<p>I've been a student of this forum for three years and my daughter is now a HS junior and a soprano (ugh!). We are trying to craft a balanced list of colleges, universities, and conservatories. Is there anyone out there that can provide any insight--beyond the websites--of the University of Maryland and Boston University? I've been to both campuses years ago, so it's really the program itself I'm most curious about. </p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>I am in Maryland and, while it has a great program, it was not recommended to my daughter for undergrad. They really focus on the graduate program so much that the thought was that it would be very easy for an undergrad to get lost in the shuffle. I have heard great things about BU over the years. I have read good things about several teachers there - at least I think they are still there - haven't checked recently.</p>
<p>Thanks! I've heard similar things said about the program at BU--and Jacobs for that matter, which makes one think that the graduate focus may be indicative of the larger schools. Performance opportunity has to be available to singers who wish to perform though! Unfortunately, we would probably not have a chance to visit BU before applying--thus the questions!</p>
<p>Have you looked into Oberlin? The focus there is on the undergrad, so there isn't the same level of comeptition with Grad students. My son goes there, and is a tenor, so he doesn't face the same things as a soprano would, but he's had a very positive experience at Oberlin. That being said though, there are 5th yr and artist diploma students there so it isn't strictly undergrad....though, I would assume there are many more opportunities for undergrads then at some of the larger schools/cons. He just started his grad school auditions today, lol..it never ends!!</p>
<p>Oberlin is on the "college" portion of the list! I think the atmosphere and intellectual level of the students are right in line with my daughter. I have the typical kid--likes small smart school with conservatory training but wants a large city. Rice is also on the list! She just needs a mix as all bets are off when an audition is involved and to be honest, tuition and aid are going to play a bigger factor than she realizes yet. </p>
<p>But I do think there is huge value in having graduate level students in the mix and I did not think about the artis diploma students at Oberlin. That's very nice! Good luck to your son!</p>
<p>oberlin is definitely NOT a small city..lol, it is a totally rural kinda college/conservatory..stuck in the middle of nowhere. Its not far from Cleveland, but if you have a kid who aches for a city or large college..Oberlin is not the place for them.. If however you have a kid who wants to immerse themself in music, with awesome teachers and fellow students, then it may be the right place. The college is extremely conservative, which seems to be a perfect fit for music students (at least the ones I know);.......but it is diverse........I only know it from my S's perspective...I could live there....:)</p>
<p>its funky..conservative, cool, and refined....it is whatever you are looking for:)</p>
<p>I know a few singers doing undergrad at BU. I get the impression that its program epitomizes the typical young-foundation-laying-'nurturing' feel of an undergraduate college. My friends all enjoy their time very much, and are very appreciative that its a conservatory within a university, and they get the benefits of both worlds. The faculty is mostly top notch according to them.</p>
<p>However, I've listened to them perform - and while they all show excellent musicality and great stage presence - their voices just simply weren't as developed or mature as the same aged singers from Juilliard, NEC, Eastman level conservatories. They simply sounded, well, like who they are - which is teen-aged undergrads.</p>
<p>This I guess is part of the university-or-conservatory debate for undergrad voice majors. Many will lean towards the nurturing environment but babying and naive nature of universities, while others may prefer the higher & more experienced level of singing but the intense hung-out-to-dry nature at top conservatories. If you choose the university route (which many on this board reccomend) then I think BU is as good a school as any, albeit perhaps much more expensive than other choices.</p>
<p>Oh, papengena - Oberlin? Conservative? I thought it's usually regarded as easily one of the most liberal and radical schools on the continent?</p>
<p>"Many will lean towards the nurturing environment but babying and naive nature of universities, while others may prefer the higher & more experienced level of singing but the intense hung-out-to-dry nature at top conservatories."<br>
Stephmin----but at 20/22 years old the voices coming out of nurturing enviroments are where the SHOULD be. Thats why so many big voices coming out of grad school got their undergrad education in the universities. Its not how you sing when your 20, but how you will be singing when you are 30. Classic examples---Renee Fleming, Joyce Di Donato, Rodney Gilfrey, and Deborah Voight. Check out the last five years of Met audition winners as well. My D started her undergrad university education as a light lyric sop, and when she spoke with one of the profs last week at a major conservatory (re her prescreen) he called her now mezzo voice one of the biggest,healthiest and most polished voices he had heard this year. (sorry I couldnt resist that last plug)</p>
<p>But for every Renee Fleming, there are 15000 kids who end up going through 4+ years and $200,000+ before they finally figure out (or until at last someone has the heart to tell them) that they sound nothing like the supposed opera singer they think they are, and instead sound more like those shower stall singers who show up on the Idol bloopers reel.</p>
<p>At a conservatory, they figure out very fast whether or not they have the proper makeup needed for the field. Universities are all focused on 'potential'. Conservatories are focused on 'doing'.</p>
<p>haha..omg..did i type that?!?!?! yeah....I'd say ultra liberal is the key word..haha....and to think I'm not a conservative in any sense of that word!..lol</p>
<p>That ratio can apply to conservatory vocalists as well and undergrad university education=american idol blooper reel singers? Spare me.</p>
<p>"instead sound more like those shower stall singers who show up on the Idol bloopers reel"</p>
<p>WOW...that was harsh stephmin...</p>