<p>Are there schools that are more well known for a program that leans contemporary vs traditional musical theater? (Or vice versa.) Is that a thing? ;)</p>
<p>And if so, which schools give off a more blankety-blank vibe? </p>
<p>For example, Texas State asks for one song to be either contemporary or pop/rock. (I believe that's the first I've seen to mention pop/rock as a choice - I'm sure there are others, right?) Can I take that to mean that, as a program, it leans more current?</p>
<p>I believe Pace is known for more contemporary. Don’t have 1st hand experience, as D did not audition there, but several of her friends did, and I remember chats…</p>
<p>U of Mich requires students to audition with one song from before 1960(ish), I wonder if their focus is more traditional? (Again, not on of D’s schools, so not a ton of research into the arena)</p>
<p>Shenandoah strives for balance, but we like to push the pop/rock envelope as well and do tend to lean more contemporary overall. The students spend their senior year learning to sing pop/rock in voice lessons and doing pop/rock musical excerpts in acting through song. We also offer guitar instead of piano and opportunities to take songwriting and recording studio classes. </p>
<p>We are currently mounting the college premiere and for that matter the first production outside of the original, Broadway, and touring production of American Idiot this September. We are bringing in guest artists Sheri Sanders, VP Boyle, and Melissa Cross from the Zen of Scream DVD series (voice teacher to bands including Lamb of God, Halestorm, Sara Bareilles, Maroon 5, and many many others). We’ve also recently done Spitfire Grill, The Who’s Tommy, two premiere’s of new musicals, alongside show’s such as Secret Garden, The Boyfriend, Sweet Charity, A Chorus Line, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. </p>
<p>Shenandoah also has the only contemporary commercial music voice pedagogy degree in the United States where performers learn to teach non-classical singers. We also house the CCM Institute each summer, which has trained music theatre voice teachers from Elon, Belmont, Berklee, University of Alabama, Baldwin-Wallace, and many others in Somatic Voicework™, a science-based method specifically designed for training contemporary singers.</p>
<p>James Madison University asks for one more contemporary MT/ pop/ rock selection as well as a pre-1966 selection.</p>
<p>Students work on both more classic MT, classical, contemporary MT, and pop/ rock material in voice lessons and performance classes.</p>
<p>Recent productions run the gamut from Kiss Me Kate, Sweet Charity, Oklahoma & Sweeney Todd, to All Shook Up, Contemporary Musical Theatre Showcase, 35MM, and Gone Missing (with music by the composer of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), as well as premieres of new musicals. </p>
<p>Students also are encourage to develop/ maintain skills on musical instruments, and often have the opportunity to play in the fall musical, which tends to be something more contemporary where performers with the skills have the opportunity to both play and sing.</p>
<p>The goal is to prepare students to work professionally in as wide a range of modes and mediums as possible… including varied styles of musical theatre, non-musical theatre performances, film/ TV, etc… </p>
<p>These kinds of opportunities are likely available at many schools, and it may not always be 100% apparent on the website, so these are great questions to ask directly of the departments. </p>
<p>Thank you to everyone who’s chimed in … I would LOVE to hear more options - especially those in the more contemporary vein. (I can hear her singing in the shower right now. She’s singing Pretty Funny from Dogfight if that tells you anything!)</p>
<p>I know I’m not telling the more experienced parents something they don’t know … but it’s tough to comb through all of the school websites looking for a hint of how their program is run. So I appreciate any and all guidance that comes my way!</p>
<p>I don’t know for sure obviously but all schools have to have a balance, so even if Otterbein, CCM, are perceived as more classical the training is well rounded. It has to be right? They have to keep up with the trends. I would put BW in the more contemporary vein, somebody chime in if they don’t agree. This is just the vibe I got when my S auditioned.</p>
<p>I agree with @MTMajorCook - most programs probably have to have some kind of “balance” to stay competitive. I can’t speak for the focus of the entire program, but from the information session at S’s audition at WSU in fall 2013, it sounded like the voice teacher you get - and personal preference - could have a strong influence on the type of vocal training you get - classical vs. contemporary vs. “MT” or a mix. S is currently signed up for a “pop rock workshop” one day next month. There are several programs that focus on classical training in first years and then add rock/contemporary after the student has a solid foundation.</p>
<p>I believe that Otterbein does a nice job of balancing the training for MTs. My daughter is always working on different types of songs with her voice teacher . . . classical, legit, contemporary, pop-rock. Looking at this link below, my daughter is currently working on (or recently worked on) two songs in the “Legit Shows” section, four in the “Contemporary Mix,” two in “Pop Rock,” and zero is “Pop Rock (Jukebox).” </p>
<p>As @divamamacita mentioned above, look at programs’ seasons as well. For example, last year Otterbein put up Les Miserables and The Full Monty. The year before it was Spring Awakening and How to Succeed. This year they’re doing Sweet Charity and Into the Woods. I think it was last year that the junior class did Wild Party as their junior show. </p>
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