<p>My D is a soprano with great academic stats but a not stellar voice - will take several years to be fully realized. Right now she says she wants to double major in music and languages, and cannot be dissuaded. She thinks she would eventually like to teach voice with an emphasis on vocal health (and wants to get Alexander training somewhere along the way). She has good piano and sightreading skills and a great ear, but is a perfectionist and needs a teacher who can help free up her voice. We live in a very small town and her current teacher couldn't come up with any specific college or teacher suggestions. </p>
<p>She's open to schools of any size except tiny as long as they have a solid choral program (her real joy). Her GC keeps pushing Middlebury for languages, but she's hesitant because it doesn't seem like a place to go for music. </p>
<p>Most of the Lutheran schools have marvelous choral programs--St. Olaf, Concordia (Moorhead, MN), Gustavus Adolphus are just a few examples--but have to warn you that getting into concert choir at some of these schools is very competitive.</p>
<p>overseas--tks for that. I had forgotten about Lawrence. I have a junior daughter who likes to sing. She doesn't sing in choir just because her school choir is not really "choral" if you know what I mean--but is taking voice lessons, loves opera, is learning some art songs (and is interested in languages too, and science), and Lawrence is a school that I'd like her to look at. She thinks she wants a "midwestern school," and I don't know if she wants to pursue vocal music in college, but she might on some level, (she has a beautiful voice, IMHO) if she were in the right environment. She definitely wants to study languages too, (at least that's the way it appears now, these things are still in flux for her). But she also has a strong science/math aptitude, and Lawrence seems strong there too.</p>
<p>The thing about LU is it has the music school and great music teachers as well as the Music Ed degree but it is a place for everyone. So if you want to do opera you can try out, get accepted and train. If you want to sing in choir, take voice lessons, and get a BA in German you can.</p>
<p>The one constant I keep hearing in the college search is that finding the right teacher at whatever school is key. My S is a sophomore. he wants to major in Vocal Performance (not at a conservatory) but have "regular" college activities and courses availalbe. </p>
<p>So, where are the "star" voice teachers of today? How do you find them? I have no idea where to start.</p>
<p>You may want to check out Vassar. The only problem there, though, is that once you're admitted to Vassar you have to audition for voice lessons. But all the various choral and a capella groups are open to all students by audition, music majors or not.</p>
<p>Brainstorming ideas: Look at schools near big cities. The opportunities for quality teachers goes way up. Swarthmore, for instance, near Philly, pulls private teachers from all over. It gives you more options than if you go to a small town school out in the middle of nowhere, that has one voice teacher that you either like or don't. </p>
<p>Another thing your D might want to consider is transferring a couple years down the road. Get into the best voice program she can at this point, and as she matures, she may find herself ready for the next level program in just a couple years. Or, of course, continuing elsewhere for grad school.</p>
<p>I would make sure to look for a place with a good undergraduate focus. Some schools of music have enormous graduate programs. (Indiana University for example). Make sure she goes to a place with a small graduate program so that a good amount of attention is given to undergraduates by faculty. Indiana is a pheomenal school (in my opinion the best for graduate work) for voice/opera, but, even with a 20 member voice/opera faculty...with 250-300 voice students...students may often get lost in the wood work. But for good programs, and good languages, I'd definnitely suggest St. Olaf....another good place is Westminster Choir College, but I'm not sure on the languages at Rider University. Hope this helps.</p>