Best College for Music Education Major in Illinois!!! (Chicago: school, university)

[npietrek]

Sorry, we would like our daughter to come to Illinois with us on our relocation. She will stay here in Colorado for her first year of College. But, would love to see and hear what Illinois has to offer her.

Music Education and Orchestral Conducting

[ihatetacos]

DePaul University in Chicago. Especially strong in conducting and classical performing. Also an incredible Jazz band. Many DePaulians go on to gigs in classical composing and have the advantage of players from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as instructors.
Good Luck,
Susan

[TeeJayMaJay]

I am a grad w/ Music Ed degree from U of IL and LOVED IT!! What fun - the Marching Illini, super orchestras and expert training (IMO)..... and received a job (fresh out of college) as band director in Des Moines and then moved to FL 8 yrs later to become a VP of a major music company (I wrote the entire educ program AND trained teachers)...so I guess I am a little partial to ILLINI. They taught me WELL!! My exp was SUPERB!! The football team was not the best when I was there - when we lost a game we had to wear our band hats backwards as we marched back to the band bldg at the end of the game - We wore them so much backwards that when we DID WHEN wearing the hats forward felt so strange! But the bball team was ALWAYS dynamite!! Made many true friends - great exp. So my vote is U of I - still in touch with 3 of my fellow Music Ed roommates and I grad a LOOOONNNNGGGGG time ago (1976). 2 of the 3 are still teaching music, too!!!!! So you tell me - great exp, great edu and still teaching music with passion!!

[Lucas Streit]

I am a former Music Ed student turned business administration. However I did do a lot of research and U of I is tops in music Ed. As far as orchestral conducting I couldn't tell you.

[jessiegirl_98]

U of I is great. For a smaller school, look at Millikin University

[MusicTeacher5678]

Hi,

I noticed your post - but it is several months old. Is your daughter still interested in moving to Illinois? ...

VanderCook Collge of Music is located in Chicago IL - and is the only college that has a sole focus of Music Education. It is a very small, very private college with only 120 students in the program, and they accept 40 students each year. Every student learns to play, perform, and teach all 17 instruments, and choir and conducting.

They all leave with a Bachelors in Music Education - with a certificate for General Music Ed K-12, Band Director, Choir Director, and Orchestra Director. They have a 100% graduation rate --- since VanderCook is known nationwide as one of the leaders in music ed.

They also have the largest masters program in the country which is held over the summer. If you, or your daughter would like any more information -- I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Good luck -- I hope your move was successful.
Sincerely,
Patty