<p>My son is graduating from University of Michigan's 5 year program in vocal performance and music education certification. He is planning on doing a masters in vocal performance.</p>
<p>He was accepted to Peabody w/$$, Manhattan School of Music no/$$ and wait list at Cleveland Instititue of Music. The $$ isn't enough to tip the scale.</p>
<p>Which is better for vocal performance at present? I have a little concern about the performing opportunities at MSM. Any experience on that?</p>
<p>Just happened to have dinner this evening with a young opera singer who did his Masters at MSM a few years ago so I asked him...he ended up with great opportunities because he was one of the few bass voices, but he said it was tough for some of the other singers in the program..so your S may want to find out more about how many other singers he will be competing with for parts...probably the same will be true of Peabody as well...it will be good to talk with some of the singers at both schools, and with the teachers.
(By the way, how did your son like his 5 years at UMich? Our daughter is probably going to do the same (instrumental performance and LSA)</p>
<p>I'm a current UG at MSM, but I have many many grad student friends.
In terms of performance opportunities, a lot depends on his voice type, as nycm alluded. Simply because he's a guy he'll already be sought after for the different productions on campus.</p>
<p>I will say this: The value of being in New York and all the connections that entails is worth everything. At any other school in the country, no matter how good, the question always remains-- how and when will I get to New York? The answer is always-- the sooner the better. If he wants a performance career, he needs to make the move. Your career can't start until you're in the city.</p>
<p>I previously attended a small liberal arts college where I was the star. I was the lead in everything. But I transferred to MSM before my junior year, and although I have had a few roles, it's obviously nothing like my old school (a "small pond"). However, this has made me more focused, serious and realistic about my career. </p>
<p>NYC is a sharp learning curve.</p>
<p>I do not know which woudl be better but it is not necessary to be in NYC for your MM. Look at this year's Met winners. It is necessary to get the best training and performance opportunities for where you are in development and voice part. One Met winner came from DD's studio at Rice and Houston is far from NYC. Other schools not in NYC also regularly have a number of winners. DD's studio mate is going to the Met Young artist program now, after her masters. I think he needs to make sure on a visit that he uses the same kind of selection criteria of studio and opportunities, sample lessons, history of others in the studios.</p>
<p>Please forgive me if this is right under my nose, but I did a few searches and did not find exactly what if was needing: Is there a list of schools which offer masters degrees in vocal/opera performance? My D is currently a senior MT major, but is being encouraged to pursue a graduate degree in opera. She is very confused right now because her passion is MT, but her strength is classical voice.</p>
<p>By the time a voice student is ready for graduate studies, they are pretty focused and able to handle the search process themselves.So you are not going to find a lot of discussion on this board. Most of my D's suggestions came from grad students and professionals she met at a YAP last summer. She went over the list with her teacher, of course and researched and then contacted the teachers at each school. D gave me her list this week and the only advise I offered was--"make sure they give you lots of money".Practically all the schools discussed within the music forum as having good voice departments have good grad schools. Give Arizona State a look. There are some wonderful teachers with successful students and the musical theater voice department is within the school of music. I would have your D consult with her current teacher on which programs might be appropriate for her.</p>
<p>She might also want to look at the MM programs in Music Theatre at Boston Conservatory and others that offer an MM with a focus in musical theatre...</p>
<p>Arizona State University (MM)
Boston Conservatory (MM)
New York University: Steinhardt (MA Vocal Performance w/ MT concentration)
Oklahoma City University (MM)
University of Montana (MM)</p>
<p>If her passion if Musical Theatre, she could also consider taking a year to pursue her passion, continue studying classically. At that point decide about graduate programs in voice. It is already october, and many MM programs in VP require a pre-screening CD... particularly for women.... particularly sopranos (if that is her voice type). She may want to take a year to audition for MT, continue studying, and take more time to look into VP options. I know quite a few people who have been admitted to high level vocal performance programs after taking a year off after undergrad.... some of them did this because they were dual degree in undergrad with Music Education, and still had to student teach in the fall after they completed four years of course work.</p>
<p>MANY school have MM degrees in VP. Do her teachers in her MT program (who are encouraging her to look at VP) have any suggestions for her? </p>
<p>Has she had the music background, foreign language diction background, and music history background as a part of her undergraduate MT program?</p>
<p>What are her ultimate goals?<br>
:)</p>
<p>She is not sure what she wants to do. She is currently in rehearsal for an opera at her school and the music director has suggested grad school to her. Of course, he is recommending his alma mater. She has researched other schools and is planning to discuss it with her voice teacher next week. I am not researching any of this nor am I planning to pay for it. I just thought there might be a list of schools who offer it. I did not realize VP grad schools were so common since not every MT school offers a masters in MT. If she is going to pursue this, I don't want her to limit her research to only the suggestions of a few. I want her to have a broad list to compare and determine which would be the best fit for her.</p>
<p>KatMT, she is earning a BM in MT, and unless the bottom drops out, she should have at least a 3.5 GPA. She should not have a problem academically getting into most grad schools. She has a solid music background. As to her ultimate goals, I don't really know what she has decided. Last I heard (until today) is that she was going to wait a while before going to grad school. Last year, she kicked around the idea of staying an extra semester and getting a second degree in VP. I do think she will get a masters degree eventually, and if she ever teaches, it will be on the college level. She is a perfectionist and has said before that she could never teach high school because she "just couldn't handle a bad choir." LOL. Oh, yes, of course she is a coloratura soprano.</p>
<p>I now teach college (in MT) after a few years of HS teaching before graduate school ;) teaching college is a very different experience! Both are rewarding, but different.</p>
<p>I see my seniors n MT getting nervous about graduating (they have after all been in school since they were 5 yrs. old), and stat to think.... maybe I should go straight to graduate school. For some this is exactly the right choice, but for those that are the least bit undecided taking a year or so to explore always seems like a good idea... I took 6 years between undergraduate and graduate school (a long time if I had been vocal performance!). If I had gone to grad school right out of undergrad I would have gone for acting. By waiting (and pursuing my performance career first) I discovered that I wanted to go to grad school for directing. Sometimes life experience can help point a person in the "right" direction.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your D! :)</p>
<p>To the OP, have him look at Curtis and at AVA, both in Philly. If he's accepted there is no tuition at either, but he will have to pay for living expenses. At Curtis, he can get either a masters or a Diploma. AVA gives a diploma and it is a four year program, which is time a lot of young singers need for their voices to mature, it is a program that is all about having a career in Opera, and many of their students are already working professionally. I am also sending you a private message.</p>
<p>To OP, apparently you aren't set up to receive private messages. If you do get that set up, let me know, I have some info to pass along that might be helpful.</p>
<p>I was recently accepted to MSM graduate voice program. No scholarship money was offered and I am struggling with the thought of having to pay back huge loans. MSM seems to be an amazing place and I feel it would be worthwhile to study in New York. I would also like to know more about the program and if people feel it is worth the extra financial burden.</p>
<p>MSM has a GREAT program, and just being in NYC will open lots of opportunitites…but what arer the other options you are considering??</p>
<p>vuim, welcome and congrats. First, I don’t know if you realized it, but this thread is from last year. The original poster did not indicate where she finally ended up as an MM candidate,
but last year’s Master List of Acceptances <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1060444933-post487.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1060444933-post487.html</a> showed her acceptances. You might want to pm or email her using CC’s email feature for input on MSM.</p>
<p>Try searching for some posts by lorelei2702, as she has much experience and insight into all things vocal. </p>
<p>You might want to read through this thread as well for general experiences and observations:
<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</a></p>
<p>Added: Duh. The poster papengena has a son who was also accepted as an MM vocal performance candidate at MSM in the current cycle. You may also want to contact her directly for input if she doesn’t respond within this thread.</p>
<p>Another prime consideration is the amount of undergrad debt you may already be carrying.</p>
<p>I did recently post that my son chose Indiana U, Jacobs School of Music, after alot of option weighing. He was offered what I just found out was an extremely generous scholarship to MSM…but, he had some specific things he’s looking for, mainly who he’d study with, and after all was said and done…that will be in Indiana. He definitely struggled with the idea of not being in NYC…with the advantages that would bring…but, there is also the fact that living in the city is extremely expensive, and he’d still need loans etc. The bottom line, was Jacobs is just a better fit for him at this point in his life. He will get to the city one when its time. (I hope!!)</p>
<p>Most singers will get much more experience and many more opportunities away from the major metropolitan centers and schools, especially in NYC. It is not a good investment to borrow ANY $$ to attend conservatories…career success is too risky. When singers gain experience and physical maturity at a good music school, then they can come to NYC and take advantage of the specialized coaches, teachers, and other musical resources without the burden of loans. Many do this while employed in day jobs, and they do get breaks and establish careers if they are very talented and lucky. Good luck to you.</p>
<p>I agree with Lorelei. My sense about MSM - from the research that 2 of my D’s friends did when they were admitted - is that they are not in a position to offer much in the way of scholarships. It is much more likely for a male to get an award than a soprano, unless the voice type is unusual. One of my D’s friends went there for one year but the financial burden was so overwhelming that she left. The other chose not to go for financial reasons. </p>
<p>papagena - I think Indiana is a great choice - I completely understand taking it over other options - including NY conservatories.</p>
<p>I agree with lorelei and cartera. Being in NYC for grad school, especially taking in significant debt while doing so, is not a prerequisite for success by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, maybe it was true at one time, when being close friends with Toscanini’s 2nd oboist in the NBC orchestra meant that he would you up on Thursday morning for for you to take that night’s gig because he was feeling ill. But those days are long done, and it is a much more formalized audition based world out there. The whole ‘having-connections’ mentality is a still important but really kind of a bit old fashioned. If you can beat out other singers in auditions, you WILL get the job, no matter if you have good friends on the Upper West Side or not. </p>
<p>That said, MSM is indeed a fantastic school, certainly as worthy of consideration and with as much strong points as any other school in the nation. (Although I realize that since this thread is outdated, that might be moot…)</p>