Any Great Opera Schools?!?!

<p>Hey everyone,
so basically in a nutt shell im Becky, a Junior in H.s., in the honors choir, and have recently discovered that I am a Coluratura Soprano!
I have been taking voice lessons for a couple years now.
Im very, very interested in going into Opera!
I wanted to know what some schools are, that have great Opera programs!
Im on a budget, I don't think my parents can afford to pay more than $30K a year for me, and $30K is kinda pushing it. So I know i will have to try and get some sort of scholarship.
I live in Illinois, So its great having Chicago really close, because there is some great Opera oppurtunitys in chicago.
SO what are some Colleges In Illinois, and in the surrounding states 0f IL, and also some colleges in NY i can check out?!
Please help guys!!! :) thanks!</p>

<p>Try posting this in the Vocal Music Forum.</p>

<p>Actually, there is no vocal specific forum, just the [Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums) forum, which encompasses instrumental, vocal, music ed, composition and all other music aspects.</p>

<p>There is some cross over and some good vocal advice in [Musical</a> Theater Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/]Musical”>Musical Theater Major - College Confidential Forums), but the nature of MT encompasses the disciplines of voice, dance and acting.</p>

<p>Becky, you need to start with the thread here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-familys-experience.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’ve requested the moderators move your thread to the music major forum.</p>

<p>look into the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University:
[Opera</a> Studies: Departments, Offices and Services: Jacobs School of Music: Indiana University Bloomington](<a href=“http://www.music.indiana.edu/departments/academic/opera/index.shtml]Opera”>http://www.music.indiana.edu/departments/academic/opera/index.shtml)</p>

<p>Indiana is probably the top Opera school in the country - as of a few years ago they were conducting eight fully-staged operas per year. You can google “Voice and Opera B.M.” and find others, and of course, there’s the conservatory route. But be aware that this is not a career path that many people would want to choose. In just about any other field, the 100th-best person in America would be successful, wealth, and secure. The 100th-best opera performer in America may struggle to have a stable career; most serious performers go overseas. You may want to send a Personal Message to “lorelei” if she’s still active on CC. She is a former Vocal Performance faculty member with a daughter who’s an opera performer in Europe. She has warned many times on CC that it’s a career choice that must be made with eyes wide open.</p>

<p>Don’t be discouraged by the above posts. If you wish to pursue a career in voice, then do so.It is very competitive. Undergraduate voice is available in many places. Try Northwestern, U. Michigan, Indiana. I understand Wheaton College in Illinois has a good music program. Good luck.</p>

<p>It’s been some time since we took D (6 years ago!YIKES) to DePaul as a prospective undergrad, but at that time they had an impressive VP department. You might want to follow Brian Dickie’s (director of COT) blog. He frequently mentions the Chicago programs at DePaul and Columbia.</p>

<p>Greetings:</p>

<p>Juilliard, Peabody and Curtis come to mind. Curtis is completely tuition free, too. Also check out Berklee and Hartt.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Also, Manhattan School of Music.</p>

<p>Berklee (no classical VP program)</p>

<p>Berklee (assuming you mean the one in Boston) does not have an opera degree. They’re a very good music college, but their voice programs are designed for contemporary popular voices.</p>

<p>Next door to Berklee is the Boston Conservatory, where some of my friends did their grad degrees in opera. You can’t enter as an undergrad opera major, but you can enter as an undergrad voice major and apply for the opera concentration after (I think) your sophomore year. Check their website, I don’t think they let you sing opera arias for the audition into the voice program.</p>

<p>gadad makes valid points. The poster he is referring to is actually lorelei2702, and much of the warnings, caveats and general advice she has provided over the years can be found within the past threads in the music major forum. (As I see the thread has now been moved, a thank you to the moderators.) In addition, you will find many other posters with extensive experience and knowledge on all aspects vocal. The thread here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/892168-search-tips-other-insights.html&lt;/a&gt; should help you find information.</p>

<p>I’d suggest a title search on opera, vocal, and voice to get you started.</p>

<p>Vocal development is a slower developmental timeline than instrumental skills due to physical maturation of the vocal chords. It is important to find an instructor that will understand the curve and provide the training in proper technique without causing issues down the road. </p>

<p>And I do agree with obsessivecollege as well that following a dream is a personal choice. The key here is knowing the competition, and having accurate and objective professional assessment of your current skills, and potential for development in an extremely competive professional arena. </p>

<p>This is food for thought <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I’ll let those with the vocal expertise take it from here, but if you need help finding past info here, let me know.</p>

<p>Added: it is also important that you further detail your current level of training and past experiences, and an indication of academic stats and scores is needed for the programs that require both an audition and academic admission process. Naming schools without knowing details is a shotgun rather than targeted approach. The music performance disciplines require that teacher, peer level and opportunities to develop match your goals and abilities.</p>

<p>Becky,
Welcome to the forum! I have sent you a Private Message. Look in the upper right had corner of your screen to access.</p>

<p>Thanks for the clarification on Berklee’s vocal program -</p>

<p>SUNY Purchase has a great opera program. In fact, their vocal performance is ONLY opera and it has great opportunities for undergrad students - and it’s about half the price as all those expensive conservatories.</p>

<p>My daughter is at BU (Boston U) now, and one of her close friends in her a cappella group is a gifted opera/classical voice major with a scholarship. Her friend has already been pulled into the grad program (she’s a senior now). Boston U only has classical voice, which is why my daughter, who is more jazz/R&B is transitioning to Berklee (10 min. up the street) starting next semester. Boston U has excellent facilities and practice rooms with always tuned Steinways, as my daugher has happily discovered.</p>

<p>SUNY-Purchase has one of the best programs in the country and is less than 20K. BOCO is another but is about 55K. Good luck.</p>

<p>Check out the University of Kentucky’s opera program. It is a fast rising program and very inexpensive even for out of state students. [University</a> of Kentucky Opera Theatre](<a href=“Welcome | College of Fine Arts”>Welcome | College of Fine Arts)</p>