Where to Study in North America – Advantages & Disadvantages

“Good singing is good singing!”  Differences in the approach of universities, conservatories and private teachers toward the training of singers are largely philosophical – and driven almost entirely by funding.  There was a time when the great Master Vocal Teachers worked daily with merely a handful of very gifted students.  They taught them technique, often allowing the student only to vocalize for several years before actually beginning to work on repertoire.  Eventually, they also taught and coached the music (notes and rhythm – usually by rote), along with language, style, nuance, dramatic interpretation – literally everything that is related to vocal performance.  In today’s world this is not feasible – no one can afford the expense of that sort of training.  Singers are required now to be considerably more sophisticated and self-sufficient musically.  They are no longer merely singing puppets.  In addition, they are expected to be well informed about literature, languages, art, culture, history and world topics, both past and present.  They must possess great musical knowledge and stylistic flexibility, along with the ability to learn quickly and to perform vocally demanding and musically complicated repertoire.  They must be trained actors who are comfortable on stage and understand dramatic style, movement and deportment in all situations.  Obviously, the most cost efficient milieu in which to gather this information and to gain sufficient performance experience is the university or music conservatory – not just ANY one, but one with a comprehensive program that offers all of this training – one that provides sufficient opportunity for singers to perform frequently with equally talented peers and colleagues – one where singers can perform with an orchestra in concert and oratorio as well as in fully-staged operatic productions.  Ultimately, through these performance experiences, one learns and begins to understand more thoroughly the workings of their own voice through the “doing” – standing on their own two feet and performing before an audience – applying what is taught in the studio.  Conservatories, because they usually accept smaller numbers of students can be limited, to some extent, by the financial restraints inherent in that system and unique to their philosophy – as a result, it is possible that their performance and complimentary music course offerings can be more modest – training is highly specialized – students do not receive the broader education required in universities.  Private studios provide a valuable service for aspiring professionals as well as the already well established artist – or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, to the beginning singer.  The better informed that singers can be and the more integrated they can be into the world and into society, the better prepared they are going to be in understanding and coping with the untold pressures, sacrifices, responsibilities and personal demands placed on them by a professional singing career and the business surrounding it.  Regardless of which study option described above proves to be most suitable for the individual, it is crucial that each student of singing finds the best teacher for them, whether they are located in a university (small or large), conservatory or private studio.  Though earned advanced degrees and diplomas can most definitely have enormous potential value for anyone who hopes eventually to teach in an academic setting, those fancy and expensive pieces of paper are of little interest and not the least bit necessary in order for one to perform on the professional stage.  All that is required there is good basic intelligence, a well-trained voice, sufficient artistic, musical, dramatic and linguistic skills – integrity, diligence, tenacity, patience – and an intense passion for the vocal art! Back