<p>I am new to CC and am amazed how much I’ve learned already. My S is a jr. hoping for an MT major, but I haven’t seen much about West coast schools. Are any of them worth it? He skipped a grade so will graduate younger than most, and going all the way to the east coast seems a big step for him (and for us economically!) Any suggestions from CCers?</p>
<p>Read about Cal State Fullerton at the top of the main MT page. UCLA and Cal State Chico offer programs, and USC has a minor in MT. That's all I know about. The program at Chico is new, (If I remember correctly it is a BA and not a BFA) and nobody here had much info about it. If you go back and read posts from the past year there was some discussion about CA programs. The Cal State Fullerton thread has lots of great info written by a professor there.</p>
<p>Hi..I'm from California and after an extensive search for West Coast MT schools, I didn't find something that I thought was right. But good luck with your search!</p>
<p>And I second what ocuMTinfo said. We are from Ca too, and my daughter applied to only one school west of Ohio, and it's in Colorado.</p>
<p>I'm also in CA, but the only CA school I applied to was UCI, which has a theatre program with musical theatre honors that you can audition for after two years. However, after being accepted to OCU, I didn't send them the rest of the stuff I needed to to complete my application. </p>
<p>Two other schools to which I applied, OCU and University of Northern Colorado, aren't all that far, and both are cheaper than any UC. But yeah, CA really doesn't have all that many options in state.</p>
<p>Perhaps you need to move your thoughts from Calif. to the Western Region. Arizona State, BYU, Colorado are closer than the East Coast.</p>
<p>Thanks to all so far for the feedback. My S is also interested in classical opera; do any of these schools support that along w/MT? Is that something he'd get to do in East Coast schools?</p>
<p>philosopherjudy,
If you are willing to look east of CA, look at OCU. Their MT majors are a part of the music department and are required to audition for all musicals and operas. My son, an MT major, is a freshman and is in the chorus of their upcoming production of LaBoheme. They are required to have both classical and MT songs in their rep, and work on both with voice teachers.</p>
<p>philosopherjudy: You might look at Pepperdine. The best MT guy (very talented and smart as well) from my D's well-regarded high school theater program went there, with a nice talent scholarship. He does straight theater, MT, and opera there.</p>
<p>University of Northern Colorado also has an MT major and some opera. MT majors are often cast in straight theater too.</p>
<p>Chrisr, you took the words right out of my mouth! :)</p>
<p>Judy, OCU music students live in both the MT world and the Classical/Opera world. Voice training is all classically based and, as chrisr said, MT students must learn MT selections along with classical slections. And the great opportunity exisit for cross training on the stage as MTs perform in OCU's operas frequently. So not only to do you learn the rep, but you also get a chance to use it in real time (operas). </p>
<p>OCU is a unique program. A demanding one that requires more than learning some JRB songs. Some students are not prepared for this kind of training - one heavy on classical training, theory and performance. But a look at OCU's top grads (Chenoweth and O'Hara) will show you what OCU does.</p>
<p>Good luck with your serach!</p>
<p>OcuMTinfo....while it is true that OCU is heavy on classical training, I'm not sure why you added that it is a "demanding one that requires more than learning some JRB songs." Clearly, you can't possibly mean that a BFA in MT program (as opposed to OCU's BM program) is not as demanding or that it is focused on JRB songs?? Not only in my D's program but in most others we looked into, they learn legit voice and repertoire that is from the traditional MT repertoire. While they may not have the classical bent that OCU has, THAT is what differs but truly not the MT repertoire or legit voice training that is taught everywhere. In fact, my D just IM'd me and was telling me about the soprano work she is doing and the songs she has been assigned and they are not like JRB at all. So, please do point out about the classical training and opera work at OCU but please don't imply that other programs don't require more learning than some JRB songs. I think it is wonderful to come here and post as a resource on your program that you love dearly and to explain its features but no need to imply such a comparison. I could explain my child's program and what they do but would not be apt to say it is the best or most wonderful, but simply that she loves it and I know what it offers. I believe all these BFA programs are demanding and I surely would hope that none focus on learning JRB style songs. I think classical training is good to point out at your school for those who really want that. But you can attain a very fine training in MT by also studying MT repertoire and vocal technique. These simply are different OPTIONS and a different FOCUS. One is not a better route to a career in MT. For those not in a classical program, you can bet that they do study legit vocal technique. They just do not work on classical music. For someone looking into a BFA program, they need to decide which type of program is the best fit for what they want but that doesn't make one program necessarily better overall. Some want equal training in voice, acting and dance and some programs are like that and some are not, for example. I think it is best to point out the DIFFERENCES or ATTRIBUTES of a program, and its curriculum, but that can be done without espousing that one is necessarily better or contrasting it with negative implications about the alternatives.</p>
<p>Be sure you do look at USC's program. Once you mentioned classical voice, that becomes the strongest school in your region. Auditions for the Met are held there and classical voice is very good. While MT is not integrated in the theatre school, it is a minor offered by USC's Thornton School of Music.</p>
<p>Boy, do I feel dumb: Where is OCU? what is JRB? There are advantages to abbreviations but they sure confuse out of the loop moms like me. Thanks to everyone for all of the help!</p>
<p>OCU is Oklahoma City University.</p>
<p>JRB stands for a contemporary Broadway composer, Jason Robert Brown (ie., Songs for a New World, Last Five Years). </p>
<p>Don't worry....you're not dumb. I had never heard of OCU until I read this forum. I did know JRB but I never have referred to him as JRB but I figured it out.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>OK, I'll chime in. Why the knock on Jason Robert Brown? Given that he has won Tonys for his songs, and some great MT programs have informed works, I wonder what the concern is about. I would greatly appreciate it if somebody would explain this apparent negative feeling for his music. Frankly, I think some of his songs can be outstanding opportunities for singing and "acting the song," something that is often encouraged on this site. If I am mistaken, or there are other reasons to knock his music, please let me (us) know. Thank you.</p>
<p>vocaldad</p>
<p>VocalDad, I think Jason Robert Brown is wonderful and my D is very into his music and has performed it. What I read into the comment was that OCUMTInfo was saying one college offers classical voice as opposed to JRB as if the other schools do not teach the legit and traditional MT repertoire and they do, as well as contemporary MT repertoire like JRB. They include the gamut of MT, including the traditional fare, and they teach legit vocal technique. They just do not focus on or teach the classical repertoire which is more typical in a BM or VP major program. OCU is a BM program, by the way. </p>
<p>Like you, I think JRB is definitely tops and definitely worthy of study and performing and is a face in the contemporary MT landscape. I am not into this either/or way of thinking. To be successful in MT today, a young student ought to study legit singing, including the traditional Broadway repertoire but also the contemporary Broadway sounds that are in many musicals that are cast today. JRB is good, as you say, for acting the song. His material is overused in auditions but is wonderful for performing. </p>
<p>What I don't get is the knocking of programs that teach MT repertoire as being inferior to those that teach the classical vocal stuff. Classical is great and also good preparation. But a program that focuses on MT is a kind of training that is as good but simply different. </p>
<p>I think it would be far better to contrast PROGRAMS and what their focus is, than to imply that one is better than the other. One FITS a student better than another, that's all. Same with vocal training. Classical is not better than JRB either, but a different style of singing.</p>
<p>Also someone with a more classical bent is suitable for certain roles (such as in Piazza) and possibly not for other roles (such as in RENT) and then someone else who can sing the contemporary Broadway sound might be suitable for casting in The Wild Party or Avenue Q but not as much as in Pirates of Penzance. </p>
<p>A Broadway actor today in the MT world, needs to have a wide range of skills and be able to sing all sorts of styles, because that is what Broadway shows include these days. It is not an either/or world. You should be able to sing a classical sound, a legit sound, a contemporary sound, to be a versatile performer. Of course, some are stronger at one style than another.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>I am also a huge JRB fan - but, I would like to think that possibly ocuMTinfo was NOT knocking him - rather, possibly referring to some MT wannabes whose knowledge of the field doesn't extend much beyond his songs, Wicked, and Rent. Not that there is anything wrong with those - but it is a tiny slice of the big MT pie. And anyone whose repertoire choices are that narrow is going to have a hard time competing with kids who live and breathe MT 24/7, and do have a mucher broader frame of reference.</p>
<p>Of course I was not knocking Jason Robert Brown. He is a fine composer and creates some demanding music. We've done two of his shows at Oklahoma City University.</p>
<p>MusThCC hit it right on the head (thanks). I was using JRB as an analogy to what others schools choose for their students to work on. I know of a couple of friends at other MT schools who learn 5 songs each semester for their rep. They choose whatever they want and it's all MT music. They don't know any art songs, opera arias and such. They don't explore the other musical options of classical music. There's a world outside of Andrew Loyd Webber!! (now awaiting the "why are you bashing Webber" message).</p>
<p>Now, that's fine and you don't have to work on classic rep to make it on Broadway. But classical rep is much more demanding (in terms of voicing, structure and such) than the majority of MT music. At OCU, students lean four MT songs and four classic songs each semester. As stated above, that's what sets OCU apart from many other programs. </p>
<p>This is my opinion. If it doesn't agree with yours, that's quite fine. As I said above, OCU is a demanding program and not right for everyone.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of your responses to my post. I agree with you that a broader base of learning can be very beneficial. I was just concerned about the JRB reference, as if he were some piriah. I know his works can be overdone at auditions (although we are considering one for my S, yikes). I did NOT mean to question your premise; having a solid base in both MT and classical/art songs is fantastic for any performer.</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>
<p>vocaldad</p>
<p>I'm not knocking classical rep either and it is a great background to have. I'm simply saying that each program differs in curriculum and philosophy and emphasis which doesn't then follow that one program is more "demanding" than another. Also, the analogy that JRB is what other schools choose to work on is not that accurate in my opinion (not that there is anything negative about JRB, of course). The difference, as I see it, is that your program trains in both the classical music repertoire and the MT repertoire, and that makes sense because it is a BM degree program. However, it doesn't then mean that other schools only sing songs such as JRB type repertoire. Other programs focus on the MT genre and that genre spans a great many years, not just contemporary Broadway. As a point of reference, my D does not get to choose the songs she is working on and in fact, the one she is assigned at the moment individually but in her group class (she also has private) is from well known long time Broadway composers and from a show written before 1960. I believe the songs she was working on before this were also from the legit MT repertoire going back quite a ways. </p>
<p>What each person wants in a program differs. Some programs emphasize all three skills equally....voice, dance, acting and some are heavy on the music training. One is not necessarily more demanding or better but just different. I don't think, however, that the contrast is quite the way you put it...that the programs that don't work on classical rep like arias and such, tend to work on JRB. Also, students don't necessarily pick what they are working on. My D is using this entire year to work on the areas she wants to improve, and is not even working on songs at all that showcase her strengths. She has remarked constantly at how much she has learned. So, no, they don't just work on stuff they pick or are good at. They are stretched. She has improved a great deal by the teaching. The song repertoire, however, does come from the MT genre. Many programs are demanding. They just have different philosophies and curriculum.</p>
<p>I would agree, however, with MusTHCC that some students prior to college, do not have a broad based background in the MT literature and only seem to know of Wicked, RENT, or JRB (notice what some pick for audition songs). It is crucial to be a student of musical theater history and of the material that exists.</p>