D attended Steinhardt and it was the perfect fit for developing her soprano voice. Voice lessons are taught by same professors who teach classical repertoire and some classical is required for MT voice majors at their senior recital. That said, D learned to mix/belt, but that was less of an emphasis. Again, for her recital the musical theatre requirements, more old-school (pre-pop/ rock ) shows/songs were required.
Showcase was less rigid and there was more allowance for all kinds of MT genre.
So, I would definitely ask each school if they have standards for repertoire for recitals, reviews and showcases. It will reflect the school’s basic philosophy.
Looking at shows is a great suggestion. As I understand it Pace has an emphasis on more “modern” shows- but I could be wrong, it wasn’t on D’s list- only have periphery viewpoint
Thanks for the responses. The idea of reviewing shows the schools have done is a great suggestion. And as far as Pace, I’m still on the fence, however, If she wants to pursue it as an option I will support her. One thing I will note is that the production Pace was working on when we visited was “Light In The Piazza” which although contemporary feels like a very classic piece and is very much a vehicle for a legit soprano as really all the female roles are sopranos. My daughter was quite familiar as she just played Franca in a local production last year. So I think that swayed her a bit, especially knowing they brought Victoria Clark in to help direct and produce it.
Did you see Light in the Piazza? I know the girl who played Clara (who is also a VERY strong belter). There are videos of the production on youtube which you should definitely check out, even though I know youtube isn’t a reliable way to learn about a program.
Part of it may be what your D hopes to get out of her college program. Does she want to continue her classical training? If so, I would recommend programs like Steinhardt, Penn State, OCU and Baldwin Wallace. Steinhardt, OCU and Baldwin Wallace are all Bachelor of Music degrees so you probably get more music theory, piano, aural skills and the like. Does she wish to have intense training in those areas or will that drive her crazy?
Or: Does she want something that focuses more on a more modern belt? If so, programs like Texas State, CCM and Pace would be a good fit in terms of voice style. They all have great reputations.
Of course there are many other schools that provide good voice training and each has its own strengths. So you may have to delve further into specific curricula to see what is most attractive to your D.The only right answer is what is right for her.
Very good advice vvnstar. I think what I’m struggling with right now is the difference between helping her discover what she wants and trying to impose what I want. Because I know my preference would be for her to pursue the classical route and I find myself sort of pushing programs that emphasize that. But ultimately she needs to decide what she wants out of her education. I am happy that OCU remains at the top of her wish list though and she is hoping to attend the summer program there next year.
Of course things change, but Pace historically does have the reputation of being more about modern and belting than about classical voice and legit. Keep in mind Pace does not have a music major on any of its campuses, though of course they employ voice teachers for their MT kids. But sounds like a better fit for your child might be a school that has a strong music program that works with classical singers as well as MT’s. JMHO. There are quite a few threads on this if you search.
@vvnstar I am curious why you lump CCM in a group with a focus more on “modern belt.” It is my understanding they use classical as the basis of their vocal training. (This directly from the faculty).
Just in our experience watching their shows, listening to their kids (we live close to and have several friends in school or who have graduated from there in recent years)… they definitely emphasize a belt. And they are fantastic belters! That doesn’t mean there is not some classical training. But I do not think there is the same emphasis on classical that some of the others I mentioned seem to have. It may be the difference in a BFA versus a Bachelors of Music … not sure. It’s certainly a fantastic program.
I agree with you tramsmom- I have always thought of CCM as being a classically based program (maybe b/c opera etc is so big there). They certainly were 20 years ago when I knew the curriculum
Again, I’m not saying they don’t provide a classical foundation. I am not proclaiming to be an expert. And I’m not criticizing the school in any way. It is a fantastic program. I’m just telling you what we’ve seen and heard from students we have known there. They do require music theory and sight singing as part of their curriculum. I’m just saying our firsthand experience with their shows and their graduates of recent years is that they definitely tend to focus on their belt. In fact they joke about “screlting” (a combination of screeching and belting) and who can do it best. So when someone asks which schools might favor a classical soprano, it would not be a school at the top of my list as far as favoring classical singers from my experience. Doesn’t mean they don’t take some classical sopranos. I’m sure they do. Just telling you what we’ve seen and heard from students we know there.
I think it’s interesting that BW was classified in the “Classical” group. While it is true that students earn a Bachelor of Music - and that Classical Voice study is still a part of every one of D’s voice lessons (and her juries include both Classical and MT pieces) If you look at the history of shows at BW - they certainly don’t emphasize the legit voice. This year A Chorus Line, Dogfight, Saturday Night Fever - Last year Carousel (OK that’s more legit), Carrie and Murder Ballad - Lizzie Borden and Rent are also recent past productions.
That all being said - there is a strong Vocal Performance program at BW as well, and the opportunity to audition for the Operas - so it definitely would fit into the Classical group for that feature.
I guess my point is - if I have one - that you probably need to look at programs individually - because to “stereotype” them may cause you to miss the whole picture at a school!
@Kategrizz - that was the entire point of my original post. If everyone read through it - what I suggested in conclusion was to have her D look at the specific curriculum at each school and that might better help her decide where she would like to go. I apologize if anyone felt I miscategorized their school. That was certainly not my intent. I think very highly of all of the schools mentioned.
And at Montclair they also can audition for operas (in fact have to be in an opera or a vocal ensemble for one semester), also have to do classical and MT pieces in their juries (my D even had to sing a classical piece in Italian at a voice recital), takes a full load of music theory and piano, yet her program is a BFA. I say over and over, compare school curriculums; that will really help you in your research.
Yes - that indeed was my advice too @Calliene. Every school and every degree program has its own requirements and curriculum. Make sure you’re comfortable with the specifics of that school and program. Don’t worry about the letters of the degree. Find what fits you best.
At Northwestern you are able to audition for the MT Certificate as either a Theatre or Vocal Performance major, and we know an MT at UMich who redirected toward opera during college, so keep in mind that some schools affer a choice of more or less classical music emphasis depending on your interests.
It’s interesting how schools change over time. Of course, when I was familiar with CCM 20+ years ago- what we now think of as “classical” or “legit” shows were just shows- that’s what was out there. And we rode dinosaurs to class…
. . .in the dark, in two feet of snow, up hill both ways.
An aside: Last year we saw Les Mis at CCM, and a lovely classical soprano (to my ear) Jae Park played Cosette. She is currently touring with Cinderella and is u/s for Marie - NOT a classical soprano role, but certainly requires that kind of skill and training.
When considering this topic, remember there is training and then there are shows. Some schools require training in classical music throughout the 4 years. Some do not. Some students want classical training. Some do not. Most schools will mount a variety of shows in different genres. Some will include more traditional and some more modern shows. Most do some of each. Usually schools will accept a diverse group of students as well. You cannot paint any of these programs with one broad brush. There is variety in each. And they differ in their approach to training. One is not a better approach than another. They are just different. So again, make sure the school you choose to attend provides the training and curriculum you are seeking.