Berklee College

Hello everyone,
I visited Berklee College of Music in Boston the other day and fell in love with the school. I have already applied to the college and have my audition scheduled for the 8th of December.

As well as visiting Berklee I checked out New England Conservatory but NEC was more classical and performance focused. You go there to become a master at your instrument. The only thing that really caught my interest was their incredible performing hall filled with gold paint and fancy woodwork. It far out-shone any of Berklee's performing halls and seemed an inspiring place to perform. Still, Berklee won out over NEC hands down for what I'm looking for. It had much more of a creative, professional atmosphere. Peaking into their film scoring classrooms and studios made me drool with envy and excitement. They were packed full of composition workstations with electric pianos and computers at every desk. They are constructing a new set of dorms which will include a recording studio that can fit an entire orchestra for film scoring!

But aside from the bells and whistles that the school provides I was also impressed with its ideals around accepting musicians.  The audition and interview process is much more open and personal than I thought at first.  I imagined coming in, playing my piece while the "deciders" critically watch my every mistake and then being asked a few questions and sent on my way.  This is more the image that I had a year or two ago when I thought music colleges like Berklee were all strictly classical and I was intimidated by the image.  At Berklee you play your piece and then you actually get to jam with some of the teachers as they test your improvisational skills!

Yeah, I am pretty excited.  We'll see if I get in with a (very) big scholarship and if not then I will try again next year.

Best,
Clayton