<p>Awesome advice all around. So many choices! I would love to go to a name school like Columbia or Princeton, but I may need to work my way up - perhaps doing my master’s at Rutgers (to get back in the groove) and then look for Doctoral programs that may be considered more prestigious and which I might then be better prepared for. Of course if I was accepted at Princeton I would go, but I may not be ready - nor might I be accepted at RU either. </p>
<p>I think my main concern right now is getting my head straight about what to study - theory/composition vs. musicology, and then applying to a variety of schools (after doing due diligence to make sure I would be happy there) and seeing what my choices are at that point. I am leaning heavily toward theory/composition, as that is my stronger suit compared to pure historical research. I am a very traditionally minded composer: anything written after 1750 is suspect, after 1850 is worrisome, and after 1950 downright scandalous :)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great input. It is such a blessing to have this forum as a resource and you have all helped me find my way in a sea of confusion and fear. Hopefully I can contribute back to the forum about my experiences as time goes by.</p>
<p>For NEUMES - yes the Faure is great, but it was actually the Verdi that was the inspiration for my user name.</p>