@MTMHopeful - Shenandoah might also be a good option. Although the year ahead WILL be rocky, your D just needs to find the right fit for HER.
@MTMHopeful I’m not sure if you are using a national coach, but one could probably answer your question. Even if you don’t do a lot with a coach, a preliminary consultation might be useful.
@MTMHopeful have you looked into the Classical Singer competition? My daughter went last year and it gave her a look into the national competition. There is also a ton of schools there so she can get information. It was helpful for my daughter to prepare for Unifieds next year.
@MTMHopeful - some suggestions of schools who will appreciate your D’s classical voice training include Oklahoma City University, Baldwin Wallace, Penn State and NYU Steinhardt. And yes, they can all teach her to sing in a more musical theater style and to belt. Her classical training will be a solid foundation from which to try other styles of singing. Look for programs that have a strong music base.
Just a note @MTMHopeful the Classical Singer competition is geared more for Classical than Musical Theatre but there is a category for Musical Theatre and your d will get valuable feedback from judges. These Judges usually are running programs at the colleges.
Belmont & Shenandoah are both top choices and we will be applying in the fall. We live in a rural area so don’t have as the access to varied programs as some families do- and some competitions are too far away and too costly to be a viable option. I think I will look into the possibility of a national coach- the help with song & monologue selection would be very valuable. I remember KaMaMom saying she would skip the summer program(s) and hire a coach.I’m pretty sure the summer program idea for this year has sailed and frankly the time and energy spent into gaining admittance to a selective program seems like a whole lot of time and money just to get in and I’m not entirely sure she would. It seems the best summer programs are looking to help kids that maybe don’t need as much help? I just needed to get this off my chest. I’d like to be realistic but not so full of doom and gloom for the process. As always- everyone here is super helpful and all advice is welcome. Mel2421- did your daughter apply to both MT and VP?
There’s still time to submit a video audition for the classical singer competition! May 1 is the deadline.
@MTMHopeful my daughter is still a junior in High School she will be applying to BA and BFA programs in MT.
I agree with all of the suggestions given so far, especially OCU, Belmont, and NYU Steinhardt. The University of the Arts could be another possibility. They value individuality, including different vocal styles. I just watched this year’s UArts senior showcase, and there were a couple girls who showcased strong classical voices. In my D’s vocal lessons and coaching sessions, they work on classical pieces as well as MT. I believe all MTers have to do a classical, legit, and belting/mix song for juries, with an equal emphasis on all. I know D does.
To add to my post above, vocal teachers and coaches are chosen based on one’s audition into UArts and who they think will work best with the student both with personality and (even more) with vocal style.
@MTMHopeful … yes, if I had to do it all over again, I would definitely spend the $$ on a coach. By far it’s my biggest regret.
My mindset at the time was that D’s sister (class of 2018) was accepted to a top school with an insanely low acceptance rate and we did that without any college counselors … how hard could a simple MT BFA audition be? Uh … harder. Much MUCH harder.
@MTMHopeful - here is a thread that might help you:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1509091-legit-sopranos-mt-vp-p1.html
Schools you may want to consider include (some have already been mentioned):
Arizona State
Baldwin-Wallace
Belmont
Catholic University
Florida State
Indiana
Ithaca
James Madison
Michigan
Nebraska Wesleyan
Northwestern
NYU Steinhardt
Oklahoma City
Penn State
Sam Houston
Shenandoah
UArts
Wichita State
Thank you all so much/ I promise I won’t be this needy throughout the process.
I was going to suggest… OKCU
@KaMaMom after visiting Belmont a few months ago, absolutely YES. You are pretty much a VP major your freshman year of the BFA MT program.
Carnegie Mellon versus Northwestern?! What is the best option/choice?
@complacent - CMU and northwestern are both fantastic programs. It depends on what you are looking for. CMU is a BFA conservatory experience. Northwestern is a BA at a world class university. Both provide fabulous training- just in different types of settings
@complacent You are clearly are both a smart and talented young person. The truth is, you are likely to thrive wherever you choose. May I suggest that you listen to your heart on this decision - and if that offers no answers - pull out the four year curriculum at both schools see which one speaks to your soul.
It’s almost May! Cannot believe it this year went by so fast.
@MTMHopeful - Check out Oklahoma City University for your D. They have a fantastic summer program if she wants to go check out the school ahead of time before auditions begin. They trained Kristin Chenoweth and Kelly O’Hara so you know they love those legit sopranos and help them be successful in the MT world. Best wishes!