Thanks for your interest in the VMC, the Department of
Musicology/Ethnomusicology, and the MUBA in Traditional Music(s) at Texas Tech. The
following is a short summary of some of the commonest questions asked by
candidates or parents about our 4-year undergraduate degree:
There are any number of excellent instrumental music programs
at various schools in a number of folk-music-friendly communities. Off the
very top of my head: Boston College, BU, UW-Madison, UT-Austin, UC-Berkeley,
any of the NYC schools, IU-Bloomington, UW-Seattle will all provide a
first-class university- or conservatory-style undergraduate education in
music, and all of these are in places with very active and friendly local
music communities.
However, pretty much NONE of those music programs will
provide much flexibility: typically, an undergraduate student would have to
qualify for academic admission to the university and for musical admission
to a specific teacher's studio, etc. In turn, the expectation would be that
s/he would (a) follow the curriculum expected of a standard music major
(including theory, history, keyboard skills, ear-training, counterpoint,
instrumental and orchestral study and performance, etc) and (b) emphasize
playing classical or possibly jazz repertoires. Thankfully, the days in
which students interested in other musics had to hide that interest from
their studio teachers are mostly gone--but those other interests will
typically NOT be permitted to supplant classical or jazz emphasis. (This of
course omits those fine schools, with a practical- and
business-skills-oriented emphasis, which grant Associate's or other 2-year
degrees: Berklee, GTI, South Plains College, etc. These are great programs
and very good values, but typically they do not grant a 4-year
degree).
On the other hand, if what the student wants is an
undergraduate music degree with a *concentration* on playing traditional
musics, there are very few North American options. I am not aware of any
4-year programs that permit concentrating on, say, Irish fiddle, and grant a
BA or BM degree.
Except one, which is our MUBA, offered through the Vernacular
Music Center. It is intentionally a very flexible curriculum,
typically designed to cater to students who are either (a) double-majoring
in music and some other discipline, or (b) have very specific or atypical
goals. MUBA students study 4 years, taking music history, music theory,
basic keyboard and aural skills, and private lessons/coachings, but are NOT to give solo recitals or to study with a classical or jazz teacher.
As a parent, you may be interested to know that tuition,
fees, and living expenses in Lubbock are vastly less costly than expenses at
comparable programs in the region, such as UT-Austin and U North Texas.
If you or your student would like more information or to
chat further, please don't hesitate to use the contact info below. And
thanks again for your interest in the Vernacular Music Center.
all the best,
cjs
