Do you want to be known for the individual you are, not as a mere number in large-class settings? Do you want all of your classes and applied lessons to be taught by professors, not by graduate assistants? Do you want to have performance opportunities—including operatic roles and choral solos—during your undergraduate tenure, rather than have those opportunities go only to graduate students? Do you want to explore other areas in addition to music without being relegated to “second-class citizen” status?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, then perhaps you should consider a music program at a smaller university or college that specializes in undergraduate
education. Smaller schools can be undiscovered gems that prove to be the perfect fit for many prospective undergraduate vocalists. If you are a student who thrives in a close-knit environment where personal attention is paramount, you owe it to yourself to investigate these possibilities.
In determining which smaller schools to consider, you should seek colleges that provide ample competition while still offering performance opportunities. DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., for instance, features five voice professors who teach voice majors and two adjunct professors who teach electives and minors, an annual full-scale opera production with orchestra (double-cast), an opera workshop scenes program each fall, a fully-staged musical each year, a musical-theatre workshop scenes program in the spring,
plus vocal chamber-music classes, two major choirs, and master classes conducted by expert teachers and internationally known singers and composers. You should make yourself aware of school offerings such as these. Also, ask about each school’s policy regarding auditioning for each production, ensemble, etc., because at some institutions, unless you are a performance major, you may not be allowed to audition for certain performance opportunities.
Additionally, inquire about faculty members’ involvement with music organizations, and about their activities as performers. For example, all DePauw University voice professors are active members of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and majors have traditionally succeeded at the highest levels in competitions sponsored by NATS, MTNA (Music Teachers National Association), and the Orpheus National Vocal Competition, to name a few. Furthermore, DePauw students routinely are selected for top summer programs and graduate schools.
Many smaller schools require general education studies, but many do not. At a school such as DePauw, a student’s degree and major determine the extent to which he or she will be involved in the College of Liberal Arts. However, because DePauw is a top-tier national liberal arts college, you can be assured that the liberal arts courses are challenging and will further enhance your education.
Smaller institutions tend to foster greater cross-disciplinary learning, provide an easier path for completion of a double degree or major, and allow more diverse performance opportunities no matter the degree or major. If you have other interests in addition to music—such as theater, musical theatre, foreign languages, etc.—smaller schools not only allow you to pursue these areas but even encourage you to diversify your learning opportunities.
Numerous off-campus programs and internships also promote a philosophy of learning by doing, and degree choices—
whether a bachelor of music performance
degree, a double degree, a double major, a degree in music business or a degree in music education—grant various avenues of exploration. At larger universities or conservatories, you may encounter roadblocks for such courses of study.
High school students often worry that they need to attend one of the “big name” schools to succeed later in the vocal profession. This is simply not true. One way to gauge a smaller school’s success is to learn where their graduates go after undergraduate work. Upon further investigation, you may even discover that the percentage of undergraduates from smaller universities who go on to “big name” graduate programs, or who eventually succeed in the performance realm, is actually greater, or just as high, as it is for those who attend larger schools or conservatories.
Do your homework by visiting websites and campuses. Don’t limit your search to one type of school. Talk to professors at different institutions, as well as the students who attend. Don’t assume you know the answers; instead, ask questions. You may find that a smaller school that promotes mentoring and close student-teacher interaction is the perfect environment to help you become the best singer-performer you can be.
