Vocal Arts Graduate Program

Letter From the Director

I am very happy to learn of your interest in the Graduate Program in Vocal Arts at The Bard College Conservatory of Music.

A great benefit in creating this program is that it allowed me to design a course of study that draws not only on my practical experience as a singer and performer, but also on my values and the values that I have found compelling in work of the singers, composers, conductors, and other creative figures with whom I have been associated.

In other words, as you look over the program's curriculum, you will be able to identify many of the things that I think are crucial to developing a career. You will notice, as the many young singers I've worked with in master classes around the country can confirm, that I believe text should form a central point of departure in singing; I see singing as being fundamentally theatrical in nature; I am eager to broaden your resources and perspectives at a time when our musical culture is offering so many new horizons to explore; and I intend our graduates to be well-informed about the practical aspects of building a career.

But even more than being a reflection of my interests and priorities, the program is ultimately about giving you a range of experience that will help you to further identify your strengths, understand more clearly what there is about your performing that is special and distinctive, and learn what you can bring to musical life that no one else can.

The course work is designed to support you in this. Alongside the weekly voice lessons and diction and repertory courses are extensive training in acting and the opportunity to work with music of all kinds: established repertory, works with ink still wet on the page, popular song, and folk song. Those of you with interests running even further afield will find that other programs of Bard College have much to offer. Finally, the Core Seminars aim to provide you with a forum for tying this diverse range of experience together.

As for performing opportunities, The Bard College Conservatory of Music begins by offering dazzling facilities for public performance — specially The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, designed by celebrated architect Frank Gehry. Opera will form a key component of your experience, with staged productions and scenes through which you will work alongside noteworthy directors and designers. In keeping with the goal of imparting a breadth of experience, however, there is an equal emphasis on opportunities to work with composers and chamber musicians, and a special seminar is given over to the preparation of your own graduation recital. In addition, each student in the program will have the wonderful opportunity to perform in New York City as part of our Singer-Composer Workshop.

Please feel free to direct any questions you may have to vocal_conservatory@bard.edu. I hope that you will be further intrigued by the rest of the information provided here and will consider joining us at Bard.

Dawn Upshaw
Artistic Director
Graduate Program in Vocal Arts