Studying Art and Design at a U.S. University

“We can look at artwork from ancient antiquity to contemporary times in every corner of the world. Art is what we can use to get a glimpse of what beliefs, values, and ideals have been formed or challenged by societies. How amazing is that?”

“I think International students are wonderful because they are open to trying new things, which is crucial in working in the arts. You have to be willing to take chances and work hard for long periods of time often without success or compensation for your efforts.”

- David Roholt, Associate Professor of Art at Pierce College.

The conductor calmly raises his baton. There is silence in the hall as the audience quiets in expectation. In an instant, the silence is broken. The pianist’s fingers speed across the keyboard, pounding the keys with great might. In one section, bows race across strings and with deep breaths, musicians in another section blow into their instruments. Together, the University of Nevada, Reno’s Symphony Orchestra engulfs the Nightingale Concert Hall with Saint-Saens’ Piano Concerto No. 2.

The University of Nevada, Reno Department of Music is part of a lively School of the Arts. Students studying music are taught from faculty comprised of music performers, scholars, and composers. Professors and faculty personally guide and mentor students through the rigorous and challenging program.

The program is focused on building strong musical foundations, enabling students to develop their own musical “voice” and style. In addition to foundational courses, students can study unique history courses, such as Television Music, Jazz Cultures, and History of American Musical Theater.

Other than their courses, students have numerous opportunities to practice their music and perform. Private music lessons are offered and students can participate in chamber music settings and large ensembles (including the renowned Nightingale String Quartet), both on campus and in the community. There are many festivals throughout the year organized by the Music Department, including the Reno Jazz Festival, the Winter Chamber Music Festival and the Argenta Festival. The University also collaborates with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and Reno Chamber Orchestra.

Taking advantage of the many performance opportunities is international student and pianist, Bomin Park. He has been the Nevada state winner two years in a row of the Music Teachers National Association Competition, and was honored with the Dean’s Award for Artistic Achievement.

Students of the program are prepared to pursue careers in music, from teaching and performing, to musicology and composition. They can pursue Bachelor of Art degrees, Bachelor of Music Education, and Music Performance degrees, focusing on classical or jazz and improvisational music. The University also offers master’s degrees in Performance, Education, and Musicology.

Many graduates are now teachers in major graduate programs across the U.S., or are playing in orchestras, chamber groups, and jazz and popular music groups worldwide. Mezzo-soprano Dolora Zajick, for example, has enjoyed a career performing in the premiere opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Chicago’s Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, and London’s Covent Garden.

Pierce College

Language barriers dissipate with a pencil and with a stroke of a brush, students enter a world in which creativity and expression are the common languages.

“Arts are the most universal way for us to learn about all cultures both far and near alike. In the visual arts there are no language gaps,” explains David Roholt, Associate Professor of Art at Pierce College.

At Pierce College, a community college south of Seattle in Lakewood, Washington, all students have the chance to explore fine arts, whether they plan to study fine arts, digital design, or even business. Drawing and painting classes are the most popular among international students.

Professors guide students through foundational courses in drawing, painting, basic sculpture and photography, giving one-on-one instruction.

“David Johnson: The best art teacher at Pierce in my mind. He was my photography teacher. He is knowledgeable, super kind, super helpful, super patient,” says Thomas Chen Zhen.

Zhen, an international student, won the Outstanding Art Student of the Year award. Zhen has been accepted to the DigiPen Institute of Technology, a private college focused on video game development. Zhen:

“My advisors gave me lots of encouragement and helped me to apply to Digipen.”

Pierce College students have also transferred to Cornish College of the Arts, Rhode Island School of Art and Design, University of Washington and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

At Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Washington, farm-to-table isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a practice. Students in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program plant and maintain gardens that produce fruits and vegetables for daily meals in the campus’ Bistro Kitchen and Hot Express.

“We are passionate about growing our own produce,” says Lyn Highet, the college’s Food Services Manager.

Founded in 1978, the program has diversified to incorporate agriculture and sustainable food systems and practices such as composting—Skagit was the first college to start a composting program. Skagit is also developing culinary artisan programs as Washington State boasts many nationally recognized artisan cheesemakers, charcutiers and brewers.

Students in the program master the culinary fundamentals and techniques such as making stocks from scratch for daily soups and grinding meat for hamburgers.

The area around Skagit Valley College is fertile and agriculturally rich, lending it to many farmers, of both land and sea, and culinary artisans. Students take fieldtrips to meet producers like the farmers at Taylor Shellfish Farms, the largest producer of Manila clams in the USA.

Students who complete the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program earn an Associate and Technical Arts degree. Many students either begin their careers or move on to advanced culinary programs.

AMDA College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts New York City and Los Angeles

There’s a reason New York City never sleeps.

The constant buzz of America’s largest city doesn’t just come from the lights of Broadway; it comes from the bohemian heritage of the West Village, the underground beats of Harlem and the arias soaring from the Met. Performers from every country and discipline are drawn to Manhattan to pursue their dreams.

Now it’s your turn.

When you attend AMDA New York, Broadway is your backyard. Our students are a vital part of the creative community here, and the city itself sets the scene for an innovative learning experience.

An AMDA education is more than just studio training; it’s a backstage pass to New York City’s performing arts scene. Every day, hundreds of films, television shows, dance concerts, symphonies, performance art pieces and plays are produced just steps from campus. And then, of course, there’s Broadway. You’re likely to find more AMDA students on Broadway stages than students from any other performing arts college, with alumni who fill the casts of Broadway production after Broadway production. You could be next.

It’s no surprise that Los Angeles is considered the entertainment capital of the world.

From searchlights sweeping the skies over the latest red carpet award ceremony to the world-class musicians cutting tracks at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles pulses with an unshakable sense that something big is always happening — probably because it is.For generations, artists from around the world have been drawn to Hollywood to pursue their creative passions.

Join them on your own path to success.

When you attend AMDA Los Angeles, you become a part of Hollywood’s creative community; the studios, theaters and landmarks are your inspiration. Hundreds of films, television shows and live performances take place here each day. With Hollywood as your classroom, you’ll get unrivaled behind-the-scenes access, face time with industry leaders, and, with many major film, television and recording studios just around the corner, a real understanding of how show business actually works. To get to class, you stroll down the Walk of Fame, each star proof positive that this is a town where dreams come true.