Vocal Performance

Choral, opera, and song performance are the opportunities which form the foundation of the vocal program at Hartt. By balancing these, Hartt prepares students for the next step in their singing journeys, which could include graduate study, private teaching, or a performance career. All students study privately with a member of Hartt's eminent voice faculty, enhancing their technique and knowledge of the repertoire.

During the first two years of study, a strong foundation in movement and acting helps create well-rounded singing actors. Third- and fourth-year students enjoy coaching privately with the esteemed Vocal Coaching faculty, creating well-polished performances through intensive work on language, style, and musicality. This nurturing, yet thorough, ecosystem sets the Voice BM apart by providing the most comprehensive training for the next generation of world-class singing actors.

The Master of Music in Vocal Performance provides the mature student with advanced vocal training and academic study in preparation for careers as professional twenty-first century musicians. The core of this training includes intensive private vocal study and coaching, advanced lyric diction training, graduate vocal seminars and literature courses, invigorating academic classes, and numerous solo opportunities in recital, choral, and operatic performances.

Hartt’s graduate-level diploma programs provide emerging professional artists with advanced-level study to further their career goals in the vocal performing arts. The core of this training includes intensive vocal study and private coaching, movement and acting, and numerous solo performance opportunities. With fewer academic requirements than other advanced degrees, the remainder of the curriculum is designed to allow for participation in areas that speak to the artist’s professional interests.

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.

The Hartt Choir is an SATB ensemble comprising 45-60 singers, performing a broad range of a cappella and accompanied multicultural repertoire, spanning from the Baroque period to the present. The ensemble presents four to six concerts each year, performing both independently and in collaboration with the Hartt Chamber Choir as the Hartt Concert Choir.

The Hartt Chamber Choir is an SATB ensemble of 24-28 advanced choral singers, focusing on a diverse repertoire that ranges from Medieval to contemporary works, primarily performed a cappella. Admission is by audition, assessing vocal ability, musicianship, stylistic sensitivity, and vocal versatility. The Hartt Chamber Choir performs at select university events, in the wider community, and collaborates with other vocal ensembles. The Hartt Chamber Choir performs both independently and in collaboration with the Hartt Choir as the Hartt Concert Choir.

As the Hartt Concert Choir, the combined choral ensembles (Hartt Choir and Hartt Chamber Choir) perform major choral and orchestral works annually, both within the university and in the broader community, as well as SSAA and TTBB repertoire. The Hartt Concert Choir has also undertaken several international tours, performing in Italy, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany.

Each year, Vocal Studies students may participate in fully-staged opera productions, in addition to various smaller productions and scenes programs. The Hartt Opera Theater curriculum is designed so that, through a variety of repertoire covering diverse styles and eras, students have a complete educational experience in learning and preparing a role, cultivating stagecraft, and working with professional directors, conductors, and production staff.

Unique to The Hartt School is the undergraduate and graduate-level track of specialized song seminars. These courses provide in-depth study to help master the languages, styles, and performance practices specific to songs from countries throughout the world. Separate from diction and vocal literature courses, these seminars provide opportunities to build valuable skills through performance. Each year, The Hartt School hosts its Festival of American Song, featuring concerts with students, faculty, guest artists, and often living American composers.

Vocal Performance Applicants

Applicants will offer three (3) total selections. All pieces will be performed from memory and must feature at least two (2) languages, one (1) of which is English.

• Two (2) art songs
• One (1) piece which may be a third art song or a selection from the oratorio, opera, or musical theater* repertoires.

 

All Other Degree Applicants

Applicants will offer two (2) total selections. Both pieces will be performed from memory and must feature two (2) languages, one (1) of which is English. 

• One (1) art song
• One (1) piece which may be a second art song or a selection from the oratorio, opera, or musical theater* repertoires.

 

*Acceptable musical theater works include those from the Golden Age or by Stephen Sondheim.

Applicants will offer five (5) total selections. All pieces will be performed from memory, must represent at least three (3) stylistic periods, and must feature at least four (4) languages, one (1) of which is English.

• Three (3) art songs
• Two (2) pieces from the oratorio, opera, or musical theater* repertoires.

*Acceptable musical theater works include those from the Golden Age or by Stephen Sondheim.

Applicants will offer a recital program (approximately 45 minutes of music) representing at least three (3) stylistic periods in at least four (4) languages, one (1) of which is English.

• The program must include one (1) opera aria and one (1) oratorio aria.
• Translations and program notes should be uploaded to the applicant’s online portfolio. The committee will choose several selections from the submitted program.
• Applicants will have a 10-20 minute interview with Vocal Studies faculty after their audition.