Austin, TX or Urbana-Champaign, IL???

[Spell]

hello all.
i am currently a music student in newcastle-upon-tyne, uk. my program allows me to go abroad in my third year (2006/2007). chances are that i might end up in the usa... but where?!?

i have two possibilities:
Austin, Texas (university of Texas) or Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (university of Illinois).

Is there anybody who can give me:
1. information about the music departments of said universities
2. information about the universities in general (how are the dorms, what's their campus life like, etc.)
3. information about the music scene in the city (any genre, from classical to dance. information about music festivals and annual events, venues, and music shops are good, too)
4. information about the role playing scene of the city

i know the request is a bit random, but i'd prefer to hear what real people says, rather than jump on google and read a zillion of websites designed by people that want to sell me that thier city is the best in the world (i'll do that, as well, don't worry...)

thanks in advance!

 

[nakia]

I've never been to Urbana-Champaign, but know a number of people in graduate school at Illinois. I lived in Texas for a few years and visited Austin frequently.

Go to Austin.

Illinois is a good school, but no one I know speaks very highly of U-C as a town. It's not horrible, from what I hear, just not all that interesting.

Austin, on the other hand, is a fun place. It has a GREAT music scene that spans many genres. Plenty of blues, country, folk, indie rock, and punk. They also have a great film scene as well. Robert Rodriguez (Sin City, Spy Kids, Desperado) has his Troublemaker Studios there. Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) works from Austin. They have a giant music/film/art convention every year -- South by Southwest. There are tons of music venues and several good indie recond shops. I have also heard there are some good FLGS's there as well, though I never visited any while in town.

I went to the rival Texas university (Texas A&M), so I don't know a whole lot about campus life at UT. But it tends to draw a more liberal student body (for Texas, at least). The fraternity/sorority scene is pretty big. (American) football is HUGE. But it's a big, big school, so there are bound to be plenty of people that are into all sorts of different things.

Austin grew really quickly during the tech boom of the 1990's, which led to some sprawl, bad traffic, and some loss of character and wierdness. Austin is also a cool city that knows it's cool, which can be annoying sometimes. Those are my only real complaints.

From my limited experience, Austin would win hands down. Texas would certainly be a unique American experience for a non-American.

Good luck!

 

[Dinkeldog]

The only exception is if you want a Music Ed degree. The Illini program is outstanding.

 

[der_kluge]

I've not heard much about U.C, Illinois, but I've been to Austin, and it's an awesome city. Very "hip", and quite beautiful on many levels. Lots of ENworlders live there, too, IIRC.

 

[loki44]

I've visited both places, Illinois more so, and I can confirm that Austin has by far the better music scene and overall town vibe. Champaign is a pure college town. Austin seems to have a life outside the University. Both places can be brutally hot in the summer but Illinois' winter can also be wicked. Don't know enough to answer your other questions.

 

[RangerWickett]

In Austin there's this cute girl I know named Courtney Cavaliere, who works at a coffee shop.

Illinois is closer to Gen Con.

Seriously, that's about all I can offer.

 

[Spell]

In Austin there's this cute girl I know named Courtney Cavaliere, who works at a coffee shop.

tell me more about the girl...

seriously, thanks for the feedback. I am planning to majoring in composition, and to play on my own (well, not just on my own... what i really mean is "outside the curriculum").
i was in boston at the berklee college of music for two semesters and i hope that wasn't too much representative of the whole american campus life. i did learn a lot, but the amount of coursework was so big that it was simply impossible to do anything apart from studying. including pursuing your own projects, playing RPGs, or, well, visiting coffee shops looking for girls...

 

[loki44]

i was in boston at the berklee college of music for two semesters and i hope that wasn't too much representative of the whole american campus life. i did learn a lot, but the amount of coursework was so big that it was simply impossible to do anything apart from studying. including pursuing your own projects, playing RPGs, or, well, visiting coffee shops looking for girls...

Well, can't comparatively speak to the workload in the music departments at those two schools, but having hung around a bit with music and art students I'd have to say they're probably two of the most demanding majors at most universities. Little or no free time.

 

[Spell]

Well, can't comparatively speak to the workload in the music departments at those two schools, but having hung around a bit with music and art students I'd have to say they're probably two of the most demanding majors at most universities. Little or no free time.

oh, it's not that different in Newcastle... but at least, you do have time to go out and see those gigs...
but, hey, who says i can't become ubiquitous...

 

[Jdvn1]

What sort of music do you want to compose? Austin has a good music scene, but if I'm not mistaken it's rather narrow in variety. Mostly jazz, IIRC.

I have a friend there who plays trumpet for UT, and he likes it a lot Also, I'm in Texas, so I'm biased when I say I prefer Austin. I hear Illinois is good, though, and is probably closer to a bigger city.