Studio classes meet once a week, during which time students perform for their peers and faculty in a masterclass setting. Pieces are workshopped and critiqued with the aim of discussing rehearsal, practice and performance techniques with the entire department.
This two-year course is a survey of the genres, styles, famous composers, and compositions that are seen throughout the development of Western Art Music. Students observe the elements of music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque Age, Classical Period, Romantic Era, and Twentieth Century. They will learn to contextualize musical achievements throughout history as they relate to the philosophies and events of their time.
Our vocal lessons are taught with care for developing the voice, with a focus on breath control, resonance, intonation, and the development of high and low registers. These lessons help cultivate the young student’s creative and artistic expression as well as their ability to tell a story through song. Vocal students will explore various genres of repertoire, with a focus on Musical Theatre, Art Song or Classical genres. This allows students to discover their own voices while learning how to sing in a healthy manner that prevents damage to the vocal cords.
Ongoing weekly sessions build on the student’s progress and are designed to encourage vocal range and build stamina. They also help students improve their ability to blend smoothly between vocal registers, achieve mixed voice and belt coordination, sing high notes with ease, and gain confidence for live performance. This training prepares the students to eventually continue on to advanced technical study and artistic mastery at the college level. Each private singing lesson will include vocalises, sight-reading, text study and interpretation, and technique instruction, as well as creative application to a song in order to prepare the student for a live audience.
Our dedicated voice instructors are professional performers fully devoted to the craft of voice teaching. They are committed to guiding students on their professional and personal vocal journeys, and assisting them with their own personal academic, artistic, and performance goals. Our pedagogy is based on Bel Canto traditions, focuses on the production of the beauty of sound and brilliancy of performance, and is taught from a growth-mindset. Students can expect to see tangible, goal-oriented improvement to their vocal technique and artistry, and integrated understanding from their very first lesson.