| The music department at UMass was top notch in the 70's. Unfortunately, lack of funding has really impacted the department negatively.
We know a lot of music ed grads, who seem, in general, happier than the performance majors. Some instruments may be better than others. I know there are also some happy marching band folks, and I have no doubt there is great earnestness on the part of many of the instructors (my son met with a department chair, who was terrific, but it wouldn't make up for a lacking program).
My son's private teacher has taught at UMass, and basically advised him not to consider the school, despite the fact that he could probably have qualified for additional scholarships, on top of free tuition. This teacher felt that the level of play would not provide enough musical peers for my son to grow as a musician. Current strong music students we know there right now, are trying to transfer out. It might be a great department for less strong musicians.
It's too bad, as I said. You have no idea how much we would have loved for UMass to have been a better choice. |