Here’s the best advice I could give to students as they research schools for undergraduate study: Write to, speak with, and meet with voice teachers with whom they may wish to study. Observe those teachers in a lesson; take a sample lesson with them.
Clearly, the most important single reason for studying at a particular school is the private teacher with whom a student will work for four years. Look for one who is knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated to the long-term development and well-being of their students, a teacher with whom the student believes he/she will make excellent progress.
Additional very important considerations include performance opportunities, degree programs, and course offerings. I believe that at a larger university there are simply more options available.
Students have compelling reasons to choose a large or small university or conservatory. Studying at a large university—such as the University of Michigan, which has an internationally recognized voice department and school of music—offers many advantages. As is the case at many schools, the faculty at the University of Michigan strongly believe that students should be nurtured and taught on an individual basis. The Voice Department is comprised of 11 teachers, who are deeply dedicated to individual instruction geared to the specific needs and strengths of each student.
Course offerings are many and richly varied, including five art song courses, each one dedicated to a specific language, and five diction courses. The opera workshop is available at two levels, which allows students to fully explore and develop their stagecraft. The program also boasts three choirs of different sizes, and performance opportunities are many.
Typically, a larger university produces at least two fully staged and double-
cast operas per year. With a degree in musical theatre, the University of Michigan also stages two musicals every year, and a student organization produces a third. Opera roles, musical roles, and solos with the choirs are all open to undergraduates—and undergrads are cast. The School of Music also features a concerto competition, which undergraduate singers have won in the past. Other ensembles specialize in early music, contemporary music and jazz. In addition, the town of Ann Arbor boasts several performance organizations that audition and cast students in operas and operettas. This diversity and number of opportunities offers students vital performance experience. Perhaps due to the number of students, a larger university is able to offer several degree programs to singers. The Voice Department at the University of Michigan offers several voice performance degree options. These degree programs are designed for the specific interests and goals of our students. Students can earn a bachelor of music in performance, a bachelor of music in performance with teacher certification, a bachelor of musical arts, or a bachelor of fine arts (musical theatre). A good number of voice performance majors choose to pursue double degrees. The department supports this diversity of study, especially for those who also wish to receive a double degree.
Some students might fear getting lost in the crowd at a larger university. That is not
necessarily the case. Perhaps because our School of Music is akin to a conservatory, we enjoy a strong sense of community in the building. Teachers know the students in the program and care about their progress and wellbeing.
Undergraduate voice study is an exciting time of growth and discovery. At the heart of the matter when deciding upon a school, students need to know whether a teacher is right for them, what kind of resources they would like available, and where they believe their talents and goals will best be nurtured.
