I imagine some of the others would have a park-like atmosphere (or at least areas…) and music.
@prezbucky - No one would mistake Mudd for a park! It’s #2 on the “Least Beautiful Campus” for Princeton Review (LOL!)…Pitzer is a desert landscape (doesn’t bring park to mind) and CMC is very “business” like.
Granted, you can easily visit and take classes at Scripps or Pomona to get your “park-like” fix.
As for music… sure I suppose you could go to those, but you’d have to major at Scripps or Pomona anyway. And HMC is STEM heavy, I doubt any music major would want to go there unless they are double majoring in STEM.
Duke has one of the most beautiful campus including the amazing Sarah Duke Gardens-a top attraction in North Carolina. Might look at Holy Cross highly selective LAC with strong music program. HC has nice campus 1 hour from Boston(Most LAC’s are located in very rural locations).
Not an LAC, though.
I know you said you are not looking for more schools, but Haverford really fits. Beautiful campus and really strong music program.
Haverford. It’s beautiful and the voice professors are phenomenal.
@ClaremontMom, my list included LACs other than the Claremont Colleges. I was referencing them also. 
@prezbucky - Ah! That makes more sense…I have no idea about the others on your list…but I know the Claremont Colleges pretty well so I was limiting my comments to those. I was quite amused to think that Harvey Mudd would be included on a list of schools for music majors who like pretty campuses—but you are right to include the 5 C’s as “top LACs”.
OP would be very lucky to get into one of the Claremont schools – the ability to take some of the best classes from the other schools must be pretty neat.
Vassar is really beautiful. I visited Pomona and it was pretty but it didn’t really inspire as much wow. Scripps however is gorgeous. Like it’s all relative tbh. I like grand architecture with gothic elements, so naturally I think Vassar is more beautiful than Pomona, but others feel otherwise.
My kids and I visited many of the schools on your list and it was surprising how different our impressions were of each campus and it’s location. Which is to say, if possible, one should visit and form their own opinions. I’ll agree with others that Vassar has a lovely campus and a talented group of kids. The grounds provide a visually varied experience and for some it’s the cat’s meow. Of the three Maine schools we all felt that Bowdoin was particularly nice with regard to feel and location. Unlike Bates and Colby it’s situated right in town which makes Maine Street feel like an extension of campus. The smell of pines and ocean air also appealed to our sensibilities. One felt connected to a world outside the usual campus bubble. Scale and location of buildings felt nice as well. Bowdion is understated yet beautiful. I’ve no idea about the quality of their music department but the music scene there is quite vibrant. Many groups and opportunities for performance and stunning new facilities. But, again, that’s true at so many schools. As for weather, well, that’s up to you. My kid lived decided he wanted to explore new parts of the country and leave the heat behind. Maine was exciting to him, the seasons, the emphasis on outdoors, it was a different culture and New England is now called home Best to you on your journey. I hope whatever school you find yourself at opens doors and provides surprises along the way. It goes by quickly!
It’s a very subjective thing in regards to pretty campus. I find Vassar dark & dreary. Bowdoin was too flat and my S hated that one of the dorms was a 1970ish tower. Skidmore’s old campus was much prettier, imo, then the one built in the 70’s - but Saratoga Springs is a lovely town. Bates is in an old mill town, but parts are being revitalized, and campus is only a few short blocks from “downtown.” .
As for the weather, Maine is very similar to upstate NY - though a tad milder nearer to the ocean. The one thing my kid complained about was how early it got dark in the winter. Maine is more north & east so it gets darker a good hour earlier in the winter then upstate.
Williams is beautiful but there is nothing in the town. We went to The Clark one afternoon and there wasn’t even a place to get a bite to eat after.
Skidmore isn’t as gloomy in the winter as Hamilton & Colgate - which are both affected much more by lake effect snow and clouds associated with that (all the time in winter) than either Skidmore or Vassar which are further east.
Skidmore? If you want the sophistication that comes with the academic quality of Colgate and Hamilton the answer is to go to Colgate or Hamilton. And as the subject is about campus and music, well, Colgate and Hamilton are good choices- as you would expect.
Simple as that.
Would you say these places (Bowdoin, Skidmore, Vassar) are depressing in the winter, or are they simply cold? I’m very prone to seasonal depression so I can’t be somewhere that’s cloudy and gloomy (like Oberlin). If it’s sunny most of the time, that’s a different story.
Hamilton Architecture
Hamilton has beauty combined with a spatial distinctiveness that is perfect for a small college. Architecture and mood relate to each other, and Hamilton can be said to express multiple moods through multiple distinct architectural styles:
The north side, constituting two nineteenth century quadrangles, with periferal historic residence halls, in traditional collegiate architecture; the south side, which was an entire college, Kirkland, at one time, and which was designed in brutalist architecture – an authentic, in the sense that it was unapologetically non-derivative, 1960’s style; a creative, but rustic series of buildings connecting and integrating the north and south sides; and a group of buildings also near the center of campus for theatre, studio arts and art history, which, when combined with an art museum, essentially constitute an arts neighborhood.
The fairly noticeable boundaries between these areas eliminate the aesthetic problem of mixed architectural styles among adjacent buildings, common on many campuses that have been built over decades or centuries. But more interestingly and meaningfully, the boundaries provide something: a great solution to what otherwise could be small college claustrophobia – a way to change the feel of where you are by simply walking a few hundred feet. And in every manifestation of Hamilton’s architecture, natural light, in other words the sun, is emphasized.
“If it’s sunny most of the time” (#33)
In northern latitudes, this really cannot be the case, simply because for astronomical reasons winter daylight hours are short and the sun, even on clear days, will be perpetually low in the sky. If this sounds excessively depressing to you, then your inclination to seek a southern school may be a sound one.
It’s not as cloudy in Saratoga or Poughkeepsie as schools closer to the lakes which get a lot of lake effect snow. I lived in Syracuse and now Albany (just 30 miles south of Saratoga) and our winters aren’t nearly as depressing as in Central NY. Not as much snow, either. Our snow comes more from N’oreasters than lake effect. We get more one day big snows then Central NY, but there it can, and does, snow practically every day.
Yes, the sun is low in the sky in northern climes - but, for instance, Bates newer buildings (like Commons and Pettingill (sp) ) have walls which are almost all windows - to let in as much sunlight as possible.
I’ll just add that I moved from Oregon to central NY and found the latter much more enjoyable during the winter. Much less grey skies and those cold sunny days were refreshing. I lived in Ithaca and not Syracuse so the lake effect was not so dominate. To say what may be depressing in the winter is difficult to answer. If you’re at all worried about it, simply eliminate those schools you feel may make things worse. Life is interesting and surprising and that’s why it’s worth living. Most schools are sensitive to depression and have good resources. Good luck.
You mentioned warmer and a beautiful campus. You might look at Rollins in FL. Just named most beautiful campus by Forbes. I went to Bates and it is a nice campus, but it is similar to almost all LAC in the northeast in appearance. Great education for sure. Rollins is a step down, but good and they are very generous with merit aid. My daughter starts there next week.
@AmeliaCharlotte If you think Oberlin is depressing in winter, you will most certainly feel the same way in the NE. I think you should stick to CA LACs (including Oxy which someone else mentioned but is not part of the consortium) and Davidson (NC), & Haverford and Swarthmore. PA does not usually have as harsh long winters as the NE. Richmond and Wake Forest are already on your list and they may fit the bill.