<p>I was reading that the music department offers private voice lessons and that most of the teachers hold positions at the New England Conservatory. If I chose to be a music major or just took private voice, do the teachers incorporate any musical theater in their lessons? I guess im wondering if the voice teachers just teach classical pieces or if they also incorporate musical theater pieces. I dont know about everyone else, but I would need both as classical pieces can tend to be a little dry. I would appreciate some feedback from anyone who has taken voice at Tufts. Thank you!</p>
<p>Man I've been wanting to do voice lessons for years now. It's expensive though, just one of those things I'd love but can't afford to do :(</p>
<p>That's an excellent question. You might have to call the Music department or the voice teacher. My daughter took voice lessons through the New England Conservatory for four years and really enjoyed it. I think it cost $70/hr. through the conservatory.</p>
<p>Oh, so you can take voice through the New England Conservatory as a student at Tufts. That is really a great asset. Do you have to be a music major or part of the joint degree program with the conservatory ?</p>
<p>the voice teachers for Tufts are all really qualified and great, from what I've heard - the guy I was with until I dropped b/c I didn't get the ensemble scholarship also teaches at Harvard. If you tell them, "I am trying to train my voice for musical theater" then they'll give you the repertoire and technique for that. It's 600 dollars for 12 lessons (this is a charge separate from tuition, so it's additional), making it what, 50 dollars a lesson? If you're a music major or minor, you may get the scholarship that covers 90% of this cost. They also award ensemble scholarships, to people who have been enrolled in an ensemble for two semesters and want to improve the instrument (or in this case voice) they use in the ensemble (so for voice, let's say Chorale, Chamber Singers, Opera Scenes, etc.)</p>
<p>I'm not sure if you can take voice at NEC through Tufts unless you are in the Tufts/NEC combined degree program. My daughter took lessons at NEC during high school through their Preparatory School. I believe that some of the voice and instrument teachers at Tufts also teach at NEC, so you can take lessons at Tufts but get faculty from NEC.</p>
<p>I take private violin and mandolin lessons from teachers in the Boston area including a teacher from Berklee, and the going rate is about $55-$70 per hour. So if you can get lessons for less than that, it's a good deal.</p>
<p>Thanks bluirinka for your information on scholarships and the voice teachers.
How's the new music building?</p>
<p>70? Man you can go into Boston and get em for 40</p>
<p>Yeah, but the best teachers charge in the $70 range. My mandolin teacher is the only mandolin teacher at Berklee. He's an astounding musician. If you are just beginning an instrument, then perhaps you can get away with a good teacher that charges $40/hour. But you need to be careful, you could end up learning bad technique which is very difficult to change after you've been playing for a while. Also, I've found that I learn twice as much in an hour with my $70/hr teacher, so it's cost effective. :-)</p>
<p>rightbackatyou - I hope you get to take those vocal lessons someday soon.
Music is a lot of fun when you're doing it for yourself.</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>Yeah, I wish I had the money for those types of things over the past few years. Oh well, you can't do everything in life I suppose. Maybe when I'm older.</p>
<p>I didn't start playing mandolin until I was 40. It's been a lot of fun. Jamming with other people is not only great musically, but socially too.
I hope that you will get your voice lessons a little earlier than I did.
It's tough working on music while you're in college. It's a great hobby when you get out of school.</p>
<p>the new music building is ridiculously nice. the concert hall makes the Chamber Singers sound even better than usual. also, having it right next to where i live with the great new practice rooms gives me more incentive to actually go and practice, lol.</p>
<p>but I actually was given the ensemble scholarship so the voice lessons shall continue, woohoo!</p>
<p>My own music lessons WOULD cost $90 an hour if it wasn't through Tufts...</p>
<p>Anyone know how long it might take to learn the violin? Say a practiced for an hour or two a day...</p>
<p>Bluirinka - that's great about the scholarship. I'm looking forward to checking out the new music building soon.</p>
<p>Snuffles - $90 is a lot of money for a lesson. You must have a very good teacher. </p>
<p>Rightbackatyou - I would say that violin is one of the most difficult instruments to learn. No frets, so it's a struggle to get good intonation.
Bowing is a little tricky too. I would guess that it might take a couple of years to become moderately proficient. I think it would take quite a long time to become excellent, but it all depends on the person.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_pitch%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absolute_pitch</a>
This helped me learn my instrument very quickly :)</p>
<p>Absolute pitch is certainly an asset.</p>
<p>heh, i have perfect pitch too :)</p>
<p>Wish I had perfect pitch. Somebody told me once that they thought I had perfect pitch. I thought it was the ultimate compliment.</p>
<p>Not sure if this thread will update- today is 4-05-07- check out Berklee's website for the Berklee Performing arts center. <a href="http://www.berkleebpc.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.berkleebpc.com/</a></p>
<p>All of the student recitals and showcases are coming up. If you are interested in Berklee attend one of the concerts and you will get a first hand feel for the type of talent Berklee attracts and for the skill level of the professors.</p>