No worries @compmom, there’s confusion because I’ve been confusing! This particular thread was one of a couple I got going, with the overall aim of identifying LAC’s with great music departments. I was just curious if there’s some archive out there that noted which schools offer a B.M. as one of several complimentary approaches to achieve that goal. I’m perfectly open to other suggestions of schools that have strong departments that do not offer a B.M., and my response to SpiritManager was not intended in any way to criticize those who offered such suggestions. By all means keep 'em coming! I just was trying to clarify the avenue by which Davidson ended up in the conversation, when it didn’t meet the criterion offered in the thread title.
Part of the reason my objectives seem a little wishy-washy is because my son’s criteria have been evolving. As recently as a couple months ago, he was pretty sure he wanted, at most, to double major in music in the context of a B.A. program. That stance made schools like Bard and Oberlin a less than ideal fit, because there’s a pretty stout wall between the conservatory offerings and the rest of the college at those schools. Now, he’s making noises about a B.M/B.A. double degree program, so those places are back on the table. I’m still partial to places like St. Olaf, where there’s room for a little more fluidity in one’s level of musical commitment, while still retaining access to great private instruction and great ensembles. We’ll see.
And I’ve also got no particular aversion to visiting schools – I think we’ve visited 9 already (some of which, in hindsight, were probably not the best use of our energy) – there’s just a limit to how much time and money we can devote to visits that involve a plane ride.