<p>Our son is a voice performance major and has been accepted into the conservatory programs at Oberlin, UMichigan and Eastman. Does anyone have a view as to the relative quality of the vocal and opera programs at these schools and the music program more generally? We realize that the specific faculty for the studio is very important. </p>
<p>Also, the degree to which a student is likely to have exposure to the broader school community outside of the conservatory (in the case of Eastman, referring to URochester.)?</p>
<p>Welcome, reach1. These are three excellent programs. Since you don’t mention $ as a factor, I would suggest revisits to each if possible. Pick the teacher, and let your son go with what “feels right.” Does he want a big U, a liberal arts college, or a more of a stand-alone-type conservatory? At Eastman he’ll be surrounded by musicians 24/7. Is that what he’d like? </p>
<p>U of R is a 20 minute bus ride from Eastman, so that may be a negative factor for him. He can take all the languages and humanities right at Eastman, however.</p>
<p>At Oberlin, it is possible for voice students to determine for themselves how much they want to reach out into the broader community and how much they will concentrate on music. The voice curriculum includes 15 semester hours of language classes that will be taken in the College and 4 semester hours of liberal arts electives that are also taken in the College. Beyond that, there are 18 semester hours of free electives that may be used in either the College or the Conservatory. There are also several classes in the College that wholly or partially involve music (not to mention the ExCo classes that can be taken for credit) and it would be possible to take one or more of them to satisfy the 4 semester hours of liberal arts electives. Therefore, it is possible to take just the basic language classes in the College, plus another class or two that is cross-listed between the College and Conservatory by registering under the College course listing so as to get credit for liberal arts elective hours rather than as music elective hours. It is equally possible to take a total of 37 semester hours in the College (15 language plus 4 LA elective plus 18 free elective).</p>
<p>I have not had the pleasure of visiting Eastman, but I can tell you that Ann Arbor and Oberlin are very different towns with very different atmospheres. That could play a part in his decision.</p>
<p>These are all excellent places for an undergraduate voice major. UMichigan has the advantage of presence of mature (graduate) singers to serve as role models. It is a comprehensive music program in every area. Eastman is a fine music school, though its graduate program is smaller (I believe) than UMichigan. There are fewer full productions at Eastman, fewer performance opportunities. The voice training is first rate. (Oberlin is strictly undergraduate, and there are no graduate role models. As the smallest of the schools, there will be more personal interaction with the faculty. Undergraduates get any and all performance experiences. It is a more isolated campus, less access to a bigger world. </p>
<p>There is also the issue of the kind of undergraduate experience your son wants to have…does he want to cheer for a big time sports team? Would he prefer a campus more interested in social action? And finally, consider the logistics of getting your son to and from school year after year, vacation after vacation. Will your son go by train? Car? Flight? Those are expenses and efforts which mount up. </p>
<p>Great options. Will he get another chance to visit and get a better feel for each school? Good luck to him!</p>
<p>Congrats - great choices. I cannot speak to the vocal program specifically, but my son attends the U. Michigan school of music, and feels there are an almost unbelievable number of opportunities for interaction with the main campus and broader communities and in myriad ways, from research to performance and social. He’s only a freshman and he’s very busy but he’s been in a film, (mini)scored a student film, been involved with an art festival, student shows, art-tech events and work groups, writers events (eg poetry sweatshops), student underground publications, has been a guest on radio program twice, played open mics, constantly attends music theater productions, etc. The benefit for him is that the SOM is small and intimate, but the school is large and varied, and the communication system between the two is very connected.</p>