Teaching Texts for Music Colleges

I'm eyeing a future in music and planning to go to a music college. Does anyone know what texts most music colleges use for their courses?

While it's not always clear what specific textbooks you'll encounter at each music college, there are a few commonly used texts that cover foundational aspects of music theory, music history, ear training, and performance.

1. Tonal Harmony by Stefan Kostka and Dorothy Payne: This is a highly comprehensive guide to understanding harmonies, often used in music theory classes.

2. The Study of Orchestration by Samuel Adler: This book provides a detailed look at orchestration – how each instrument in an orchestra operates, and how they function together.

3. A History of Western Music by Donald Jay Grout, Peter J. Burkholder, and Claude V. Palisca: Regarded as one of the most comprehensive accounts of Western music history, this is a common choice for a music history core curriculum.

4. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician by Christoph Wolff: For an in-depth look at a single composer, this biography of Bach provides insights into the life of one of the most influential figures in Western music.

5. The Complete Singer-Actor: Training for Music Theater (2nd edition) by Stephen F. Austin: The focus here is on performers, particularly those looking to enter into music theater.

I would suggest reaching out to the colleges you're interested in and asking about their core texts in the areas you're most keen on studying. It can also be helpful to look at the syllabi of courses published online. This will give you more specific insight into the materials they use. Lastly, once you do enrol in a music college, your professors will be the best resource for recommending texts related to your specific course of study and interests.