<p>Hi everyone. I am currently a junior and high school and am looking to major in vocal performance in college (maybe, I'm still having an internal dilemma...). I am a really low bass (lower than the typical high school bass), and have been taking voice lessons for about a year and a half. I was wondering what good summer programs I could attend for prospective vocal performance majors. I live in the New England area, so anything from New York to Boston would be great (I can go farther if I have to). I am looking to be able to have other perspectives on my voice, see what college would be like for a vocal performance major, and perhaps have a performance opportunity. Any ideas would be great. Thank you!</p>
<p>Last year I went to Walnut Hill - it’s a three week program, with one week in Italy. I think it is a fantastic program, but I would recommend it most strongly for first time summer music program goers, and underclassmen. (I went summer before junior year. I think it would be better summer before freshman or sophomore, but the level of singers was pretty high - with two of our singers being honored by Young Arts this year) </p>
<p>I also went to a program in Florida that was one week long, with some pretty famous faculty. It doesn’t sound like it is in your location range, but if you have questions totally PM me.</p>
<p>I was accepted to BOCO VCI at Boston Conservatory, but didn’t go. One of my friends went, but only for one of the two weeks. It seems like a good program, and it’s nice because they actually have sight singing and theory, which Walnut Hill didn’t (We took opera history with a tiny bit of theory thrown in). Their summer program alumni have been successful, and it is also associated with a school you may or may not want to consider later on.</p>
<p>Boston University Tanglewood Institute - There are moms of students that have attended. It is in the Berkshires - not on the actual BU campus, and has a reputation as one of the best music programs in the country. I am very interested in attending, but I wan’t accepted last year. I hear it’s best for juniors and seniors, and you can also do it one year post-grad. </p>
<p>I’m blanking on more programs over there (in your area)
… here are a couple others </p>
<p>Interlochen is another great program - their VSS and Arts and Operetta program are combined this year, so they have a 6 week program with a chorus, very similar to BUTI. It is in Michigan, on actual campgrounds - like you stay in cabins. I’m considering it - my piano teacher teaches there over the summer.</p>
<p>Oberlin Academy for High School Singers - I applied and was waitlisted last year. I’ll apply this year, and I think I have a good shot of getting in, but we’ll see. It is designed for the summer before senior year, although you can do it whenever. You work at Oberlin with faculty which is awesome because Oberlin is a pretty good school for VP. </p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon is supposed to have a program. I don’t know how good it is because they aren’t really doing the best in the voice arena right now… but they have both a musical theatre and a classical voice program </p>
<p>Also some names to check out</p>
<p>Hawaii Performing Arts Festival (3 weeks)
Brevard (3 weeks or 6 weeks if you apply for two sessions)
Bel Canto Institute (4 weeks in Florence, Italy)
Washington National Institute (3 weeks) </p>
<p>I’m applying to BUTI, Bel Canto, Interlochen, Oberlin, and Washington National for sure this summer. I’m currently a junior and a soprano.</p>
<p>We’re also in New England but last summer my D’s vocal teacher recommended the MPulse Vocal Arts Institute at the University of Michigan. It’s only a two week program so it would give you a “taste” of what it’s like to be a Music major. It’s a very full two weeks with lots of choral practice, voice lessons, ear training and music theory - but also a lot of fun! They also do an admissions session for the UofM music school. If accepted, she will be returning again this summer. It runs from July 15 - 29th but you have the option of flying in the night before. For a small fee, they will pick you up at the Detroit airport.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in hearing some of what they did last summer - just go to Youtube and search for MPulse VAI 2011. I posted most of what they performed at the end of the session recital except for the 3 guy’s pieces.</p>
<p>Applications are due in (electronically) by February 15th and if you Google MPulse University of Michigan - you can find out more info.</p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>How much time do you have/want to spend? Oberlin is great and 9 days! Getting to know the voice faculty is super too! Westminster Choir College is less competitive and about 2 weeks. There are a lot of programs that are longer, but many students don’t want to spend so much of their summer away (for example, I think Carnegie Mellon is rather long-maybe 6 weeks).</p>
<p>The WNO has a young singers institute for three weeks at American University.
[Opera</a> Institute - Education and Training - Washington National Opera - the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts](<a href=“http://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/edu/operainstitute/]Opera”>http://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/edu/operainstitute/)</p>