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The Top 25 Music Schools 2016

These elite institutions attended by the likes of Leonard Cohen, Alicia Keys and Diane Warren will help you hit the high notes in everything from film composition to live performance.

November 23, 2016 8:00am

The Top 25 Music Schools 2016 — Illustration by Michael Hirshon

A career in the music industry is not easy. The competition is fierce, talent alone provides no guarantees, and you're only going to get so many chances to prove yourself. In short, you're going to need every break you can get. For many, music schools can, at the very least, provide the necessary experience and training to help navigate a particularly cutthroat industry.

After all, everyone from John Williams to Alicia Keys benefitted from a formal musical education. Choosing the right school, however, is daunting. So whether you want to become one of the world's best violinists, compose music for the big screen or master the recording studio, THR's ranking of the top 25 music schools and programs will help narrow the search.