<p>Does anyone know about the Harvard College, Music Concentration, 5 year Performance program. Specifically for Vocal Performance. Note: This is an undergrad degree, and not the Harvard/NEC program.</p>
<p>Son applied for the Harvard/NEC program, and is waitlisted at Harvard. Probably means he can't do the Harvard/NEC program since they only take 5 kids, and probably have already made their decision on the 5 (typically 10-20 kids are accepted to both programs each year).</p>
<p>So, I'm wondering if Son is accepted to Harvard, can he get good voice training. It is hard to pass up an opportunity to study at Harvard.</p>
<p>There is absolutely ZERO private instruction in any instrument (including voice) at Harvard. He can get excellent voice training in Boston, but he will have to arrange it (and pay for it privately) himself, usually through NEC or Longy School of Music. The Harvard music program is history, theory and composition based, not performance-based. If your son is interested in studying performance, Harvard is not a good place to do that.</p>
<p>on edit: I just looked up that five year concentration, non-Harvard/NEC five year BA/MM, because I did not even know it existed. The kids still need to arrange their own private lessons, because there are no performance/private lesson teachers in the music department. But, with the reduced courseload, it could be do-able, and there are fabulous teachers to be had, for sure. Just more logistics!</p>
<p>I figured his backup would be to take private lessons with someone at NEC, or in the Boston Area. Given that NEC would charge $6k/yr for the Harvard/NEC option, I think Son could find a private voice teacher for a lot less. Logistically, it wouldn’t be any worse too (still has to get to NEC for the lessons).</p>
<p>Given that it takes into his 30’s for a voice to mature, 5 years at Harvard follwed by 2 at grad school may be preferable to just 5 years in the Harvard/NEC program. After a Harvard/NEC program, he will still have years for his voice to develop, and the additional 2 years in a conservatory (5+2 regular way) may be better than waiting tables (after a 5 year Harvard/NEC program) while his voice matures enough to get into a Young Artist Program.</p>
<p>I know Harvard has a PhD program in Music history/theory/etc. I just don’t know how well that “academic” training translates into training that conservatories want of their incoming grad students. Is the music theory/sight singing/languages/diction/etc. good enough?</p>
<p>I also wonder why a student needs a reduced course load to get through the 5 year performance program. How do Eastman students get done in 4 years? Maybe Harvard has other academic classes all students must take, and the non-voice majors need the extra time for practice on their instruments. Fortunately for Voice, you can’t practice 3-4 hours per day.</p>
<p>Don’t count on it being a whole lot less than $6K. Figure 30-40 lessons per year depending on how much time he spends there. If the rates for the top private voice teachers in Boston are anything like they are in New York, you could spend more than $6,000 for that many lessons. No doubt he could find someone for less than that, and price does not always relate directly to quality, but private lessons from top teachers in big cities do not often come cheap.</p>
<p>I second BassDad on the cost of private instruction. You can get lucky and find someone who is terrific and not money-driven, but often the best teachers in the DC area for violin cost $150-$200/hr. Seems like a lot, but just think what it costs to go to a shrink later if you don’t follow your calling. For those who love their music lessons, it’s more valuable than a shrink!</p>
<p>Average private lesson rate for a good NEC/Longy type teacher is about $110 an hour. Usually, you will pay less if you can go to their home studios, rather than the ones at school, where you contract for a minimum of 15 lessons a semester. Some teachers are considerably more, but some will actually do sliding scale for Harvard students. There is no shortage of superb teachers.</p>
<p>For the $6K at Harvard/NEC, the student participates in at least one ensemble, in addition to the lessons, so it is actually a reasonable “deal”, so to speak.</p>
<p>I would take the Harvard path in a heartbeat if that becomes an option. He will be far better off in the long run with an excellent private teacher in the Boston area (don’t limit him to NEC teachers!) and a coach.</p>
<p>In half a heartbeat------Harvard and a private teacher.
(the rumor is that in many respects Harvard is a pretty good school) ;)</p>
<p><a href=“the%20rumor%20is%20that%20in%20many%20respects%20Harvard%20is%20a%20pretty%20good%20school”>quote</a>
[/quote]
I heard it was over-rated.</p>