Four-year universities and colleges are often seen as essential for many career paths, however they are often unnecessary for students who want to pursue an art profession.
Many factors contribute to an individual's decision to attend different schools, including the type of discipline they want to pursue, finances and their overall goals.
Dr. Fred Cohen, director of San Jose State’s School of Music and Dance, feels this has been a question with no answer for a long time. However, he spoke positively about the benefits students experience by attending a university.
“Universities teach students how to be tough enough to deal with the difficulties that they will inevitably encounter as artists,” Cohen said.
The education received in four-year universities compared to non-traditional avenues such as trade schools often varies, according to Cohen.
Alternative art schools often include accelerated technical learning in more focused areas, as well as mentorship programs.
However, Cohen said these schools don’t give students a broad enough range of curriculum.
“They don’t give you the basic skills, in my experience, that you need in order to be successful,” he said “It’s much more than understanding [the] process and signal flow.”
Vivian Fletcher, an Open University student in the SJSU marching band program expressed the importance of college networking.
According to the SJSU website, Open University allows students from outside the university to enroll in classes on a space-available basis and achieve credits. These can be students who have graduated, disqualified students and members of the general community.
“With the Open University program not only can you come play, you get to know the music building and most importantly, the people there,” Fletcher said.
Like Fletcher, Cohen experienced the perceived benefits of attending traditional universities firsthand because he attended the University of California, Santa Cruz and Cornell University.
Cohen said students who attend SJSU’s School of Music and Dance receive a multifaceted skill set, rather than a singular focus like in a trade school.
He explained the skills SJSU focuses on for the School of Music and Dance are musical literacy, performance opportunities and an understanding of the historical context behind the arts.
Cohen’s experiences at his previous institutions were largely shaped by the students and faculty within them.
“Working with all sorts of personalities and talents has changed my life,” he said.
“Institutions themselves are not as nearly interesting, worthy or hold as much value as the people who are in the institutions.”
Fletcher has echoed a similar opinion to Cohen when considering a four-year university’s value.
She was also motivated to attend SJSU because of the performance experience and the community.
Her goal is to become a professional percussionist and she chose the traditional college route for her career. Fletcher hopes to get her name noticed and graduate with a variety of skill sets.
The decision to attend a college for the arts relies heavily on an artist’s expertise.
The professors and peers within four-year institutions can provide guidance to aspiring artists however, some students believe a similar network can be found elsewhere.
Former student Rommel Serrano attended SJSU for two years before deciding to attend ICON Collective.
ICON Collective is a musical trade school that teaches students through technical training and mentorships, according to its official website. Although Serrano explained SJSU’s opportunities and community built his artistry, he’s now more connected to the industry with ICON Collective’s network.
Serrano said he felt there were not as many like-minded artists at SJSU compared to ICON.
At ICON, Serrano said he experiences a more competitive pool of artists who motivate him to work even harder at his dream of becoming a producer and professional musician.
“My entire reason for leaving was to be punched in the mouth with a reality check,” Serrano said. “Everyone is good in LA, the bar is set way higher.”
Institutions including ICON are ideal for students like Serrano, who prefer to dive right into hands-on training and competition.
This is different from universities that provide student artists musical literacy, historical background information and a large network.
The outcome of attending a university or an alternative school ultimately depends on the artist themselves and their needs.
One of the main struggles for student artists is balancing the practical with the dream. With the multitude of options to pursue an artistic career, the decision relies on individuals and their particular circumstances, talents and goals.
The debate surrounding the necessity of universities for the arts remains unsolved, but it’s evident some aspiring artists might take the risks necessary.
