Music Vocal Performance

Choral singing, opera singing, recital singing are the classical performance opportunities form the foundation of the vocal programs at Hartt. By balancing these, Hartt prepares vocal students for the next step, which could be a graduate degree, private teaching, or a performance career.

All vocal students study privately with a member of Hartt's eminent vocal faculty, working on technique and repertoire. First and second-year students participate in weekly vocal seminars with a member of Hartt's vocal coaching staff. The work put into private practice, weekly coachings and seminars, and voice lessons culminate in performance of the Undergraduate Recital Series, fully staged operas, and choir concerts.

The Master of Music in Vocal Performance provides the mature student with advanced vocal training and academic study in preparation for careers as both professional performers and teachers.  The core of this training is intensive private vocal study, private coaching, language, lyric diction including comparative diction, invigorating academic classes, the graduate vocal seminar and solo opportunities in choral and orchestral concerts. The graduate vocal seminar focuses on preparing pre-professional singers for auditioning for young artist programs, operas,and oratorio concerts, as well as performing in two graduate recitals per year. We are currently accepting students for the Master of Music in Vocal Performance program for the Fall of 2019.

Hartt's graduate-level diploma programs are designed to provide emerging professional soloists with advanced-level vocal study to further their career goals in the vocal performing arts. The core of this training program is intensive vocal and language study geared for the solo performer in concert, chamber music, opera, and oratorio. The curriculum includes intensive private vocal study, private coaching, languages, lyric and comparative diction, the graduate vocal seminar and solo opportunities in choral and orchestral concerts. The graduate vocal seminar focuses on preparing pre-professional singers for auditioning for young artist programs, operas,and oratorio concerts, as well as performing in two graduate recitals per year. This program has fewer academic requirements which allows students to concentrate fully on vocal performance.

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree program is designed to develop the complete musician, emphasizing both the highest level of musicianship and practical scholarly insight. Each curriculum is intended to prepare the respective candidate for a career at the most advanced level of performance, teaching, or composition.

Graduate students may pursue the advanced study of choral conducting on the master's or doctoral level. These two programs offer rigorous training that includes private conducting lessons, languages and diction, voice study, musicianship, score reading and preparation, performance practice, and an array of academic studies to prepare choral directors for conducting and teaching careers in community, school, and university settings. Students work closely with Hartt choral ensembles and both degree programs have required choral performances as part of the curriculum.

• Prepare three selections from the standard classical vocal literature: art song, oratorio, or opera.
• At least one selection should be in a foreign language.
• All vocal auditions should be performed from memory.

After completion of your prepared voice audition, you will be asked to perform a brief sight-singing exercise. You may accomplish this with any system you choose (solfege, a neutral syllable, or numbers). This brief exercise will evaluate your ability to read simple, unaccompanied melodic lines and basic rhythmic patterns. You are encouraged to practice these skills prior to the audition.

Applicants must prepare five (5) selections encompassing four (4) languages and three (3) stylistic periods. At least three (3) selections should be from recital song repertoire.

• Italian and English must be presented.
• An operatic or oratorio aria should be included as part of the audition repertoire.

All applicants must prepare a full-length recital (approximately 45 minutes of music), incorporating songs and/or concert arias from at least three (3) stylistic periods in at least four (4) languages.

• The audition should include an opera aria and an oratorio aria.
• Italian, French, German, and English must be presented.
• Complete translations and program notes should be provided (5 copies). The committee will select from each grouping on the recital program and the arias.