<p>I’d like to go to Columbia to pursue a career in the music industry in NYC. Currently I’m a highschool sophomore. How should i spend my summer this year? Jobs? Summer Programs? etc.</p>
<p>Why don’t you first think about how going to Columbia, rather than going to NYU or some other school in NYC will help you pursue said career?</p>
<p>Robfrech: It’s great that you are trying to take up your interests academically after your sophomore year. Doing so will help you significantly in the college admissions process. You must clarify more what you mean by a “career in the music industry.” Do you want to make pop music? Be in a live music band? Learn to play an instrument? Get voice instruction? Give us a little more guidance as to what exactly you are interested in and we can help you further.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is offering some new music program beginning this summer I think… that’s what I heard from my music teacher @ my school anyway.</p>
<p>Columbia has a music studio - although the building it’s in is a little ghetto - but many of the alums are in the recording business. Vampire Weekend, who’s doing fairly well, includes 3 members of the class of 2006, etc.</p>
<p>What you want to be doing is gaining skills and doing work in some facet of the industry. Maybe you can intern at a recording studio, maybe you can learn to use Pro Tools, maybe you can take some theory classes, ace the music theory AP, and compose stuff. Whatever you do, put some time into it, depth is more important than breadth.</p>
<p>Similar to other mass-communication industries - journalism, media, etc - there are many more people who want a job in the industry than jobs available. You have to stand out.</p>
<p>Denzera, I like your suggestions.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, would it be realistic for a 16 yr. old high school sophomore to intern at a recording studio?</p>
<p>If you live in or around a major city, can locate one or both, have a good facility with computers, and are generally a likeable guy, sure, why not. You show up, introduce yourself, and say “I’d like to do your *****work for a while in case I eventually get to learn something interesting about your work”, or the equivalent.</p>
<p>4 out of 5 studio engineers will tell you to get lost anyway, but the 5th one will give you a job, so getting rejected 4 times is hardly a huge price to pay, no?</p>
<p>If you’re not in a major metropolitan area, I’d “obtain” a copy of Finale and learn to arrange music, or start a band with people whose music skills and commitment you respect (i.e. not just your friends) and keep on trying to upgrade its members or find the right chemistry.</p>
<p>You still haven’t said whether you want to be on the (A) performing, (B) recording/mixing, or (C) business/sales/marketing side of the music industry. Those are very different career paths with very different risk profiles and skill sets.</p>
<p>Hmm…
As C’02 said, I’m not really sure why Columbia is such a great place to go if you want to work in the music industry. For the business side, an econ degree from Columbia+an MBA at CBS or Stern would do you well. To actually record or perform, I feel like going to the Tisch school of art at NYU would be much more beneficial.</p>
<p>yeah if your into making music tisch is at the top</p>