Vocal Performance and/or Music Theatre

<p>I'm currently a junior in high school, and the concept of finding which colleges to apply to is confusing and scary. I would really like to have the option to study music theatre and acting but also get classical vocal training. I also want to have the opportunity to audition for shows as an underclassman. I have no idea where to start. Does anyone know of any schools that could provide what I want?</p>

<p>Here are some past threads on this topic that may help:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1318619-help-choosing-college-musical-theatre-vocal-performance.html?highlight=vocal+performance[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1318619-help-choosing-college-musical-theatre-vocal-performance.html?highlight=vocal+performance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1314963-mt-vocal-performance-choices.html?highlight=vocal+performance[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1314963-mt-vocal-performance-choices.html?highlight=vocal+performance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1319248-why-vocal-performance-wrong-choice-mt-career.html?highlight=vocal+performance[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1319248-why-vocal-performance-wrong-choice-mt-career.html?highlight=vocal+performance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>In these threads you will note some posters have a fairly strong bias against some forms of classical voice training for MT. If you read the literature, you will find less agressive points and counterpoints.</p>

<p>People interested in VP may find BM MT programs a good fit.</p>

<p>Some of the programs you may want to look at include:</p>

<p>NYU Steinhardt
Wichita State
Arizona State
Baldwin-Wallace
Catholic University
Florida State
Oklahoma City
Belmont
Indiana
Sam Houston
Nebraska Wesleyan</p>

<p>These are some of the BM programs and/or programs that provide cross-over opportunities with classical/opera programs and training, and/or they combine opera/operetta repertoire with musicals.</p>

<p>adding the BM Music Theatre program at James Madison to the above list. This program is offered throug hthe School of Music, but students take acting, dance, and musical theatre performance classes in the School of Theatre in Dance with the BA Musical Theatre students.</p>

<p>I can’t believe I left off James Madison! I get an F in CC today.</p>

<p>I was too worried trying to figure out how to politely say, “don’t let the anti-VP posts scare you - the points made are valid but the debates in the vocal pedagogy world are pretty complicated, and there are lots of people out there who know what they are doing in cross-over training.”</p>

<p>no worries! ;-)</p>

<p>Certainly what EmsDad and Kat say are valid! Some other things to consider:</p>

<ul>
<li>you could choose a VP program that is in some way linked with the MTs (e.g. I have a student at Otterbein majoring in VP but all she takes acting and dance with the MTs). VPs usually aren’t allowed to sing MT material, and there can be some super strong opinions about it, but I believe that you know what’s best for you. VPs can be quite successful in the MT world (look at Morgan James who went to Julliard but gets consistently cast in ROCK musicals!).</li>
<li>most MT programs will have you study classical music more than you might expect. This might be a great question for you to ask when/if you do your college visits!</li>
</ul>

<p>Hope that helps some!</p>

<p>Another school that I forgot to mention is Northwestern, where you can major in VP and audition for their MT certificate program. Northwestern is a very difficult school to get into, generally requiring outstanding academic credentials.</p>

<p>Why exactly are you interested in vocal performance? Are you interested in an operatic career? Are you more of a legit singer who doesn’t dance?</p>

<p>Just to add to the list above, Shenandoah University will also work with students interested in both classical and MT. MTs have held leads in the operas and this spring several vocal performance students held leading roles in Into the Woods. JMU, NYU, Arizona, Oklahoma City University, Florida State, Baldwin Wallace, and Sam Houston all have strong voice faculty that I have seen produce great results in both classical and MT. Northwestern is outstanding for theater and voice, they just hired a new MT person for voice and I’m not sure who that is or how its working with their structure. I would add IU to that list, but I recently worked with a student from there who said there was hardly any interaction between the music school and the theatre department. The others listed I’m not so sure about.</p>

<p>Yes there are classical people who cross over into rock, but I just got back from SETC accompanying a masterclass for a top level NYC pop/rock coach and I must say there was a huge difference in the performance level of the students from schools with pop/rock styles training and those from schools without. The clinician was very clear that you need pop/rock specific training to compete in NYC. </p>

<p>On the legit side, speaking from personal experience, I have a former student who was trained almost exclusively as a pop/rock and contemporary MT singer, who has worked non-stop since graduation the last three years as a pop/rock singer, and just booked an Equity tour of West Side Story as Tony. Legit is not the same today as it was in the past. The same clinician mentioned above pointed out that Laura Osnes in Cinderella on Broadway right now just finished Bonnie and Clyde. She is a mix belter. Compare her to Julie Andrews and there are definite differences.</p>

<p>VT</p>

<p>I wonder if this will ever change back because I MUCH prefer Julie Andrews.</p>

<p>Seconding the OCU suggestion, given the connection at that particular school between MT and opera, which as much as it makes OCU exactly wrong for my son might make it perfect for you. Here’s another suggestion: I’d guess hundreds and hundreds of MT students and their parents have profited from reading the many, many MT posts over the years by EmsDad and soozievt. Do a search for their comments on College Confidential. You’ll go from being confused and scared to being in the know and assured–well, as in the know and assured as anyone can be when it comes to the challenge of MT colleges.</p>