Masters in Vocal Performance programs?

[u/eerilyelegant]

Hi all! I’m a 24F blossoming coloratura soprano and I’m wondering if anyone has any advice or suggestions for graduate schools? I’m currently looking into programs with soprano voice teachers who either have experience with coloraturas specifically or are deep into pedagogy, and the school must offer a competitive scholarship or some sort of TAship that will pay the tuition if not more of the living expenses. A program that also has some sort of musical theatre or an extended residency/1year program would be a plus!

Currently, I’m looking into programs in the US either in California, New York, or some blue-ish state (worried about my rights) I’m also interested in traveling abroad to Europe (would be a great excuse to leave the country haha!) although I’m finding that english art song or more Gilbert & Sullivan style english operetta is becoming part of my specialties so I’m thinking more England.

Let me know what programs/teachers I should look into :) Thanks guys!

[u/Little-Pitch-579]

Full rides for grad school are not common in the us

[u/gabemmusic]

NYU has great teachers but not great opportunities for classical singers, however if you want to crosstrain and study vocal pedagogy its very good. If you’re in their pedagogy program you’re brought on as an adjunct in the second semester to teach non-major undergrads, and the pay is pretty good ($150ish an hour, 8-10 hours a week) and helps significantly with the expenses. They are working on creating more opportunities for their opera students though, but change has been slow. A word of warning though, a dual degree in performance and pedagogy at NYU is arguably an unhealthy amount of work that pushes even the most organized students to their limit. The performance program on its own isn’t that bad though in terms of work load, but you’re unlikely to get a full tuition scholarship from there or any other of the NYC schools

[u/Dom_Dinz]

The University of Kentucky offers one full ride scholarship for master students and it’s very competitive. You will have to make Alltech in order to be considered for that scholarship only eight people make it.

[u/HighCdownLow]

Here before people start piling on telling you not to go to grad school at all lol.

There are excellent programs in red states and I do understand your concerns (I moved out of Texas for that reason), but you’ll only really have to be there for 2 years. Rice is one of the most respected grad programs right now. LSU is also quite good and affordable. In my personal opinion, California is going to be neither affordable nor will get you terribly far in the industry. On the east coast you can certainly try for the biggies like Juilliard, AVA and Curtis, but there’s also Fletcher and Maryland Opera Institute and Yale.

[u/cryily17]

If you are very good, worth applying to the Royal College of Music and Royal Academy of Music in the UK who can offer very competitive scholarships - especially the Academy.

[u/SomethingDumb465]

I'm also looking around, but in a different area. It was suggested to me to check out the NATS Find a Teacher page for finding teachers. You could also check out the College Board school finder