I am an incoming freshman at Kent State majoring in Theatre Performance, I auditioned for the MT program, but didn’t get in. I have been thinking a lot lately about what I want to do in life and I really want to teach Voice Lessons, but more of an emphasis on Musical Theatre Voice. I am just really confused right now on the options I have or what degree to go into, or whether I am going to stay at Kent if there is a better program to get into or not. I just really need advice from people who have been through this. Where did you go? What did you major in? What else are you doing? etc.
@VoiceTeacher is on the MT voice faculty at Shenandoah and very well regarded in the field. He would probably have some excellent advice and can answer your questions. If he doesn’t respond on CC, you can perhaps reach out to him through the Shenandoah Conservatory.
If you were just getting ready to apply to schools, I would recommend you look at schools with a voice performance major that also has an opportunity to get a teaching certificate. Most of these programs will be Bachelor of Music degrees. I am not familiar with Kent State, but you might check the music department and see what degree programs they have that might help you achieve your goal of teaching voice lessons. Perhaps you can even get a double major in theatre performance and music?
Try doing a google search on “Vocal Pedogogy Degree” to see the colleges that offer this degree. Most of them are graduate programs, but if you look at the curriculum, it should give you an idea of what types of undergrad classes and degrees are good if you have that goal.
@ChorusForLife - If you want to teach musical theatre voice, a degree in musical theatre is the best place to start. If you want to teach private lessons (outside a university setting), there are a number of non-degree options that you can pursue to develop the skills necessary to teach voice after you finish your degree:
-The CCM Vocal Pedagogy Institute
-Estill Voice Training
-McClosky Technique
-Somatic Voicework Training
-Speech Level Singing Training
-The Summer Vocology Institute (National Center for Voice and Speech)
You can learn a lot by attending joining the following organizations and attending their conferences/events:
-National Association for Teachers of Singing
-Pan-American Vocology Association
-New York Singing Teachers Association
-Voice Foundation Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice
If you want to teach at the university level, you will need to get a minimum of a masters degree. Right now there are only two options that focus specifically on non-classical styles: Shenandoah University and Penn State University. I suspect there will be more popping up in the next few years. If you decide to pursue a doctorate, that gets tricky, but something to deal with later.
Another option is to pursue a masters degree in communication sciences and disorders and become a speech therapist (SLP). There is a HUGE demand for SLPs who are experienced performers and can help rehabilitate injured singers. The pay for those positions starts somewhere between $60-80k. It is a great gig!
If you have specific questions, PM me.
~VT