, you're already secure with your spot and dorm in the school. See how much more convinient it is? Not only that but you'll probably have filled out you're fasfa earlier which means you'll get it back sooner than everyone. All in all it gives you more time to prepare so you wont feel like you're rushing.
Now about the auditions, like everyone who has never actually been to the school I was extremely intimidated by the school because of how everyone talks about how they're "very selective", which gives the impression that the administrators are stuck up and stiff and everyone is on pins and needles. But I have never been to a more relxed audition in my LIFE. Im in vocal as well so I can tell you how it'll probably be for you. They call your name and you go into the practice room. Where I was the walls were so thin so everyone heard me and i heard everyone else. Then you have to sit RIGHT outside of the audition room while the person before you is going so you're a nervous wreck by then. For me the person ahead of me didnt stand a chance against me yet the judges were still pleased so I got more relxed. Then you go in and they'll all nice and bubbly and ask you to sing your piece. After that they made more do some improvising which is really easy. They just play an instrumental and you have to sing some ohs and awws, whatever sounds nice. Then the part i thought ide get rejected because of was the music reading. I was under the impression that they leave you by yourself to sing the music that you only had 3 minutes to HOPE you got right in the practice room but they TOTALLY helped you along the way. It was like being in a classroom because they helped you until you got it. I felt like i was in class rather than an audition.
So DONT WORRY! Berklee isnt as intimidating as people make it out to be. and just make sure you do EARLY ACTION!! THEIR FEES ARE A KILLER!
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I'm intersted in thier Online courses. Did anyone take it before?
I'm wonder are these courses really work and worth...
I want to take Arranging and Film Scoring.
Any suggestions? Thanks a lot
I know if i go to Berklee, it certainly have a lot of chances to jam with differnent musician and that was a great experience! I know playing music with other people is how you will learn the most!~ but to me, my situation seems can't study aboard coz of my career and it seems a bit expensive for me too~ That's why i want to try online course and i think it would be nice and save time. um..... i think i will try a 5 weeks or 12 weeks summer courses next year and I can have chances to jam with the others! Agree? ^^
19 months ago
Best Answer
Berklee School of Music has a great reputation and they are turning out a lot of terrific young musicians.
I have a young friend who goes there and I saw him recently when he was home for a weekend visit - he said that since he has been there he has been playing music in about eight different groups and he plays 8 to 10 hours a day. He loves every minute of it!
I guess you could take an online course, but that would be pretty much missing the point of Berklee, wouldnt it?
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I am just wondering how Berklee stands among all the colleges
and how Berklee is compared to other music schools such as Oberlin, Mannes, and U of Miami, and other music conservatories. thank you!
and if Berklee is selective, then why "US best colleges" says it "least selective"? thank you
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drglance_2126_brief.php
20 months ago
Best Answer
Depends on your insturment. If it is guitar, Berklee will like you and it is a good school. If you do anything else the top overall music schools are Northwestern, Eastman, Juilliard, and CIM. U of Miami is not a good music school. Oberlin is allright and so is Mannes. Rice is another good one. Anyhow, if you are looking to go to a school for your undergrad in a music performance degree, you should find a teacher you want to study with the most. Every instrument has a different set of schools where the best teachers are at. Also try to find one that you would get along with.
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I have found a couple of schools that im interested in, LA Music Academy, in Pasadena, CA, and Mcnally Smith College of music in St. Paul Minnesota. They are both private schools but the school in MN Offers a Bachelors of Music in performance with the option of a minor in Production or a minor in Music Business. The school in Pasadena is just an extensive run through of guitar while teaching you. Its hard to explain. Its complicated but all I want is a school that will help me extend my abilities and will help get me into a music career, because just trying to start a band isnt as easy as it sounds. Its a huge struggle to find dedicated band mates that want to stick with it and not just have something on the side to do, or even to find any for that matter. Im searching for a career! If this makes any sense to anyone that willing to give a helping hand im all ears. Thanks
21 months ago
Best Answer
I don't know about MIT, but as long as you mention the Boston area, there's always Berklee...I was a part time gigging musician for a few years(I'm an engineer)so I know how tough the music business is. I'd check out Berklee if you're serious(and can handle the winters here) -they have courses and certs in business and producing, and the school has a great rep in the industry-
Good Luck!
Seamus
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