<p>Does anyone have solid information regarding the undergraduate vocal program at the University of Wisconsin? Any and all input is welcome.</p>
<p>NYU isnt extremely competitive for classical voice, i dont think, it is for musical theatre though.</p>
<p>oh and having grad students there is a great thing. you will learn ALOT.</p>
<p>oldviola - I have read good things about Wisconsin on other boards. I am trying to find some specifics. If you consider Wisconsin, however, don't overlook Lawrence. It has a reputation as a great choice for undergrads.</p>
<p>My son an instrumentalist applied to USC, UCSB, and Redlands on the West coast. UoP also has a music school. They are in Stockton and that didn't appeal to my son. I only know about them because I sang there for competitions in high school years ago. Pomona may have worked for him as well. The San Francisco program couldn't touch the others as far as he was concerned so he didn't apply. USC, I think, was the best for him on the west coast. In the end, he chose a midwestern school, Lawrence University, mentioned above. He wanted more than a conservatory, he wanted a happening/friendly place for the college experience. He wanted to study at the time politics as well. And in the end, he has gotten the full liberal arts program, community involvement, internships, campus work etc. So music was only one element of what he wanted. But I don't think he knew that until he got on campus and started to explore. Oberlin would have been a fine choice as well. He had too many friends there and wanted his own place so to speak although he visits there from time to time. He applied to IU as well and decided against the size. He had enough variety in his applications that when push came to shove and he had to decide where he was going to go, that in the end worked out great for him. I think students in their last year of high school go through many changes. For those students, variety can be helpful in April/May.</p>
<p>My son is a student at University of Wisconsin, involved in an capella group; he's not a music major, but hangs with a few students in the program. The university has a small, but well-regarded vocal music/opera program. I stress "small," though, as it takes only a few students each year. I echo other posts on the strength of Lawrence if you're looking at the state of Wisconsin. Academics at UW are semi-competitive.</p>
<p>I was surprised to see so many inaccurate comments about Hartt's vocal program listed on this site. </p>
<p>Here are the facts: </p>
<p>We have a very select graduate voice program and information about the graduate program is available on our website at: THE</a> HARTT SCHOOL: MUSIC-DANCE-THEATRE.</p>
<p>There is a strong focus on performance in our undergraduate program, and the unique thing is that our undergraduate students do not have to compete with the graduate students for roles in the opera productions because we have separate productions for the graduate and undergraduate students:</p>
<p>The Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance at The
Hartt School is a comprehensive program designed for the
student of superior talent and motivation whose goal is to be
a professional performer. What sets Hartt apart from other
conservatories and music schools is its yearly commitment to
providing performance opportunities for its vocal performance
majors in each of three areas considered essential for the
training of a well-rounded vocalist: recital singing in the
Undergraduate Recital Series, choral singing in both a cappella
choirs and major works with symphony orchestra, and opera
singing in black box and main stage opera productions chosen
specifically for the developing undergraduate vocalist. Hartts
vocal performance major is a well-developed course of study
that includes private voice lessons; coaching; vocal pedagogy;
language and diction study in English, Italian, French, and
German; stage movement; acting; and Hartts challenging and
stimulating core music curriculum.</p>
<p>The Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance-Pre-
Cantorial Studies Emphasis is offered in conjunction with the
Universitys Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies, and
prepares vocalists for entrance to the Jewish Theology Seminary
or the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religions
cantorial program. Students who pursue this program study
cantorial music and take courses including three years of
Hebrew Conversation through the Greenberg Center in
addition to Hartts core vocal performance courses.</p>
<p>Vocal Performance opportunities:
Recital Singing
The Undergraduate Recital Series (URS) includes four concerts per year in which every freshman and sophomore vocal performance major appears in one recital and every junior and senior vocal performance major appears in two recitals. The URS is an outgrowth of the vocal seminar classes in which students concentrate on the performance of the art song repertoire. Seminars focus on interpretation, stage presence, and communication, as well as musicianship and language skills.</p>
<p>Choral Singing
The Vocal Division has five choral ensembles: The Hartt Choir (SATB with 4560 singers), The Hartt Chorale (SATB with 3545 singers), The Hartt Camerata (SSA with 2530 voices), The Hartt Chamber Choir (SATB with 24 singers), and the Hartt Touring Choir (SATB with 4045 voices). These choral
organizations emphasize musicianship and vocal skills in an ensemble setting as well as expanding the students knowledge of repertoire and style. Undergraduate vocal performance majors are often featured as soloists on Hartt choral concerts. Recent major works performed with orchestra include Mozarts Requiem, A Sea Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Verdis Requiem, Brahmss Nänie, and Te Deum by Berlioz. The Hartt Touring Choir has performed several international tours, traveling to Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany.</p>
<p>Opera Singing
Undergraduate vocal performance majors have the yearly opportunity to sing in complete opera productions chosen specifically for the developing undergraduate voice. The Hartt undergraduate opera productions are designed so that in performing a variety of operatic repertoire students have an educational experience in learning and preparing a role, learning stagecraft, and working with professional stage directors and production staff. Recent undergraduate opera performances have included Menottis The Old Maid and the Thief, Barabs A Hand of Bridge, Bernsteins Trouble in Tahiti, Gilbert and Sullivans Trial By Jury, and Lehárs The Merry Widow.</p>
<p>DD thinks she wants to study vocal performance but would prefer a west coast, small college over a 30k state university. Any affordable recommendations? We're middle class family.</p>
<p>DD wants to do a double major w/ Music Performance. Anyone have experience, good or bad, with any of these schools?
All comments welcome. Thank you.</p>
<p>U of the Pacific
U of Oregon
Gonzaga
Whitman
U of Puget Sound
Lawrence U
UCSB
UCSC</p>
<p>Unless things have changed radically over the last few years, I would stay away from UCSB for VP. Look into Chapman, they are an expensive private, but can be very generous in merit aid to talented vocalists. One caveat---some small privates are wary of giving merit money to students who dont want to focus soley on Vocal Performance.</p>
<p>What's the scoop on UCSB and why "stay away?"</p>
<p>When we checked it out 5 years ago, the program was weak at best. We had people warning us NOT to even consider it. D did visit, since we were in town for a regional audition and she was not impressed .But perhaps they have turned things around since then. Ultimately its all about your student and a good teacher----perhaps they have hired someone that would be good for your DD? The teacher is the most important factor.</p>
<p>fORGOT to mention. I dont know a lot about the U of the Pacific program, but I do know Burr Phillips now teaches there and he is an excellent teacher and all round nice person.</p>
<p>Good vocal performance schools that deserve a shout out:</p>
<p>University of North Texas
Rice University in Houston
Loyola University in New Orleans
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
University of Maryland
University of Colorado at Boulder</p>
<p>Mimolette, are you sticking to mostly West Coast for any reason in particular?</p>
<p>Our impression 5 yrs ago, about Westminster was that it would have been a mid level school....geared more towards choirs etc. I know several people that graduated from there, and are now music teachers....but they said the emphasis was on choral music. Maybe its changed. I know it was an in-state school for my s..and they really worked on getting him to consider it, but it didn't have quite the same feel as the schools he liked.</p>
<p>I agree with MomOfWildChild, I think CIM is not a mid level school.</p>
<p>I've been looking at the website for Cal State Long Beach, and their Opera Institute looks impressive. I have not seen it mentioned anywhere else, though, in terms of quality of instruction, whether undergrad students get roles, etc. Does anyone have info on this school?</p>
<p>Re: Westminster, DD's voice teacher wanted her to apply to study with one of the teachers there. Although there is a lot of chorus, they are not only chorus focused now. They have had 2 met winners in the last few years and have high quality of vocal instruction. DD also liked that they did not discourage VP majors from participating in the MT program. They were also pretty generous with merit $$. In the end, DD just did not want such a small school.</p>
<p>I seem to be VERY late in looking for some advice on programs, but it is coming down to decision time? I am DESPERATE for information on some schools. My D has been accepted to a few schools. She received a good scholarship to UMICH. I would like some opinions on their VP program. Everyone seems to know alot about UMICH for MT but not much on VP. What are some pros and cons? What about in comparison to OCU or Baldwin Wallace? Thanks!!</p>
<p>I can't speak to any of these programs based on personal experience but I can say this: I have had voice teachers from some of these programs.</p>
<p>My first teacher studied at Northwestern for undergrad and then Shepard for her graduate. She is currently is a young artist program at the Houston Grand Opera, a great teacher and spoke highly of both schools.</p>
<p>My second teacher studied at a relatively unknown school for his undergrad and then Shepard for graduate. He too is in the young artist program at the Houston Grand Opera and is a member of many professional choirs, has one CD and is a fantastic friend and teacher.</p>
<p>The schools educate and train their students well - both are on track to 'bigger and better' things. Great people who have only good things to say of their schools' programs.</p>