Music has been around for so long; for centuries we have witnessed the expression of music. The instruments, style, and language may be different, but music has played a vital role in the evolution of human life. Music can make you feel things, the power of music is unmatchable. Take a sequence of videos and just change the music in the playback, you will feel the drastic change in the mood and ambiance. A lot of areas of study are available in terms of music to choose from, you can choose according to the instrument you play and the style that you are interested to learn. Several music degrees exist today, from Bachelors of Music to Bachelors of Arts to Bachelors of Science, all these domains have music degrees some focus on composition, some on production, and some on performance. Thousands of music schools exist today in the United States. The best music schools in Chicago will be the only focus of the article, which means this article will be restricted to Chicago. What identifies them as the best internationally and what are their strengths? What is their acceptance rate? What will cost annually to study there? Do they provide any financial assistance? We have researched all of these points; you will be able to choose the one which you will like to attend according to your resources and needs. Let us know aboutBest Music Schools In Chicago.
Whenever you think about studying performing arts two cities came into mind, New York and Los Angeles. Chicago has everything you need to learn about performing arts. Chicago has a rich history of culture and music. Chicago is home to some of the best music schools in the country. The Top 5 Music Schools in Chicago will be presented to you. All the necessary information like the music degrees they offer, all the study areas they can choose from, SAT requirements, acceptance rate, and fees will also be mentioned.
Northwestern University: Bienen School of Music
Northwestern University is one of the oldest universities in Chicago. It was founded in 1851. Northwestern University is a private research-oriented university, it is a very prestigious and highly ranked university in Chicago with a campus size spread across 231 acres. Bienen School of Music from Northwestern University is one of the highest-ranked music schools in Chicago. Bienen school of music is the oldest degree-granting school in the United States. Bienen was founded in 1895. It has several notable alumni who have won many awards in the music world. Bienen takes 400 undergraduate and 225 graduate music students every year. It has state-of-the-art facilities, it has world-renowned music halls and 134 practice rooms for students. Students can select from a wide variety depending on the field of study they want to pursue.
- Music Technology
- Conducting and Ensembles
- Jazz Studies
- Music Education
- Music Theory and Cognition
All these areas are available for students to focus on. Multiple graduate and undergraduate degrees are available at Bienen music school.
Undergraduate:
- Bachelors of Music
- Bachelors of Arts in Music
- Bachelors of Science in Music
Graduate:
- Master of Music
- Doctor of Musical Arts
- Doctor of Philosophy
Several degrees for students to choose from are available. They can focus on their specific style or instrument because of this much flexibility and choices.
Also, summer performance classes take place at Bienen.
Undergraduate and graduate applications to Northwestern University must be submitted by January 3rd.
How to apply:
You can apply through the common application or coalition application at Bienen school of music.
Some key factors and facts regarding Northwestern University are below,
- The overall grade needed to get in at Bienen music school is A+.
- Its acceptance rate is 9%.
- The SAT score to get admitted ranges from 1430 to 1550.
- The estimated cost of education at Northwestern is $28,500 per year.
- Merit-based scholarships are available at Bienen.
- It is located in Illinois.
DePaul University: School of Music
The largest Catholic university in the country is DePaul University. It is also a private research-oriented university, founded in 1898. DePaul has currently more than 20,000 students enrolled with 71% of them living on campus. The campus of the university is not as big as compared to Northwestern University; it stretches around 41 acres of area. We have many legendary musicians from DePaul, its Alumni database is full of amazing award-winning musicians. DePaul has 10 schools and colleges. DePaul’s music school is one of the best music schools in Chicago. You’ll develop, succeed, and produce excellent music. DePaul provides you with multiple degree options to choose from.
Undergraduate:
Bachelor of Music
- Music Performance
- Composition
- Jazz Studies
- Music Education
- Performing Arts Management
Bachelor of Science
- Sound Recording Technology
- Performing Arts Management
Bachelor of Arts
- Music
Graduate:
Master of Music
- Composition
- Jazz Studies
- Music Education
- Music Performance
Several degrees for students to choose from are available at DePaul. They can focus on their specific style or instrument because of this much flexibility and choices.
Summer music programs and some online degree programs are also available at DePaul. Summer programs are a great way to explore whether is this the right school for you or not.
DePaul University’s music school has a January 3rd application deadline to apply.
How to apply:
DePaul University accepts applications via the common application platform.
Some key factors and facts regarding DePaul University are below,
- The overall grade needed to get in at DePaul music school is A-.
- Its acceptance rate is 70%.
- The SAT score to get admitted ranges from 1050 to 1260.
- The average cost of education at DePaul is $33,200
- per year.
- At DePaul, financial help and scholarships are available.
- It is situated in Illinois.
Roosevelt University: Chicago College of Performing Arts
Roosevelt university’s campus size is around 34 acres of area. Chicago college of performing arts has a music conservatory which is a top-ranked music school from Roosevelt University. Many award-winning artists are from Roosevelt and they are usually called at Roosevelt’s music events and gatherings. These notable Alumni inspire currently enrolled students a lot. CCPA’s students learn in Chicago’s vibrant arts community and gain experience through internships with well-known music companies. They take in outdoor performances at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, take in new work debuts in Chicago’s booming contemporary music scene, and watch American superstars perform at the famed Jazz Showcase under the direction of renowned conductors. Roosevelt University offers many degree programs in music.
Undergraduate:
- Bachelors in Brass
- Bachelor in Classical Guitar
- Bachelors in Jazz and Contemporary music
- Bachelors in Music and Computing
- Bachelors in Music Composition
- Bachelors in Music Education
- Bachelors in Percussion
- Bachelors in Piano
- Bachelors in Strings
Graduate:
- Masters in Brass
- Masters in Classical Guitar
- Master in Music Composition
- Master in Orchestral studies
- Masters in Percussion
- Master in Performing Arts administration
- Masters in Piano
- Masters in Strings
- Masters in Voice
- Masters in Woodwinds
Roosevelt University has the highest number of degrees available in music. Whether undergraduate or graduate, Music Conservatory from Roosevelt offers plenty of options to select from. Many students struggle during their bachelor’s when they realize that this program is not right for them. Roosevelt can minimize this issue by providing several choices in both bachelors and master’s.
Chicago College of Performing Arts offers three different kinds of summer programs to choose from.
Roosevelt University has a December 1st for Fall and November 1st for Spring application deadline to apply. It has no application fee.
How to apply:
You can apply through Roosevelt online application portal at Roosevelt University.
Some key factors and facts regarding Roosevelt University are below,
- The overall GPA requirement to get in at Roosevelt is 3.37.
- Its acceptance rate is 77%.
- The average SAT score to get admitted is 1020 out of 1600.
- The average cost of education is $31,500 per year.
- Roosevelt University offers financial aid choices including grants, scholarships, and loans.
- It is situated in Illinois.
Columbia College Chicago: Fine and Performing Arts
Columbia College at Chicago is another Private art school located in Illinois with a globally renowned music school. At Columbia College, there are around 6,000 students enrolled in over 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It was founded in 1890. The fine and Performing Arts department of Columbia College has a top-ranked music facility. At Columbia College, you’ll learn from experts, including the musical faculty and touring artists-in-residence. You’ll get the chance to participate in bands that highlight modern, jazz, and popular music styles while performing and writing music. Also, you’ll have the ability to network and receive professional training that will enable you to successfully follow your passion as a form of financing. Students from Columbia College get to intern at some well-reputed music companies in Illinois. Columbia College Chicago offers some options in music programs that you can choose from,
Undergraduate:
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science in Music Technology
Graduate:
- Master of Music Composition for the Screen
Columbia College doesn’t offer a lot of degree programs like the above music colleges, but all these degrees have a huge scope and international recognition.
Columbia College Chicago music Program has a January 19 application deadline to apply.
How to apply:
You can apply through Common application online at Columbia College Chicago.
Some key factors and facts regarding Columbia College are below,
- The overall GPA requirement to get in at Columbia college is 3.37.
- Its acceptance rate is 89.5%.
- The average SAT score to get admitted is 1117 out of 1600.
- The average cost of education is $26,258 per year.
- At Columbia College, financial help and scholarships are offered.
- It is situated in Illinois.
University of Chicago: Music Department
The University of Chicago was founded in 1890, and almost 7,000 students are enrolled in undergraduate programs in it with a campus size of 217 acres. The University of Chicago offers various areas in the music department, students have a choice to go for according to their interests.
Areas of study:
- Composition
- Ethnomusicology
- Music History
Students have both bachelor’s and master’s options available for them to choose with these areas of study. This classification helps students to go in the right area of study according to their interests. The University of Chicago has two state-of-the-art music halls with many practice rooms. Students can practice and perform in these halls.
The University of Chicago has a November 1st for Spring and January 4th for Fall applications deadline to apply.
How to apply:
You can apply through Common application and Coalition application online at the University of Chicago.
Some key factors and facts regarding the University of Chicago are below,
- The University of Chicago requires a 4.48 cumulative GPA to admit students.
- Its acceptance rate is 7.3%.
- The average SAT score to get admitted is 1500 out of 1600.
- The average cost of education is $28,500
- per year.
- The University of Chicago offers a variety of scholarships and aid packages.
- It is situated in Illinois.
As you can get an idea from this information that most of these schools are located in Illinois, you will have to keep in mind that the best music schools are only available in Illinois, this will pre-prepare your mind for the location. Some of them have an acceptance rate of 7% and some have 85%, also GPA requirements are different, this can guide you to apply to the right music school that fits your profile.
Conclusion:
Every school on this list is a well-known music school. We have presented you with 5 of the best music schools in Chicago. All necessary information from choosing your degree, acceptance rate, cost of studying, location, and financial aid is given in this guide. You can easily narrow down your desired degrees and the school where you want to apply. Application procedures and deadlines are also provided in one place to ease your process. We advise you to note down these key factors on a word or excel document. Also, to be on the safe side search some more schools and extract their key information into one document. It will save you a lot of time and effort.
