The big Decision - Voice major -advice

My daughter has now received all of her acceptances and weighing each school for the best program and scholarship offering. She wanted to be in a big city. Her top choice is MSM but she is on the waitlist. Love to hear other parents opinions, advise, experiences with each of the schools.

Bard Conservatory: Double major requirement. 5 year program. Biggest scholarship offered from any of the schools. Only 1.5 hours from where we live.

Boston Conservatory: no scholarship offered. Will be the most expensive out of the list.

San Francisco Conservatory: Nice scholarship. Furthest from home. We are in NY so across the country. Will be the least expensive option for 4 years.

Peabody Institute: Small scholarship. It helps but after Boston Conservatory most expensive.

I think she really wants Boston Conservatory but it is the most expensive out of the list.
Worried to think about all that debt coming right out of school at $280,000 for all 4 yrs. UGH.

Can you afford that money out of your savings with no problems? My S is a first year drama student at UNCSA, we weighed the options of cost and prestige very carefully and the likelihood that he would be able to have success with a conservatory education. Have you had that conversation?

2 Likes

Congratulations to your daughter!
For the undergraduate voice major the MOST important consideration should be a primary teacher. Does you daughter know her teacher assignments? If yes, could she write and request a trial lessons- in person is best, but Zoom also works. Who is the teacher that is the best technician and has the most personal rapport with her? Which school gives more performing opportunities?

Bard Conservatory is quite a powerhouse… it is not a “second” choice.

As voice study is long and a Master’s degree a necessity, my advice would be to find the most advantageous combination of scholarship+voice teacher, with voice teacher being the primary consideration. New York is better saved for Grad or post-grad study, when she can take advantage of all the audition opportunities it provides.
Please minimize the debt… Being a singer is expensive, and the funds saved could be used for summer studies abroad and competitions when she is ready. And performance clothes etc etc.

Good luck to your daughter! Go for fit and teacher. All of the institutions you named are respected in the field.

9 Likes

Short answer: She should carry as little debt as possible.

Long answer: Vocalist are young for UG. They will need to do summer programs, overseas travel and go to grad school. This will take MORE money. Once she gets to college, there will be pressure to spend more and keep up with other vocalists.

Then there will be grad school and young artist programs. The first year or two out of college may require some parent support. You may think UG is crucial but it is grad school and then YAP programs that are very important. If you have a lot of debt, it will be very difficult to do YAP programs as most do not pay a lot.

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to make it as a vocalist if you have a lot of debt. If you have a small amount bc you would need debt for any college education, that’s OK. But if it’s big debt when you have an alternative for smaller debt, it will probably have a very negative impact on her potential career. Instead of traveling for YAP auditions or opportunities, she will need to have a job that services the debt.

Also, once kids to get to college, the discussion of debt happens…at parties or social event. My D started feeling “smart” once she got to college (particularly around grad students) for managing cost closely (with my encouragement). She wanted to go to a big city but we couldn’t make the financials work. She has thanked me countless times now (she’s 29) for being “mean” about debt. She has none and that was very helpful as she developed her career. I’m sure she would advise your D not to take on a lot of debt if she wants to make it as a vocalist.

Good luck…she has excellent choices. Imho, she should go where they will help “finance” her future.

6 Likes

These are all very strong options. Congratulations to your daughter on her hard work!

Are any of these options doable without loans? I’m really hoping that $280k was referring to the total cost…not the loans. $280k is a lot of money, and your daughter is unlikely to have a high-earning career, particularly in the earlier years.

I’d figure out which of the options can be done debt-free and then choose from among those.

2 Likes

Congratulations on great acceptances. Some of the Bard faculty used to do dual teaching at Julliard and Curtis and MSM. Students had to go into the city for lessons. Is this still the case? As a smaller program she would get much more attention than at the other programs which have larger enrollments.

Totally agree with @bridgenail that assuming you have a good fit with a teacher, keeping the cost down should be of utmost importance. And it is never too early for your musician to become expert in managing expenses and finding ways to request funding. Mine has become adept at advocating for himself when applying for financial assistance for his current program and summer festivals. He knows that this will be part of the life he has chosen as a musician. He actually enjoys the challenge of staying in a tight budget. And the importance of finishing school without debt cannot be over emphasized. So many musicians who need to take a “day job” to start paying off loans never get the opportunity to fully prepare for and travel to auditions or seek graduate level training.

4 Likes

OK- I just checked the Bard Voice Faculty on line and the three teachers I was referring to who also have appointments at MSM/Julliard/Curtis are only assigned to graduate students.

The amount of debt you suggest for BOCO is unreasonable, IMHO. You also have to plan for grad school! While some places offer full tuition plus stipend to MM students, you still have to pay housing and food , and having at least some funds to help with that without going further in the hole is a good plan.

Not so sure about Peabody - haven’t seen a lot of singers coming out of their program recently.

SF is a great program, but be sure to figure in transportation costs for break, summer storage of personal belonging, and cost of flying out to see her recitals and performances, plus hotels and Ubers for you when you go. It may add up to more than you think over 4 years!

I would vote Bard (actually wanted D to go for her MM - it was between Bard and Jacobs, but she chose Jacobs because of teacher fit and the pandemic) - It is so nice to be able to attend their recitals and performances that the distance plus price tag is very appealing. Don’t be afraid of 5 years and a double major - the extra year of vocal growth makes them more competitive for better MM programs and having an additional degree as a back up plan is worth considering. My D added a major in Arts Management as a back up for her voice degree and it helped her get a good job with the university as a MM student, which makes her largely self supporting (phone and car insurance on us).

Good luck!

5 Likes

Congrats to your daughter! For what it’s worth, my daughter’s voice teacher, Lucy Fitz Gibbon, is also on the Bard faculty, and she really loves working with her. (She ultimately chose to work with her at another school bc of the other majors she wanted to study in addition to voice.)

3 Likes

Cost and teacher. Did your daughter do tryout lessons? If she hasn’t, see if she can do them, in person, right away, at the schools that make financial sense. Sounds to me like Bard. Also, she would have an academic major there, which would be a very good idea, especially if her non-vocal major gave her other options for supporting herself.

3 Likes

Hi! I just saw your post. My junior DD (soprano) is scheduled for a lesson with Professor Fitz Gibbon on Tuesday at Bard (very excited). Her first lesson with a faculty voice teacher! Any advice you can give us? Thanks so much in advance.

Tell her to relax! She should dress business casual - no shorts or ripped jeans, but she doesn’t have to look as formal as for the actual audition. Bring music she is working on as well as those she thinks are “finished” — Be prepared to try new things and don’t worry about making mistakes. Use the feedback to direct things to work on over the summer as she readies for fall auditions! Enjoy it!

2 Likes

A key factor teachers look for is “coachability”….not perfection. As indicated above, she will probably be asked to try new things. The teacher will not necessarily be looking for her to do it “right” as much for her to “try” and be alright with being slightly vulnerable.

Just tell her to be herself…the polite version of herself!! Be dressed nicely (nothing special but neat). And make sure her music is neat. Then she’ll be fine.

Good luck.

3 Likes

Thank you so much, @songbirdmama and @bridgenail, for the awesome advice!! I am sure that it will help others besides my DD.

1 Like