Vocal Music opera

September 18, 2006 3:52 PM

Looking for a session or program from one of the top vocal/music/opera schools while visiting U.S.

Here is the question a friend of mine is asking:::::::::

I am an international student looking for a good vocal education experience in U.S.

I have finished my Junior year in Vocal/opera/music performance major in my country's university. (Mezzo Soprano is my specialty)

Before I graduate, I would like to take a class / program / or some type of vocal lessons from one of top colleges there.

My goal is to become an opera singer... I have trained all my life for it.
But I want to experience hoply better education in the states.

I may even think about transfering to one of the conservatory.

Juiliard / New England Conservatory of Music / Indiana University Bloomington are the ones that I have researched and interested so far....

I have heard there are some classes or program that may be held in short term bases from these type of schools....

Can anyone help...? I checked google.. but can't find any decent info....

What I really like to do is get some sessions from someone or some program from the schools

posted by curiousleo to Education (4 answers total)

I don't know detailed specifics, but you might check out the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, associated with Johns Hopkins. Here's a page about vocal studies there. This chapter from the catalog has some more information on opera and vocal studies. (Last link PDF.)
posted by zoinks at 4:23 PM on September 18, 2006

Many music faculty, even the top ones, offer private lessons outside of the university, if you're willing to pay (private lessons with the best can easily run more tahn $100 an hour). But in my experience, any top program will require you to audition before you participate in any capacity, including as a visiting student. The best thing to do is probably to simply email faculty members who coach mezzo-sopranos at schools you're interested in (not the admission departments, not the music departments), ask whether their music program accepts visiting students, and if not, whether they'd be willing to take you privately.

As for transferring, I'm told that's difficult in the top music programs. Faculty like to work with their students for several years, not for just your senior year. Julliard, for instance, requires music transfers to complete at least two years with them.

Another option might be to do postgraduate study in the U.S. after completing your degree in Europe. I know several U.S. musicians who spent a year or two in England after college training intensively with a big name coach (independently, not as part of a grad school program). You'd probably have an easier time getting a top-notch coach to agree to work with you that way too.

But regardless, at any good music program, the faculty have all the power, and they're the ones you need to talk to.
posted by gsteff at 4:25 PM on September 18, 2006

New England Conservatory has a summer program, poviding "institutes, intensive weekend events, workshops and classes." Julliard also has summer programs.

Also -- the Boston Symphony Orchestra has a summer program at the Tanglewood Music Center.
posted by ericb at 4:27 PM on September 18, 2006

Also, there's a ton of great music programs in the U.S. that someone from Europe might not have heard of. Hopefully some other mefites can name some, but if not, find a mailing list for vocalists and ask them for the names of some schools with excellent but lesser-known programs.
posted by gsteff at 4:29 PM on September 18, 2006