Faithful Catholic Schools with Music Programs
  • ossian1898ossian1898
    Posts: 142
    Hello all -

    I have a few students this year interested in going on into music in college. One plays piano and is leaning Ave Maria for the focus in Sacred Music, another plays guitar and mandolin but I have no idea where to send him. I certainly don't want to send him to audition at a secular university...given the moral state of those music departments.

    So, what schools would you all recommend? I know Ave, Steubenville, CUA, etc have decent programs. Anywhere else?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Don't write off the state universities, especially if yours has a good music program. I'm currently going to the music department of my local state university (uml.edu), and I'm not noticing anything particularly immoral going on there. Sure, the kids run the gamut in terms of their goals and attitudes: some want a rock and roll career, while some want to be acoustic instrumentalists, teach in school, or sing opera. Many are secular, a few are practicing Christians. I'd have more concern about the moral state of college dorm life than about the moral state of the music departments.
  • DougS
    Posts: 793
    I agree with Richard that it's not exactly fair to level a blanket condemnation against music departments at secular universities. I teach at a very large public school of music and there's nothing particularly suspect about the curriculum. That's not true everywhere of course, but most places are pretty run-of-the-mill in that respect. Theory, history, etc. The rest of college life on a big state campus is another story.

    To your original question: instead of thinking about the intrinsic quality of a program, have you considered focusing more on the type of institution (liberal arts vs. comprehensive vs. school of music)? I understand why CUA and the other two schools might be lumped together, but it's 4 or 5 times the size. Radically different experience. Florida, Ohio, and DC--radically different places, too. There are many many factors to consider beyond quality and reputation. Getting the most out of college is about fit--well, to an extent.
  • ossian1898ossian1898
    Posts: 142
    The concern isn't with the curriculum, but the environment. My experience, having traveled around to state/secular music schools as a part of my music fraternity is that they are rather infested with "liberalism" of all sorts. Homosexuality (in your face) is commonplace, the Drum Corps "Tour Bus" atmosphere becomes the norm on the weekends, and binge drinking is just as bad with music students as it is with any other major. The dorm life is awful.

    Students from the school I teach at typically go to the smaller Catholic schools: TAC, Ave, Wyoming Catholic, Stuebenville, U.Dallas, Christendom, etc. I doubt very much state school would appeal to them at all. Although I have heard it said that a decent state school with a good Newman Center may be better than your run of the mill local Catholic College.

    I have a state school music degree and am familiar with some of the schools in the NE region...Temple, Howard, Towson (to a lesser degree), West Chester Univ. (my alma mater), Indiana U. Pa, Shepherd, WVU, Morgan State, Susquehanna, Lebanon Valley, Shenandoah, Penn State...
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,451
    St. John's in Collegeville, Minnesota. (Fr. Ruff's stomping grounds, and my brother's alma mater.)
  • DougS
    Posts: 793
    Many Catholic schools--even larger ones--do not offer a music major or even have a standalone music department. Looking at the size and variety of the course offerings in music might be one way to start narrowing things down once he has decided what type of institution and what campus culture he is seeking.

    It seems like the list is already getting quite small based on the information you have given us.
  • lmassery
    Posts: 405
    What about Duquesne?
  • Adam Schwend
    Posts: 203
    I must echo the calls not to abandon the idea of a state school. The University of Washington in Seattle, while perhaps the most secular of secular schools, has an excellent school of music, as well as a very faithful Newman Center.

    With that said, there are very few colleges where the experience is not a secular one....and given the state the world is in, you can't expect they'll be shielded from this stuff forever.

    However, if you're insistent that they attend a faithful Catholic college, I might also recommend Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA.
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,151
    Some schools I know well ...

    U Dayton - Catholic (Marianist), excellent academics, good but smallish music department
    Northwestern U - Big 10 (founded by Methodists), excellent academics, outstanding music department
    James Madison University - medium size state university, excellent academics and music
    College of William and Mary - excellent academics and environment, good but small music department
    University of Wisconsin-Madison - Big 10, top notch academics, outstanding music department
    Luther College, Decorah IA - small, but outstanding music program
    Notre Dame - Catholic, excellent academics, excellent music department - oh, and pretty good football
    University of Virginia - excellent academics, very good music

    (2 sons went to UD, 2 to UVa, one to JMU after turning down trombone scholarship to UD, 1 to UW-Madison, daughter to W&M where she was concertmistress of orchestra as a senior, I taught at UVa and Northwestern, have connections with ND and Luther)
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