<p>Hi everyone. I'm a junior in high school and currently having a crisis in deciding what direction to go in college. My interests are theatre and music. I do not want to major in musical theatre, though (I either want to major in theatre and minor in voice, or major in voice and minor in theatre). I have only been taking voice lessons for about a year and a half right now, although I do think that I'm making great improvements. I was just wondering if I started too late in the game to major in VP or not (especially since I'm a bass, and I've heard that VP is less competitive for male singers. Although, I'm sure it's still very competitive). I would not be looking for a conservatory, but probably a liberal arts school with a good music and theatre program. I think one of my choices will be NYU Steinhardt. Any thoughts from anyone would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>A music major with a theatre minor, and a theatre major with a music minor are two VERY different educational experiences. What are your longer range goals? This information might help people on the forum make suggestions.</p>
<p>One thing you will want to check at each school is whether voice lessons are guaranteed available to music minors (this is not always the case), and whether acting classes and theatrical performance opportunities are available to music majors (this will not always be the case).</p>
<p>For example, where I teach theatre majors can get into a group voice class for credit (sometimes not until sophomore year), but will likely NOT be able to take voice lessons for credit. Some do take private voice, but pay the teacher directly. Music majors can get into the beginning acting class, and sometimes intermediate, but getting into the advanced acting classes is much more difficult. All students at the university may audition for productions, but more theatre and musical theatre majors are cast in theatre and musical theatre productions. This is not policy, but the way it usually happens. </p>
<p>Other universities I have been to only allow non-theatre majors to take an acting class for non-majors often taught by graduate students. Some allow non-majors to audition for productions, others do not. Some have drama “clubs” that students can take part in, others do not.</p>
<p>It will be important for you to identify the kind of educational experience you want and to make sure it is both possible and likely at the schools to which you choose to apply.</p>
<p>I remember you posting on the MT Forum. I can’t remember why you have decided not to apply for MT programs.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>KatMT, so basically I want to hone in on either acting or singing in college. I feel like with MT, I would not be able to explore as much classical voice or piano music that I would like to. I am also into composition, so I feel a music program would be great for me. I also feel as if a lot of current MT performers have studied voice and opera. However, I do really love theatre, and would hate to have to give it up after high school. I like many aspects of theatre, too (playwriting, performing, etc.). At this point, I’m probably leaning more towards a major in voice and a minor in theatre. But I still do want to learn about acting and other areas of theatre. So I still am considering a major in theatre and a minor in voice. Ultimately, I would like to be a very accomplished singer and be able to be an accompanist, maybe teach voice lessons (not in a school environment), and be able to perform in musicals, plays, operas, and other related venues (maybe comedy sketches, or other musical groups). As you can see, I have a lot of interests, and I will probably need to make some more specific decisions soon.</p>
<p>Yoshi, since you are a junior, you have time to look at the audition requirements for both paths and make sure you are prepared for either. Since you are a bass and have only taken voice lessons for a year and a half, make sure you have the best private instruction you can afford in your area as you want to make every practice hour and lesson count. If you haven’t already, get an opinion about your voice potential from someone with experience at the university level to understand your potential. You sound like you have serious interest in music, voice, composing and theater, so you may also want to look at programs in composition as well. While a VP major is focused on classical styles, a MT voice is different, so you will need to prepare your auditions appropriately. If you are undecided still, stay on the classical VP path as you can never go wrong with solid classical training, especially if you are sure you don’t want to major in MT.</p>
<p>Although not strong in musical theater - very strong in theater and music separately, with quality undergraduate classical voice lessons & choir, and marvelous master classes to attend for the graduate vocal program run by Dawn Upshaw; and where you could probably double major, and would certainly have opportunities to perform both in music and theater regardless of your major- and which has one of the best composition departments in the country, check out Bard College.</p>
<p>Snowflake, I have already looked at many of the requirements for VP and MT programs (the repertoire part isn’t what I’m concerned about, as I could probably audition for many programs with my current repertoire). Should I seek private voice lessons elsewhere than from the choir director at my school? (She’s a very great voice teacher and understands the bass voice very well and I feel like I have improved greatly under her instruction. But I’m exactly aware of the other options for voice training). And how would I go about getting my voice evaluated by someone at the university level? Do I just contact the university and ask for someone to listen to me? And is that a subjective opinion, or do they usually know what a voice will develop into? Oh, and I have thought about applying for programs for composition. But I feel like I haven’t written enough music to be accepted into composition programs. Thanks</p>
<p>As a student mid-way through junior year, you still have some time to evolve: things may become clearer in the next year. </p>
<p>NYU’s Steinhardt is a school of music and performing arts, with “conservatory-level training” that ends in a BM. If you go there, you will have to choose music or theater, and voice versus composition.</p>
<p>If you still want to pursue multiple interests, you could also consider going to a college or university that would allow for a couple more years of exploration, and where you can do either music or theater as a major, but also, in a substantial way, as a minor, or as extracurricular activities. (We know a student doing VP as a double major at Harvard/NEC who does a lot of theater on campus, for instance. And of course students in many majors participate in music organizations.)</p>
<p>Many colleges do not have a performance major, but you could study privately either with a faculty member or with someone outside the college. Or, you could look at double degree programs, which normally take 5 years. Pursuing a double degree would mean you could do both music and theater. Bard and Oberlin might be good choices. Also Tufts or Harvard and NEC. Others here know of other programs.</p>
<p>If you were to pursue a BA, you would also do composition as part of your coursework.(And a year left before applying is a lot of time for writing music, if that is what you end up wanting to do.)</p>
<p>Just a few other options to think about. Keep working in a way that keeps your options open, get the best teachers you can (Including composition if you are really interested), talk to people, but also know that a lot can change in the next year.</p>
<p>What are your summer plans? Many students seem to find that the summer between junior and senior year can really help clarify things for them.</p>
<p>Agreed that as a HS junior you still have some time to clarify. If music is a huge passion for you (as it sounds like it is) you would likely find studying music as a major at a school that would allow for a theatre minor a better fit.</p>
<p>If you are unsure whether you ultimately would want to pursue a musical theatre or a classical performance path finding a school where the repertory requirements and coursework will prepare you for graduate school auditions in vocal performance. Where I teach at James Madison University there is an emphasis in Music Theatre through the School of Music. Those students are following a very similar course of study to the vocal performance students, but take a small cluster of dance, acting, and musical theatre performance classes. Students completing that program (particularly those who also followed the foreign language requirements that are required for the Vocal Performance emphasis students) have been successful in graduate school auditions coming out with their BM. Others in that program have chosen to pursue a more Musical Theatre path, workin in NYC, national and international tours, regional theaters, etc… Some students in the Vocal Performance emphasis choose to also minor in theatre. Most of these students are focused on vocal performance, but want additional acting training to bring to their skill set. There is opportunity to compose, musical direct, etc… as well.</p>
<p>The process of looking at what is possible at schools may help you clarify what you are looking for in an educational environment.</p>
<p>I would suggest looking at Oklahoma City University’s BM, more closely at NYU Steinhardt… KSWAG (I think) is a freshman in the MT BM, and posts on the Steinhardt board on the MT forum. Compmom also is a wonderful resource with info on NYU. There is another mom as well, whose screen name I cannot remember right now, who posts pretty regularly.</p>
<p>You may also want to look at the BA programs at Plymouth State University in NH. Lots of individual attention, opportunities to perform in both music and theatre events and productions. A lot of crossover between music and theatre students. Good graduate school placement for vocal performance, and alums working professionally in music, theatre, and musical theatre.</p>
<p>I am sure there are many other programs that would allow you the opportunity to be involved in multiple areas, it will just take a little digging. :-)</p>
<p>NYU Steinhardt has a minor in Educational Theatre. Check it out, they have had some solid faculty in the program for some time. Along with the BM in voice, it could be a good fit.</p>