My daughter is very much into music, it is her happy place and she has been playing violin since third grade, clarinet since fourth, picked up tenor sax in 8th grade for jazz band, and has a little bit of experience on piano. She participates in a variety of musical groups at her school (orchestra, stage band, marching band, jazz band, brass choir and the yearly plays and musicals. But she is not someone who wants to be part of the more select opportunities that require auditions. She just likes participating, though she is good at what she plays. She is considering studying music therapy. Does anyone have any experience with the music therapy program at Shenandoah? I know it is considered part of their music conservatory and that she needs to audition to get into that. I was wondering if because it is the music therapy program and not for music performance, if it is still as competitive to get in? And how the coursework in a conservatory may compare to a music therapy at a non conservatory school? Thanks for any insights, or other schools to possibly look into.
I know a young woman who majored in Music Therapy at Elizabethtown College. I don’t really know anything about the program, but it might be another school to possibly look into.
Thanks. E-Town is actually pretty close to us and a girl at our church went there for music therapy and really liked it. She ended up getting a job at the same place she did her 6 month internship and my daughter went and shadowed her there for a day. But, I think my daughter wants to branch out and go a bit further from home. She doesn’t want a huge school or something in a big city and would love to participate in Marching Band, so Shenandoah fits those requirements so she wants to take a visit of the Conservatory. I am just a big concerned that the auction process might be more competitive there for someone who hasn’t done other auditioned activities before. She knows music theory, reads music well, and has a private violin teacher who can help her prep for the audition so she needs to start working on that so that she feels more confident.
West Chester has a great marching band and a music therapy program. I don’t know how competitive the audition processes for the music therapy program and the marching band are. Slippery Rock also has both. Per a Google search, Marywood, Seton Hill, Immaculata, and Mercyhurst also have music therapy programs and aren’t in big cities, but I don’t know if any of them have a marching band. I’m a Pennsylvania resident and am primarily knowledgeable about Pennsylvania schools, but not about music therapy programs.
No experience on Shenandoah but Cleveland State doesn’t require an audition if that’s helpful. That’s the only one I see.
Maybe a teacher or Orchestra Director can give her a mock audition. Maybe she’d be ok or ok with a bit of prep. If she finds a school to love, it couldn’t hurt.
There are also equivalency programs such as this on at Loyola New Orleans. Apparently some AMTA schools have for post grad - if you’ve done adjacent coursework. She could go to a non audition music program first such as Muhlenberg.
Music Therapy Equivalency
Designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in music but do not have a degree in music therapy, the Music Therapy Equivalency Program provides the coursework and clinical training required to become eligible for board certification as a Music Therapist–Board Certified (MT-BC).
Pacific University in Oregon doesn’t require a formal audition to declare a music therapy major.
It’s hard to tell but check Southern Connecticut U. It says an audition is required for scholarship but I can’t find on its website that it’s required for admission. It’s a BS in the College of Arts and Science. It’s on the AMTA list and not far from PA.