The following ten schools were identified as having the best programs for singers by US News and World Report some years ago. For you and your specific needs, the Top Ten may be quite different, but for the sake of this article, we’ve stayed with this list. Take special note of in-state and out-of-state tuition at the public universities. Keep in mind what we’ve said before that you do not have to attend these schools to be a success! Many singers have had terrific careers after attending other schools. But if you do very, very well at one of these schools, it is generally considered a coup!
Indiana University – Bloomington
300 North Jordan Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405-1106
Phone: 812-855-0661
School of Music: 812-855-1583
Fax: 812-855-5102
Web site: www.music.indiana.edu
General Information
School Type: PUBLIC
Total Enrollment: 29,768
Voice Students: undergraduate 82, graduate 87
Operas Performed: 6 (2 in summer)
Undergraduates sing leads? Yes and sometimes guests
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Suburban
Year Founded: 1820
Average SAT: 1099
Average ACT: 24
In-State Tuition: $4,756
Out-of-State Tuition: $15,791
In State Tuition Four Years: $19,024
Out-of-State Tuition Four Years: $63,164
Application Deadline: Dec 1
Voice Teachers: Martina Arroyo, Michael Belnap, Alan Bennett, Costanza Cuccaro, Hakan Hagegard, Mary Ann Hart, Patricia Brooks Havranek, Alice Hopper, Paul Kiesgen, Teresa Kubiak, James McDonald, Carlos Montané, Timothy Noble, Andreas Poulimnos, Patricia Stiles, Giorgio Tozzi, Patricia Wise, Virginia Zeani
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
Some of the factors considered in judging IU as a premier training ground for singers are its top-notch faculty, state-of-the-art facilities and excellent performance opportunities. The school’s Opera Theatre, for example, puts on eight full-scale productions per year that yield 80 to 100 roles for students. In addition, choirs, ensembles, opera workshops, concerts and recitals provide willing voice students with hundreds of other ways to perfect their talents.
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 9/01]
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
P.O. Box 210003
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003
Music Dept Phone: 513-556-5463
Fax: 513-556-1028
Web site: www.ccm.uc.edu/about.html
General Information
School Type: PUBLIC
Total Enrollment: 6,744
Voice Students: undergraduate 60-80,
graduate 60-80
Operas Performed: 2 mainstage,
3 studio productions
Campus Surroundings: Metropolis
Average Undergrad GPA: 3.50
In-State Tuition: $5,700
Out-of-State Tuition: $10,887
In-State Tuition Four Years: $22,800
Out-of-State Tuition Four Years: $43,548
Application Deadline: Dec 1 for graduate and undergraduate
Voice teachers: David H. Adams, Thomas E. Baresel, Barbara Honn, Patricia Linhart, Karen Lykes, William McGraw, Kenneth Shaw, Mary Henderson Stucky
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
As in most programs the size of CCM, graduate students generally get the choice roles in mainstage productions at CCM. And those who commit to the two-year Artist Diploma (AD) program (admittedly very few have this chance) are given the opportunity to perform at least four major roles in fully-staged productions. Undergrads also get cast if they audition better than graduate students.
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 10/01]
The Juilliard School
60 Lincoln Center Plaza
New York, NY 10023-6588
Phone: 212-799-5000
Fax: 212-724-0263
Web site: www.juilliard.edu
General Information:
School Type: PRIVATE
Total Enrollment: 493
Voice Students: undergraduate 35, graduate 38, including the 16 in JOC (Juilliard Opera Center)
Operas Performed: 2 mainstage for JOC, 1 by Juilliard Opera Theatre (graduate students)
Undergraduates sing leads? 3rd, 4th, 5th year undergraduates are required to perform in one of the JOC performances each year which, according to one source, is usually chorus work.
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Metropolis
Year Founded: 1905
Average SAT: Not Required. Audition results are most important. After audition, the essay, letter of recommendation, transcripts and test results are evaluated to see who will be admitted.
Room and Board (1 year): $9,030 (double occupancy)
Books and supplies (1 year): $3,600
Tuition: $22,850
Tuition Four Years: $91,400
Priority Application Deadline: Nov 1 (JOC), Dec 1 (Vocal Arts or undergraduate)
Voice Teachers: Edith Bers, David Clatworthy, Daniel Ferro, Cynthia Hoffman, Marlena Malas, Stephen Smith, Robert White
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
The name Juilliard is weighted with history and prestige. The school’s reputation, its location in Lincoln Center at the heart of New York City’s cultural community and its links with professionals from the MET, New York City Opera and other respected performing arts organizations make it a draw for serious young singers from around the world. Even though the most recent graduate school ranking listed the Juilliard School as number two in the nation for voice and opera, second only to Indiana University’s School of Music, many would choose a degree from this venerable institution first, if only for the connections.
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 12/01]
Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester
26 Gibbs Street
Rochester, NY 14604-2599
Voice Dept: 585-274-1490
Admissions: 800-388-9695
Web site: www.rochester.edu/Eastman
General Information:
School Type: PRIVATE
Total Enrollment: 492
Voice Students: undergraduate 81, graduate 48
Operas Performed: 3 major productions, plus studio performances
Undergraduates sing leads? Yes
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Urban
Year Founded: 1921
ACT Code: 2980
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: Not Reported
Tuition: $24,750
Tuition Four Years: $99,016
Tuition (Graduate): $880 per credit hour
Regular Admission Deadline: Dec 1
Voice Teachers: Kathryn Cowdrick, Steven Daigle (head), Constance Haas, Karen Holvik, John Maloy, Robert McIver, Russell Miller, Rita Shane, Robert Swensen, Carol Webber
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
The idea of learning from your peers is popular at Eastman. This became evident to one student very soon in her first year as an undergraduate, “When I first came I was absolutely in heaven. You walk down the halls and first-rate musicians are practicing everywhere. And you learn from them as well as from the teachers.”
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 12/02]
Florida State University
2500 University Center
Tallahassee, FL 32306-2400
Phone: 850-644-6200
Music Dept: www.music.fsu.edu/opera.htm
Fax: 850-644-0197
Web site: www.fsu.edu
General Information:
School Type: PUBLIC
Total Enrollment: 29,129
Voice Students: undergraduate 218 (28 performance majors), graduate 56 (34 performance majors)
Operas Performed: 3 (full sets, costumes, orchestra, double cast)
Undergraduates sing leads? All roles open to undergraduates and graduates
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: City
Year Founded: 1851
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 25
In-State Tuition: $2,140
Out-of-State Tuition: $13,168
In-State Tuition Four Years $8,560
Out-of-State Tuition Four Years: $52,672
Voice Teachers: Roy Delp (President of the National Association of Teachers of Singing), Douglas Fisher, Larry Gerber, Janice Harsanyi, Barbara Ford, Stanford Olsen, Jerrold Pope, Marcia Porter, Wanda Brister
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
“He [Roy Delp] has gotten right to the core of what I need to work on. One thing I respect about him and most of the faculty is that they are so open and accessible. If you’re working on something that your teacher doesn’t specialize in, they’ll send you to someone who will serve you better.”
While regular voice instruction is available to all students on performance tracks, coaching is a little more exclusive, being reserved primarily for graduate students and those performing in opera productions. Masters in voice students audition for coaching after their first year (as a kind of quality check), and then have a year of coaching in preparation for recitals. Masters in opera students coach primarily with Douglas Fisher, the School’s director of opera activities. At the doctoral level, any student can coach with any faculty member. In addition, all students, including undergraduates, receive coaching when cast in an opera production…
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 1/02]
University of Michigan School of Music
1100 Baits Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2085
Phone: 734-764-0593
Fax: 734-763-5097
Web site: www.music.umich.edu
General Information
School Type: PUBLIC
Total Enrollment: 1000
Voice Students: 110
Operas Performed: 2 faculty directed, plus others
Undergraduates sing leads? Eligible if juniors or above
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: City
Year Founded: 1817
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 26
In-State Tuition: $8,162 (freshmen and sophomores)
In-State Tuition: $9,200 (juniors and seniors)
Out-of-State Tuition: $25,762 (freshmen and sophomores)
Out-of-State Tuition: $27,572 (juniors and seniors)
Room and board: $6,972 (double occupancy, 13 meals per week, dorm)
Books and supplies: $956 per year
In-State Tuition Four Years: $103,148 (add books/rm/brd $31,712)
Out-of-State Tuition Four Years: $106,668 (add books/rm/brd $31,712)
VoiceTeachers: Caroline Helton, Freda Herseth, Stephen Lusmann, Carmen Pelton, John Pierce, Melody Racine, Martha Sheil, George Shirley, Shirley Verrett, Daniel Washington, Rico Serbo
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
“We have a highly rated school in a pleasant environment that offers concert and performance experiences way beyond what you would expect for a town of this size,” says Freda Herseth, who teaches voice and coordinates the voice department at UM. “The students get an amazing number of opportunities.” For example, University Musical Society, a nonprofit presenting organization affiliated with the university and housed on campus, attracts world-class artists and ensembles to Ann Arbor each year. Recent performances include the Berlin Philharmonic, Joshua Bell, Netherlands Chamber Choir and Frederica van Stade. The community also boasts a Gilbert & Sullivan Society and a Comic Opera Guild, both of which cast students in their productions. And then there are the music school productions…
[To read the rest of the article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 4/02]
Curtis Institute of Music
1726 Locust Street
Philadelphia PA 19103
Phone: 215-893-5252
Fax: 215-893-9065
E-mail:info@curtis.edu,
admissions@curtis.edu
Web site: www.curtis.edu
General Information:
School Type: PRIVATE
Total Enrollment: 161
Voice Students: undergraduate 6, graduate 18
Undergraduates sing leads? yes
Operas Performed: 2 big opera/orchestra, concerts, scenes
Age range: 18-28
Diplomas: Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, Professional Studies Certificate in Opera
Year Founded: 1924
Tuition: All students on full scholarship except housing
Other costs: $18,200 (rent, telephone, food, recreation, insurance)
Voice Teachers: Marlena Malas, Joan Patenaude-Yarnell (1/3 of students are studying with outside teachers)
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
Because Curtis has a golden reputation, a small vocal program—approximately 25 students at any given time—an enviable 2:1 student-teacher ratio, and full tuition scholarships for all students, many try to gain entrance, but few succeed. Each year, singers from around the world vie for a few spots and the chance to earn a Bachelor of Music, a Master of Music in Opera or a Professional Studies Certificate in Opera from the renowned conservatory. This year, only seven out of more than 300 who auditioned were accepted to the program…
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives at www.classicalsinger.com 9/02]
Manhattan School of Music
120 Claremont Ave
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 212-749-2802
Fax: 212-749-3025
Web site: www.msmnyc.edu
General Information
School Type: PRIVATE
Total Enrollment: 850
Voice Students: undergraduates 95, graduates 100
Operas Performed: 2 plus scenes and outreach
Undergraduates sing leads? Undergraduates used in chorus, rarely as leads
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Urban
Year Founded: 1917
Average SAT: Not Reported
Average ACT: Not Reported
Tuition: $24,500
Tuition Four Years: $98,000
Regular Admission Deadline: Apr 1
Priority Application Deadline: Dec 1
Voice Teachers: Betty Allen, Edith Bers, Joan Caplan, Mignon Dunn, Hilda Harris, Cynthia Hoffman, Arthur Levy, Marlena Malas, Spiro Malas, Patricia A. McCaffrey, Patricia Misslin, Mark Oswald, Lynn Owen, Joan Patenaude-Yarnell, Maitland Peters, Ashley Putnam, Neil Rosenshein, Theodore Uppman.
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
Many singers believe that Manhattan is the center of the universe, and with good reason. For music, theater, art and general excitement, it stands among the great cities of our time, but with an attitude that no other can rival. And it is home to one of the finest training grounds in the world for singers—the Manhattan School of Music (MSM), located just a heartbeat or two from Columbia University and a cab ride from the MET, City Opera, and New York’s countless other cultural attractions. “Basically, I like to hear every student who comes into the School so I know where they are vocally when they start,” says Chairman of the voice department Maitland Peters.
Maintaining this kind of connection takes serious commitment from Peters and his faculty cohorts. “We listened to almost 800 tapes last year,” he says. “During spring auditions, we hear people for six straight days, taking a little break for lunch. One thing that’s nice is that we look for potential—the singer who has something special that we can develop…”
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives at www.classicalsinger.com 10/02]
New England Conservatory of Music
290 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-585-1358
Fax: 617-585-1115
Web site: www.newenglandconservatory.edu
General Information
School Type: PRIVATE
Total Enrollment: 387
Voice Students: undergraduate 80, graduate 80
Operas performed: 2, plus several one-act operas
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Urban
Year Founded: 1867
Average SAT: Not Reported
Average ACT: Not Reported
Tuition: $26,000
Tuition Four Years: $104,000
Regular Admission Deadline: Rolling
Priority Application Deadline: Dec 1
Voice Teachers: Luretta Bybee, Susan Fisher Clickner, William Cotten, Patricia Craig, D’Anna Fortunato, Carole Haber, Amy Lieberman, Mark St. Laurent, Lorraine Nubar, Heidi Skok, Patricia Misslin, Edward Zambara, Delores Ziegler, and Mark Pearson
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
According to Mark St. Laurent, NEC’s voice department chair, the central mission of the vocal program is to prepare students for a career in music, whatever form that may take. “We focus on what their strong points are and where they would be best directed,” says St. Laurent. “Most of our singers have their sights set on opera, but some may not be right for it. That can be the hardest thing—to let them know they may be better suited to Baroque than Verdi.” Out of the 150 or so who audition, from 60 to 80 students make it into Opera Studies each year.
Opera Studies taught former student Keith Phares what he refers to as a “good work ethic,” i.e., to always be prepared and to be a complete performer. “I was learning new things every day,” he says. “I had make-up and movement, which were very valuable. I had an acting class once a week where we did everything from regular dramatic monologues to musical theatre. And we’d stage our own monologues. They taught you to be self-sufficient. It was all very practical. I don’t know many other programs like that…”
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 12/02]
University of Southern California, Thornton School of Music
Admissions Office: Student Administrative Services
700 Childs Way
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911
Phone: 213-740-8986
Fax: 213-740-8995
Web site: www.usc.edu/music
General Information
School Type: PRIVATE
Voice Students: undergraduate 57, graduate 32
Operas Performed: 2 complete w/orchestra, 1 musical theatre
Undergraduates sing leads? Yes
Religious Affiliation: No Affiliation
Campus Surroundings: Metropolis
Year Founded: 1880
Average SAT: 1297
Average ACT: 28
Tuition: $28,184
Tuition Four Years: $112,736
Priority Audition Deadline: Dec 1
Regional Auditions available: San Francisco Jan 5-6, Seattle Jan 7-8, Chicago Jan 11-12, New York Jan 13-15, Interlochen students Jan 17, Los Angeles Jan 23 (encouraged to come to LA), Houston Jan 24-26
Voice Teachers: Gary Glaze, Janice McVeigh, Cynthia Munzer, Paul Huybrechts, Elizabeth Hynes, Peter Lightfoot, Jonathan Mack, John Glenn Paton, David Wilkinson, Shigemi Matsumoto
The following excerpt is from an article in Classical Singer magazine:
Even without proximity to New York City, this school stands proudly among the Top Ten vocal programs in the country, and for good reason. It has an excellent voice faculty, top-notch facilities, quality performance opportunities, and funding that opens doors for talented singers regardless of financial means. Says voice teacher Elizabeth Hynes, who has taught at USC Thornton School of Music for seven years, “We’re serving a purpose, because there’s a wealth of young talent out here, and many are not ready to go 3,000 miles away to the East Coast at 18 or 19 years old.” Furthermore, many students see no reason to go east for their education. Take up-and-coming soprano Jessica Rivera, for example. A Thornton graduate who’s currently serving in L.A. Opera’s Resident Artist Program, she’s building a promising career close to home.
[To read the rest of this article, go to the CS archives, www.classicalsinger.com 2/03]
Information for this report was gleaned from interviews with the school staff in August 2004, The Princeton Review, the schools’ Web sites and CS’s own articles about the schools.
