<p>I'm hoping to hear some good reports about voice teachers at UCLA. I hate to cross UCLA off our list, but.... a respected L.A. voice teacher commented to me that she has UCLA students "sneaking over" to study with her privately because they can't get a good teacher there. I hesitate to take one person's opinion as fact. Anything to report? Hopefully, good?</p>
<p>i'm a current instrumental music ed major at UCLA. DO NOT COME TO UCLA IF YOU PLAN TO MAJOR IN MUSI ED!!! the professors don't give a **** about you and you don't have alot of performance opportunities. for example, music ed majors were ot involve in the opera production.</p>
<p>Have you tried a lesson with Jiuliana Gondek or Michael Dean? Both of them have had some very successful students.(I dont know if Vladimir Chernov teaches sopranos.) Are undergrads being taught by Grad TA's? I do think that with the addition of Peter Kazaras as opera director, the department is really looking strong right now (though I dont know if thats important to an undergrad) I was impressed with their Nozze di Figaro last weekend.</p>
<p>DD auditioned and was accepted there a couple of years ago. Unless they have changed, they had a team teaching apporach that was unique compared to the other schools she tried. To me it seemed it could have been confusing. For many reasons she did not go there, so do not know if it would have been good or not.</p>
<p>It's not true that music ed majors aren't a part of the opera. There were 3 in the chorus for Marriage of Figaro, and last year a music ed major landed a major lead in the Threepenny Opera.</p>
<p>In general I wouldn't go there for music education even so, unless you're doubling in performance (a very easy double since everything but the pedagogy requirements for ed are an overlap).</p>
<p>Yes, there are a small handful of students who go outside of the school for lessons.This is going to be true everywhere. There are three teachers there total, and not every teacher is going to work for every student. Lots of singers stay with the same teacher for most of their careers as soon as they find one that works - that's how important it is and that's how hard it is to find just the right one.</p>
<p>I think it is safe to say, however, that the majority of the students at UCLA decided to attend specifically for the teachers, and that they are happy where they are. DO get trial lessons first, however, and talk to some students.</p>
<p>I'm finishing up at UCLA, and yes there are some people who have explored teachers outside of the school. I do have friends who didn't get what they needed and have ended up going elsewhere or exploring other careers. I also have friends who go to/went to UCLA who were accepted into graduate school at Juilliard, Curtis, CCM; or went directly into LA Opera Young Artists, Lindemann Young Artists, Merola Opera program etc.</p>
<p>It's not really about finding the best school, it's about finding the particular school that can give you what you need. Lots of great singers came from nowhere universities that just happened to have the right teacher for them on faculty. UCLA might be the right place for your daughter, or it might not. It's a specific thing, not a general thing.</p>
<p>Vladimir does teach sopranos. I think there are two in his studio right now, maybe more. His own teacher was female. Music Ed majors are taught by TAs, but all undergrad voice majors take lessons directly from the faculty.</p>
<p>A belated thank you for these responses. My D’s voice teacher says that she and Juiliana Gondek have had the same teacher, and does recommend her, so we’ll definitely check her out. My D is thinking east coast for now, but I do know UCLA, and I suspect if we visit she will like it. Does anyone know if voice performance majors are able to study abroad?</p>