<p>We are trying to round out my son's potential list of schools...ISO a couple of top 50 LACs where he could get a strong liberal arts education, a BA in music and have vocal performance opportunities, even if it means studying with a private teacher off-campus. This would add to a list that is more BM focused, just to have options.
In the perfect world, it would be a school offering merit aid to get a good classical singer, but that may be too much to hope for! </p>
<p>Vasser is potentially on this list..any other ideas?</p>
<p>As a countertenor he should look for a school that has a strong focus on early music. The focus on early music should substantially increase his chances at getting merit aid, a good teacher with counter tenor experience and performance opportunities . My first suggestion would be Yale.</p>
<h1>musicmomma…From your lips to Yale’s ears. Princeton is also on our list–alma mater of David Daniels. But given their admission rates—and the crazy number of arts supplements they get—Im not sure even a soprano-singing boy will stand out enough!</h1>
<p>I would apply to Yale over Princeton any day. But also, Yale has the stronger early music program, and I have heard far better singers come out of Yale than Princeton, to be honest. I have other reasons, but they are far more irrational than the other two I’ve stated. What about Oberlin? I’ll also put in a plug for Miami U of Ohio which has a fantastic vocal undergrad program. I’m well-acquainted with the number of the voice faculty, and the academics there are also super.</p>
<p>I would recommend checking out Bard College. There is no countertenor teaching, but they do have a new faculty member who specializes in Early Music (instrumental) and they offer workshops in Early Music Vocal Performance. Asides from the vocal music professors and performances in the college, one has access to master classes and performances of Dawn Upshaw’s Graduate Vocal Arts program.</p>
<p>The career path of a countertenor is as unique as their voice. For example, YAPs hardly ever hire them since they have difficulty plugging them into roles for an entire season. Early music is a world unto itself. I would think it would be wise for your son to discuss this extensively with other counter tenors and teachers of countertenors. It might have some bearing as to which region he might he wants to study and into which market he might want to graduate . Hopefully he can network this summer and get the ball rolling.</p>
<p>FYI Bard does not have an undergraduate vocal program. The graduate VP program is hard enough to get into–they audition roughly 30, take roughly 8, and a number of them already have a master’s elsewhere.</p>
<p>Latido - The Bard undergrad program is a BA in music, not a BM in performance in the conservatory. My son is in his 4th year in the conservatory. He has a number of friends who have gotten a BA in Music in the College with an emphasis on vocal performance. And have gone on to conservatories for grad school, and sung in the opera at the Bard Music Festival. There are two vocal performance professors in the college. Ilka LaMonoco [Bard</a> College | Faculty](<a href=“Ilka LoMonaco”>Ilka LoMonaco) and Rufus Muller [Bard</a> College | Faculty](<a href=“Rufus Müller”>Rufus Müller). Alexander Bonus is the new faculty who has an Early Music specialty [Bard</a> College | Faculty](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/academics/faculty/faculty.php?action=details&id=3203]Bard”>http://www.bard.edu/academics/faculty/faculty.php?action=details&id=3203) The chair of the Music Department is James Bagwell [Bard</a> College | Faculty](<a href=“James Bagwell”>James Bagwell) who is the conductor of NYC’s renowned Collegiate Chorale. He is also the conductor of the Bard Festival Opera chorus.</p>
<p>You’re absolutely right about the selectivity and quality of the Graduate Vocal Arts Program - which is why it’s great to have those professors and students on campus. My son regularly performs with the graduate (and post graduate) singers with his ensemble, and the undergrad composers get to write music for them.</p>
<p>I should also add that to moderate into the Vocal Performance track of the BA in Music one must audition and be accepted by the department by Junior year. If not accepted, one can moderate into a more general track for the music BA.</p>
<p>^^ahhh ok, thank you for clarifying that! The faculty there really is top-notch. DO visit the campus if you decide to apply! It is an eclectic, free-spirited campus that is not for everyone, but every person I talked to there was truly nice and passionate about what he/she was doing there. I am in love with the library.</p>
<p>Any ideas on the vocai music opportunities at these schools:
Middlebury
Amherst
Tufts (without the NEC double diploma)
Cornell
Bowdoin
George Washington University
Washington and Lee</p>