<p>DD was convinced she wanted to be a marine biologist until her Junior year in HS when her voice teacher mentioned that she could actually make money singing and get scholarships. She never thought it was possible. She changed direction, he got her ready for auditions, and she was accepted into some great programs. She left marine biology behind, though. Fortunately for voice, you do not need to have started quite as early as instrumentalists. If she is going into her senior year, however, she is definitely behind in preparation. </p>
<p>As to VP or MT, DDâs studio mate graduated VP at Rice, which in only classical VP. She did MT summer programs to fill in the missing pieces and is preparing for MT as a career. The studio professor knew that and helped her along the way, without varying the classical requirements. She performed this summer in Cape Cod to rave reviews because her voice is so well developed. Weâll see how it goes in âreal lifeâ now.</p>
<p>CCPA (Chicago College of Performing Arts) is a school that draws vocal kids from InterlockenâŠwe saw several there the year my DD auditioned. I think it would be a good school to look at. One thing that impressed me about it was that the curriculum required several acting classes and best I remember the vocal performance majors took the same acting classes that the musical theater kids took. We met the acting teacher and I think he would have been good.</p>
<p>DD didnât actually have a sample lesson but we did sit in on one lesson being given to a doctoral student. âŠyou could tell the student adored her teacherâŠright before that lesson a high school girl came in for a lesson with the same teacher (was one of her students she normally taught at home)âŠand she too really seemed to love her teacherâŠThat said, DD wasnât sure she was the right teacher for her⊠A doctoral student would have had much different needs than an entering freshmanâŠIf my DD had taken an actual lesson she might have come away with different opinionâŠI loved her.</p>
<p>If your daughter is a soprano the scholarship opportunities are not the greatest there. When we asked about scholarships while at auditions we were almost laughed atâŠthey said that they didnât need to buy sopranosâŠas it turned out DD was offered a music scholarshipâŠbut it was not nearly as competative as what she was offered elsewhere. She had the grades to qualify for an academic scholarship for the university portionâŠunfortunately they donât let the music majors have themâŠthat would have helped a lot</p>
<p>If your daughter applies she will be required to take a music theory test at auditions. If a theory class is offered at her high school it wouldnât be a bad thing to take one ahead of time. My DD actually had 2 years worth of theory before heading to collegeâŠso she was able to test out of fundamentals and go right into theory 1âŠdid fine that first year as it was mostly reviewâŠbut the 2nd year was more of a challengeâŠtough stuff.</p>
<p>I donât know about the other Chicago schoolsâŠbut hear there are other good ones to choose from.</p>
<p>Agree with MezzoâsMama and opera-mom. S was accepted at CCPA and there were a lot of things we liked about the school. He ended up choosing a different school, but it was a difficult decision.</p>
<p>Stephen King and Suzanne Mentzer at Rice are both fantastic. Especially Dr. King. He has a reputation right now of being one of the best voice teachers in the U.S.</p>
<p>Stephen King is indeed fabulous. Lorraine Manz and Salvatore Champagne are two professors at Oberlin who are worth having lessons with as well. Karen Brunssen at Northwestern is great as well. </p>
<p>P.S.- As we discovered on our visit to Rice, Dr. King is in very high demand and is often unavailable for sample lessons. Make sure to email him well in advance and try to get a lesson with him or sit in on one that is not on the audition weekend.</p>
<p>Stephen King takes mostly grad students. Suzanne Mentzer is also very good and a different type of teacher. She also has students who have gone on to do well. People may do well with one and maybe not the other. Best bet is to try both if you are considering Rice.</p>
<p>Just read this article that lists the Best Opera Colleges (in no particular order) by the number of graduates currently working - a very good measure in my opinion. They are as follows:
Eastman School of Music
Rice University
University of Southern California
University of Michigan
Manhattan School of Music
Florida State University
Indiana University
Carnegie Mellon University
New England Conservatory
Juilliard School of Music
Academy of Vocal Arts
Boston University
Northwestern University</p>
<p>Here is the link since they also list the best Young Artist Programs as well as the best Summer Opera Programs:</p>
<p>From what I understand (read âabout operapulseâ) This is a list put together by two singers who lost their contract at Connecticut Opera in 2009. At least those are the credentials they care to list. The list is, as they sayâŠâdetermined by a number of graduates currently workingâ. How many and working where? Tread carefully on these kind of sites.</p>
<p>It has recently gone through a major facelift and it is referenced on the Houston Grand Opera site, so while everything should be taken with a grain of salt, I think having a variety of different âdata pointsâ and looking at where the same names keep popping up in list after list maybe have some bearing.</p>
<p>As we know on CCâŠanyone can write anything on the internet. Heck, for all you know, I might be a 32 year old male posting from my momsâ basement between trips to the 7/11 to stock up on Cheetos and Fanta. I think âgrain of saltâ and âmaybeâ should be included in the every post re âbest listsâ. It was the specious list itself that clued me in. As you say, it contains the âusual suspectsâ. Where is Oberlin, CCM, Curtis, UCLA (to name a very few)? If you read that site carefully, they are eager to accept content from ANYONE. Houston Grand Opera links and facelifts do not lend a whole lot of cred to a list submitted by God knows who. As I have mentioned before, it concerns me that students and parents might be using that sort of list as a basis for an important and expensive search.</p>
<p>Weâve already established that some people like lists as a place to start and others donât. This is just another list for those who do - I really donât think it necessitated an attack as such. If someone on this board is reading through even a small fraction of threads devoted to this topic they will certainly know enough not use this list solely âas a basis for an important and expensive search.â</p>
<p>Not an attack, more of a discussion. Sorry if I seem a little âpricklyâ this AM. Itâs just that last night I heard the most incredible young Mezzo who has signed a contract at a top YAP. Where did she go to school?
The University of N Iowa. Undergrad and grad. You are not going to find that sort of school on any list. But somehow there are âno nameâ State schools producing great singers who are doing quite well. I would hate for some young person with a great school right in their own back yard go half way across the country , because their school does not appear on an arbitrary list. And I do think these lists carry a lot of weight for students looking for direction from scratch. Why else would we post these lists?</p>
<p>And Blestmom, you have been on CC long enough to know that itâs rankings (whether itâs Music schools or Ivies) that elicit the most contentious discussions. Some will argue against the ranking, the schools, the absence of schoolsâŠI just tend to argue against lists altogether.</p>
<p>At least they put in the caveat that programs can change in a few years. If CMU is on there, then that is certainly the case. They went through a mess of turnover and drama only a few years ago so it is interesting to see them on the list. Of course, there are plenty of schools missing from the list that I would expect to see too. </p>
<p>I was glad to see the summer program that my D attended this summer on the list, however.</p>
<p>Therein lies the problem cartera. In the cut and paste world of internet blogs and forums, these lists have a life all their own and very rarely are the credentials or motives of the list makers questioned. I had heard similar stories about CMU, but who is to say that they may get their act together in the near future? Thatâs what I like about CCâŠdiscussions keep the information floating around the internet fresh and honest.</p>
<p>(And now you all know how to get my knickers in a twist on long Friday mornings before a holiday week end.)</p>
<p>Not to take anything away from the University of N. Iowa, but schools are accredited just by association with a voice that was very well along thanks to some private teacher the vocalist established a wonderful technique with prior to stepping one foot in the university setting. They could have spent a single year struggling at the institution and if they become famous, they become a famous alumni. So likewise, one person from a little heard of school does not necessarily mean that there is a fabulous teacher there waiting to be uncovered. Thatâs why I encourge lots of research about data points from various sources. This is a difficult road for any parent/vocalist team to meander and any help we can give them I think would be appreciated. When it comes down to it, even if youâre are taking with the latest rage teacher of the year, if you donât have an excellent rapport with them, it was not the best teacher for you. It comes down to trial and error for every vocalist - and lists give some people a start point.</p>