Posted by Steve Dedman on November 20, 2001 at 01:31:53:
In Reply to: college posted by me on November 19, 2001 at 22:25:57:
First, I would do an archive search using the keyword 'college' or 'undergraduate'. There's been a number of threads on exactly this subject.
My advice is to find a school of music with a great reputation. Chances are, the teacher there will be able to give you what you need to goto the next level: grad school. That said, I do have a few ideas.
I have to promo my alma mater. The University of Oklahoma has an excellent school of music. The facilities are on a par with the finest in the country, and the faculty is great. Ted Cox seems to be doing great things with the tuba studio there, and one of his recent grads is at NEC. The Director of Bands, Dr. William Wakefield, is as fine a conductor and musician as I have ever met; as a musician, he is in another dimension - on a level of few I have ever been in contact with.
Also look into the University of Wisconsin (John Stevens - wow), Tennessee Tech (R. Winston Morris - an incredible teacher), Indiana (D. Perantoni - another incredible teacher), Ball State (Dr. Mark Mordue), University of Tennessee (Sande MacMorran - although UT is having severe budgetary problems). I have been in at least a master class with each of these teachers, and am convinced that any of them could teach calculus to a chimpanzee.
As an undergrad, go where you are comfortable, learn all that you can, play a lot, and get ready for grad school. That's where the "big name" teachers come in.
SD