BY: Mark Small
Building 21st Century Musicians
The Frost School of Music, with its distinguished faculty and innovative Frost Method® curriculum, has been a destination for gifted American and international music students for decades. The Frost School of Music is one of the 12 schools and colleges within the University of Miami, in the suburb of Coral Gables, in multicultural South Florida. The music school’s 480 music students are among the university’s 12,000 undergraduates and 6,000 graduate students, immersed in an eclectic educational environment.
A Degree with Lasting Value
Frost School of Music’s Director of Admissions Dominic Castillejo says, “Graduates earn a degree that carries the reputation of both the university and the Frost School of Music. So, there is a lot of value for students who come here.” The school offers 12 majors leading to Bachelor of Music degrees. For the more tech-oriented music student, the music school also offers a Bachelor of Science degree in music engineering. Those desiring a broader liberal arts education can also earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree or a Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry, which is for musicians who are also interested in the business side of music.
Three-Genre Curriculum: Classical, Jazz, and Contemporary Music
The curriculum at Frost embraces three genres: classical, jazz, and contemporary/popular music. An interesting feature of Frost’s program is that performance majors take courses in music technology and music business in addition to their core music courses. Another perk for music majors is access to state-of-the-art recording studios and concert halls outfitted with cutting-edge audio and video production systems.
Classical students pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree can concentrate on music theory and composition or instrumental or vocal performance. Studio instruction is offered for voice and 15 traditional orchestral instruments, plus classical saxophone, piano, harp, and guitar. Principal instrument choices for jazz students include drums, bass, piano, guitar, brass, woodwind instruments, and voice. Coursework covers improvisation, jazz composition and arranging, ensembles, and special sections in jazz theory and ear training.
Frost also offers a full curriculum and performance opportunities for students in the contemporary/popular genre. The contemporary program includes drums, bass guitar, guitar, keyboard, strings, voice, and a unique option for electronic instrument (computer w/hardware & controller), with students receiving private studio instruction, ensemble/band participation, and core music classes (music theory, music history, etc.).
Specialized Programs in Music Engineering, Media Scoring, and Music Therapy
Other Bachelor of Music degree tracks include music education, music therapy, and Media Scoring and Production (MSP). Frost’s MSP coursework builds a solid foundation for students in scoring techniques for movies, TV, commercials, and video games, and explores such music technologies as digital audio recording, MIDI production, and more. Frost’s Bachelor of Science degree in Music Engineering is distinctive in its requirement in that students learn the science behind signal processing, audio electronics, recording, and mixing, in addition to music theory studies, and that they become proficient on an instrument in any of the three genres.
Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship (MADE)
Of note is Frost’s Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship program (MADE), which is open to performance majors pursuing contemporary music as well as jazz and classical performers. Its emphasis on marketing, promotion, and personal branding prepares students for a performing career in today’s music industry or graduate studies.
Flexibility to Explore and Grow as a Musician
“One of our slogans is ‘Build Yourself at Frost,’” Castillejo shared. “After students are admitted, they take lessons on their principal instrument in the genre they choose. But since many of our students play multiple instruments, we allow them to take secondary lessons on a different instrument or courses in a different musical genre. Something unique about Frost is that students are not confined to the major or instrument they chose on their application. Once they are here, they can spread their wings.”
Expand Your Education with Music-Focused Minors
Castillejo cited further opportunities Frost offers to expand a student’s artistic horizons and career possibilities through minors in composition, dance, music industry, and studio jazz instrumental studies. “We also offer the C.A.M. or Creative American Music minor that any Frost student can audition for,” stated Castillejo. “It’s an opportunity for them to learn the skillset needed to be a singer/songwriter in contemporary music.”
Miami’s Music Scene Offers Real-World Experience
In addition to the educational offerings, the area affords student musicians the chance to hone their skills off campus. “There is a vibrant nightlife around Miami and opportunities for students to play gigs at the restaurants, clubs, and bars around South Beach, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Wynwood,” Castillejo posits. “There are also several playhouses in South Florida and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, plus more opportunities in Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. There are music and arts festivals in the area throughout the year where musicians showcase their work. They offer our students the chance to network with musicians from outside the Miami area.”
Admissions: What It Takes to Get Into Frost
Frost School of Music applicants must be accepted to the music school and the university. Beyond musical skills, applicants need a solid academic record to meet requirements for admission to the University of Miami. “All applicants have to be strong academically,” Castillejo states, “to demonstrate that they can be successful in the traditional college-level coursework that will be required for their undergraduate music degree. While requirements for a Frost music degree are 80 to 85 percent music courses, there will also be about 18 to 21 credits of non-music coursework required.” Castillejo stresses that those planning to apply to Frost should be aware of this in advance and develop their skills in math, English composition, social sciences, and STEM classes. Those types of courses are considered in the admissions process for both the University of Miami and Frost.
Test Scores: Optional for Frost, Required for the University
Starting with the 2025-2026 admission cycle, the University of Miami will return to requiring test scores (either SAT or ACT scores) for applicants to the university. However, the Frost School of Music will remain test-optional for applicants who select a major that requires an audition. Any student applying for the 2 non-audition majors (Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry and Bachelor of Science in Audio Technology) will be required to submit test scores with their application. “If performance-based program applicants don’t want to submit test scores to Frost because they feel their scores are not reflective of their GPA and musical achievements, they don’t have to,” says Castillejo.
According to Castillejo, applicants choose a major, principal instrument, and genre, and those three decisions drive the application process. “Applicants for all majors except for the Bachelor of Arts in Music Industry and Bachelor of Science in Audio Technology are required to audition on an instrument or voice,” he says. “About 95 percent of our applicants have to audition, and it’s preferable for them to do a live audition at the Miami campus.” Castillejo describes acceptance to Frost as competitive, but within reach for applicants who are invited for a live audition after a prescreening process.
World-Class Faculty and Acclaimed Alumni
A perusal of the Frost faculty bios reveals a team of musically diverse experts with impressive educational credentials and professional accomplishments. The introduction on the Frost Faculty Directory webpage states: “Frost faculty are in a league of their own: GRAMMY®, Emmy, Oscar, DownBeat, Rome, Van Cliburn, Fischoff, Naumburg, and Tchaikovsky awards and nominations are just a few of their countless accolades.”
A look at the roster of alumni who have built successful careers in various quarters of the music world speaks of the merits of a Frost education. The list of alumni bright lights includes multi-GRAMMY award-winning songwriters Bruce Hornsby and Jon Secada; top classical composers Sally K. Albrecht, Kevin Day, and Kenneth Fuchs; jazz vocalist and actress Carmen Lundy and operatic soprano Elizabeth Caballero; Broadway star Joshua Henry (original Hamilton cast member); and Jorge Mejia, president and CEO of Sony Music Latin America, to name just a few.
Strong Career Outcomes and Student Success
The Frost website posts, “With the groundbreaking Frost Method® curriculum, students build themselves into musicians with artistic, technological, and entrepreneurial skills to thrive in the 21st century. 91.3% of Frost graduates find a full-time job or go to graduate school, within six months of graduation.”
“It’s telling that our retention and graduation rates are the highest among all the schools and colleges at the University of Miami,” Castillejo adds. “We are above 95 percent in retention and graduation rates. That’s a testament to the experiences and opportunities available to our students. They can develop and thrive here and build a professional network that will serve them now and in the years after graduation.”
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Karen Kerr
An accomplished professional with over 28 years of experience in higher education, admissions, and recruitment, Karen has always made her goal finding the best-fit school for student musicians. Most recently, she served as the Director of Admission and Recruitment at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where she was responsible for recruitment, auditions/interviews, and admissions of all undergraduate and graduate applicants. Prior to joining the Frost School, she was part of the admissions staff at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance where she reviewed applications at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.