My son is headed there in the fall and will be majoring in popular and commercial music. His focus is guitar but he also plays drums and bass.
We visited for their open house last March just a week before everything shut down. We had visited a number of schools and had never been to New Orleans before. (We are from California.) My son loved it! As he walked out he said there is no need to look at any other school. This is where he wants to go. So much so that he refused to even apply anywhere else. He said if he didn’t get in he would work hard and reapply the following year, causing ME a ton of stress!
The program seemed great with lots of practical and theoretical music classes with the ability to take liberal arts classes he likes in history and philosophy. The music studios were great. They have a very high percentage of music students so he will be able find his people to play with create bands. Also there was something about the tone of the teachers and other students. It didn’t feel competitive but very down to earth and that really appeals to my son. The dorms were really close to the music building which is a nice plus for a kid who often runs late. I loved how easy and cheap it is to get around to downtown. Going out to concerts when his favorite bands come to town would be so much easier and cheaper than back home in the San Francisco Bay Area where mass transit isn’t very convenient and very expensive.
Luckily it all worked out and he got in and even received a nice merit scholarship. Maybe he will see your kids there.