Top Film Scoring Schools

The film scoring profession is tough to break into. Educating yourself the best you can in music composition will help prepare you for the competitive road ahead. Here are the top schools to attend if you are interested in receiving an education in film scoring:

piano keys and film score

 

• USC Thornton School Of Music

The Thornton School of Music at the University Of Southern California (USC) is one of the top music schools in the country. It also has the most well known film scoring program in the country. Jerry Goldsmith (The Omen, Chinatown) is among several notable USC alumni that have worked in the film/television industry for over 50 years. Another benefit of attending USC is that you will likely be studying with future filmmakers in USC’s prestigious School Of Cinema Arts.

• Berklee College Of Music

Berklee College Of Music is the only other school besides USC to provide an undergraduate degree in film scoring. It also is one of the top music schools in the country for composition, production/engineering, and songwriting. Attending Berklee would give you a comprehensive music education outside of film scoring that would make you a well-rounded composer.

• Other Music Schools

Most schools don’t have programs/degrees specifically for film scoring (only two). It is still beneficial to get a comprehensive music education before deciding to go into film scoring. There are a variety of different musical choices used for film, especially with the amount of independent films being produced every year. Check out these top music schools to become a versatile film composer:

The Julliard School (NY)

The Eastman School Of Music (University Of Rochester)

The University Of Miami

Boston Conservatory

University Of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign