Top 7 Music Conservatories in the United States for Learning the Violin
The violin is an instrument that requires lifelong learning, and it is not an easy task. Having a good school during the learning process can undoubtedly make a big difference.
Below are 7 renowned music conservatories, all of which are excellent places to study the violin. They are spread across the United States and are listed in no particular order.
1: Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Official website: https://peabody.jhu.edu/
Introduction:
George Peabody founded the institute that bears his name in 1857 as the first conservatory in the United States. The Peabody Institute has remained a leader at the intersection of art and education through its focus on excellence and innovation and is advancing a conservatory model conceived for today’s changing world. Since 1977, the Peabody Institute has been affiliated with Johns Hopkins University.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at Peabody Institute emphasizes personalized development for students and covers various aspects such as violin playing techniques, music theory, history, and chamber music studies.
Features:
Students will receive world-class violin instruction, and they will have opportunities to participate in diverse performances and collaborate in chamber music, fostering comprehensive musical talents.
Violin Instructor: Herbert Greenberg
Herbert Greenberg is an internationally renowned violinist and educator. From 1981 to 2001, he served as the concertmaster of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Currently, he holds the position of professor in the violin department at Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute. Greenberg has extensive experience in both performing and teaching music and his teaching style emphasizes the cultivation of technique and the integration of musical expression. Not only has he achieved excellence in the field of performance, but he is also dedicated to nurturing the next generation of violinists, imparting valuable experiences accumulated over the years to his students.
2: The Juilliard School
Location: New York City
Website: https://www.juilliard.edu/
Introduction:
Juilliard is one of the most renowned performing arts schools globally, and its violin program enjoys a high reputation internationally.
Juilliard is committed to the diversity of our community by fostering an environment that is inclusive, supportive, and welcoming to all. In working toward this environment, we recognize that our steps forward must be placed in the context of systemic issues that shape our industry. It is only through a dedicated commitment to this work that we can achieve our mission of providing the highest caliber of artistic education to students and actively shaping the future of the performing arts.
Our path forward aims to be holistic and intentional, with Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging included as a core value and priority of the school.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at The Juilliard School focuses on comprehensive development, encompassing technical training and musical expression, including aspects such as violin playing techniques, music theory, music history, and chamber music studies.
Features:
Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned violin professors and performers, participating in high-level performances and music projects. The Juilliard School is recognized as one of the world's top music institutions.
Violin Instructor: Ronald Copes.
Violinist Ronald Copes is concertmaster of the Sunriver Festival Orchestra, Oberlin Orchestra, and University of Michigan Philharmonia; and is in the first violin section of the Casals Festival Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, and Marlboro Festival Orchestra. He is currently Chair, Violin Department at The Juilliard School.
3: Curtis Institute of Music
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: https://www.curtis.edu/
Introduction:
The Curtis Institute of Music is one of the most prestigious music schools in the world. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
For nearly a century Curtis has provided each member of its small student body an unparalleled education alongside musical peers, distinguished by a “learn by doing” philosophy and personalized attention from a faculty that includes a high proportion of actively performing musicians. To ensure that admission is based solely on artistic promise, Curtis charges no tuition to its students.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at Curtis Institute of Music emphasizes personalized guidance and excellence in performance techniques. Students will receive comprehensive instruction in violin playing, music theory, chamber music, and more.
Features:
The institute maintains a highly selective admissions process, accepting only a limited number of students each year, resulting in a low student-to-faculty ratio. This allows for close collaboration between students and top-notch musicians and professors.
Violin Instructor: Pamela Frank.
Pamela Frank, a 1989 Curtis graduate, has established an outstanding international reputation across an unusually varied range of performing activity. She has performed regularly with today's most distinguished soloists and ensembles, including the orchestras of Philadelphia, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Baltimore; the Berlin, St. Petersburg, and Israel philharmonics; the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields; and the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zürich.
Ms. Frank joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 1996.
4: Manhattan School of Music
Location: New York City
Website: https://www.msmnyc.edu/
Introduction:
Manhattan School of Music is world-renowned for its impressive faculty and the quality of its instruction.
MSM’s orchestral faculty are drawn from the city’s great classical music organizations, including the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera; members of MSM’s jazz faculty are top performers in the city; the musical theatre faculty are professional artists who have created and performed in some of Broadway’s greatest shows; and faculty soloists can be heard in recitals and chamber music programs all over New York.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at Manhattan School of Music emphasizes a comprehensive music education, covering classical violin performance, music theory, music history, and chamber music studies.
Features:
Students will have abundant performance opportunities and music projects, collaborating with fellow students in various performances, gaining ample stage experience.
Violin Instructor: Nicholas Mann.
Nicholas Mann, chair of MSM’s Strings Department, grew up surrounded by music and musicians, collaborating from an early age with such noted artists as Itzhak Perlman, Lynn Harrell, and his father Robert Mann. Mr. Mann has performed extensively as a recitalist and soloist throughout the United States and Canada. In New York he has appeared on the Great Performers Series at Alice Tully Hall, performed with Chamber Music at the “Y,” and served as concertmaster of the Jupiter Symphony.
5: New England Conservatory of Music
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Website: https://necmusic.edu/
Introduction:
New England Conservatory (NEC) an independent, not-for-profit institution, is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools, educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world. With music students representing more than 40 countries, NEC cultivates a diverse, dynamic community for students, providing them with performance opportunities and high-caliber training by 225 internationally-esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of making and teaching music through college-level musical training in classical, jazz and Contemporary Improvisation. It offers unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships that empower students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC's mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students and adults.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at New England Conservatory of Music emphasizes personalized guidance and musical expression. Students will study various aspects, including violin playing techniques, music theory, history, and chamber music.
Features:
The conservatory places a strong emphasis on academic research and practical musical experiences. Students will have the opportunity to participate in chamber music performances and exchanges, fostering the development of their own musical styles.
Violin Instructor: Miriam Fried.
Miriam Fried has been recognized for years as one of the world’s preeminent violinists. A consummate musician—equally accomplished as recitalist, concerto soloist or chamber musician—she has been heralded for her “fiery intensity and emotional depth” (Musical America) as well as for her technical mastery. Fried has played with virtually every major orchestra in the United States and Europe and has been a frequent guest with the principal orchestras of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, as well as with the Israel Philharmonic, the London Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic, and the Vienna Symphony.
6: Eastman School of Music
Location: Rochester, New York
Website: https://www.esm.rochester.edu/
Introduction:
For a century, the Eastman School of Music has been one of the professional schools of the University of Rochester. Our faculty and students are devoted to the pursuit of the highest level of musical artistry.
For 100 years, Eastman has celebrated four key pillars: artistry, scholarship, leadership and community.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at Eastman School of Music places a strong emphasis on cultivating students' performance techniques and musical expression. Students will study violin playing, music theory, and chamber music, among other subjects.
Features:
The school has a longstanding tradition of chamber music, and students will have the opportunity to participate in diverse performance projects, fostering a well-rounded development of their musical abilities.
Violin Instructor: Renee Jolles.
Renée Jolles, violinist, enjoys an eclectic career as soloist and chamber artist specializing in a wide variety of styles from the Baroque to the contemporary. Hailed as a “real star” by The New York Times for her New York concerto debut in Alice Tully Hall, she has premiered hundreds of works, including the American premiere of Schnittke’s Violin Concerto No. 2.
7: Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Website: https://www.music.northwestern.edu/
Introduction:
Northwestern University’s Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music is one of the oldest degree-granting music schools in the United States.
Today the Bienen School of Music has an enrollment of more than 600 undergraduate and graduate students and a world-renowned faculty of 125. Students pursue degrees in performance and music studies as well as dual bachelor’s degrees. Alumni hold positions as performers, administrators, and educators in leading arts and educational institutions throughout the world.
Course Content:
The violin curriculum at Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University emphasizes personalized guidance and academic research. Students will study various aspects, including violin playing, music theory, history, and chamber music.
Features:
The school places a strong emphasis on combining music academia with practical experiences. Students will have the opportunity to participate in various music projects and collaborative performances, fostering the development of their own musical talents.
Violin Instructor: Blair Milton.
Blair Milton joined the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1975 and four years later became a founding member of the Evanston Chamber Ensemble. As the originator of the Winter Chamber Music Festival, which began in 1997, he has performed with Daniel Barenboim, Gil Shaham, Menahem Pressler, Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, Lynn Harrell, and Janos Starker, among others. He has appeared on the Ravinia Festival Chamber Music Series and Chicago Symphony Orchestra Artist Series, as soloist with the Chicago String Ensemble and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. A member of Northwestern University’s violin faculty since 1984, Milton is the director of Northwestern’s Summer Violin Institute. He has given master classes across the United States as well as in South America, Germany, and Japan. Milton studied with Josef Gingold at Indiana University, with Ivan Galamian and Sidney Harth.
Note:
The above information is sourced from the official websites of each respective institution. For more detailed information, please refer to their respective websites for further exploration.
Recommended Violin Set
Knight Violin Outfit Q033
Sales price: $329
This violin is great for beginners and students. It is made of maple and spruce and has a very balanced sound. The set is complete and comes with all the accessories a beginner needs. The quality of the accessories is also very good. The spare strings are D'Addario strings and the bridge is Aubert.
If you like, you can click on the picture to learn more about the violin.
Baron Intermediate Violin Outfit Q003
Sales price: $659
The Baron Violin Outfit Q003 completely fulfills the expectations of performers regarding a high-quality violin: traditional craftsmanship, exceptional performance, and exquisite appearance.
Combined with its highly competitive price advantage, it undoubtedly becomes the most suitable choice for intermediate players.
If you like, you can click on the picture to learn more about the violin.
