The Voice Department Mission and Philosophy

        The Vocal Department of Lawrence University Conservatory of Music is committed to the serious pre-professional training of the undergraduate singer.  Students receive individualized attention in a demanding yet close-knit, collegial learning environment.  An excellent faculty carefully manages the vocal health and progress of each singer in a performance-centered program that is musically rich and diverse.
 
 
 

Voice Majors at Lawrenc

Lawrence offers a variety of degrees which feature voice as the major applied study:  The Bachelor of Music in Performance, the Bachelor of Music in (choral)Education, the Bachelor of Arts, and any double major including one of these degrees.  (A double degree or major usually takes five years to complete.)  Other degrees which may involve voice study are the student-designed major and the Bachelor of Music in Education (choral with keyboard emphasis.)  Let us help you review the pertinent information before deciding what your degree plan should be.
 
 
 

Entering the Voice Major

        An audition is one of the requirements for entry into the Conservatory as a voice major.  For this audition you should be prepared to sing two or three selections of contrasting style and language which best represent your level of vocal, musical and linguistic development.  Having your audition accepted by the Voice Department means that we believe you have the potential to undertake a major in voice and qualifies you upon enrollment to receive up to six units of voice instruction (one hour or two half-hour lessons weekly) per term.  (Most students will have completed this audition before matriculation.)

        During the New Student Week you will be heard by the voice faculty in a second brief audition (one selection).  On the basis of this hearing, the voice faculty will make studio assignments, taking into consideration your particular performance skills and needs, available studio space, etc..  Those who have good reason to request a particular studio teacher may do so with a written request sent to the chair of the voice department and to the teacher being requested.  In any event, you will be auditioned when you arrive in the fall.  Please remember that acceptance for entry into the voice major does not guarantee your success at future examinations and hearings.  Your completion of requirements for the degree includes developing the potential identified by the voice department faculty.
 
 
 

Course of Study  (Course requirements)

        The course requirements for the various degrees involving a vocal major can be found in the Lawrence University Course Catalog under the heading Conservatory of Music.  Read the information pertaining to your intended degree and major carefully.  Early planning of a curriculum is important for all students and imperative for students in the five-year double degree program.  Five-year students have two faculty advisors and should meet with both of them before beginning their studies at Lawrence in order to permit sufficient time for the preparation of a curriculum encompassing the major requirements of both degrees.
 
 
 

Vocal Examinations

           Each year you will be heard at least once by the entire voice faculty, either in a first-year performance review, a sophomore qualifying examination, a junior or senior recital, or in a year-end hearing.  At the end of the freshman year all students with voice as their major instrument will sing a first-year performance review.  This examination provides an opportunity for the voice faculty to formally assess and advise each student about his or her progress.  By the end of the sophomore year all students with voice as the major instrument must have passed the qualifying examination appropriate to their intended major.  Exceptions to this time frame must be by petition to the voice department and with the studio teacher's approval.  You must pass these qualifying examinations to continue with a voice major at Lawrence.  The Performance Review and Qualifying Exam Requirements at the end of this handbook show you what is expected at the qualifying examination for each major.   Singing at sight is an important part of a singer's skills, and voice majors are therefore required to study sight singing until they have met the departmental standards.
 
 
 
 

Assessment Terminology

        The following terms and definitions are used by the department:

 

Audition: an audition either	-to obtain voice instruction or to enter a degree program:
B.M. Entry Audition	-to enter the B.M. program (taken before matriculation or any time thereafter prior to undertaking a qualifying exam, but no later than the end of the sophomore year)
B.A. in Music Entry Audition:	-to affirm the propriety of the B.A. degree with voice as primary instrument; 3-4 songs, must be taken by the end of the freshman year.
1st-Year Performance Review:	-all students with voice as a primary instrument have a performance reivew at the end of the first year; see appended forms.
Qualifying Examination:	-one of several examinations qualifying a student to enter or continue in a specific voice major; must be passed by the end of the sophomore year.
B.A. in Music Qualifying Exam:	-required of all BA music majors with voice as the primary instrument; see appended examination form;
B.M. in Education Qualifying Exam:	-required of all vocal music education majors; see appended form.
B.M. in Performance Qualifying Exam:	-required of all vocal performance majors; see appended form.
Jury:	-a routine end of term and/or annual assessment. Usually two to four songs (literature at the teacher's discretion).
Hearing:	-pre-recital hearing, taken approximately 30 days prior to recital; all material must be memorized and musically secure; the hearing must be passed to confirm recital plans.

Public Performance Protocol

        As previously stated, public performance is a very important part of developing your vocal and presentational skills, and you will find an abundance of performance opportunities here, both on and off campus.  While we strongly encourage you to take advantage of appropriate opportunities, we have established a rule to monitor them.  All student musicians at Lawrence are bound by this rule in the official catalog which reads:
 
 

        Students should consult their studio teachers in regard to all public performances, including

appearances not scheduled by LawrenceUniversity.  Conservatory rehearsals and

performances take precedence in the case of a conflict with external activities.
 
 

This means that while you are studying voice at Lawrence, any and all solo performances you sing anywhere should be discussed with your studio teacher.  In fact, we expect to be consulted before you seek or accept any such opportunity.

        There are a number of reasons for this: first, we want to know about your singing activity so we can help you in your selection of materials and in your musical preparation.  We also want to be able to guide you away from possible overuse or misuse of your voice.  It is surprising how many times these things bunch up and occur within a few days of each other and how many tempting solos require just a bit more volume or range than you really have.

        Finally, there is a professional courtesy involved which you should recognize.  As a student, your performances represent not just yourself, but your teacher and the school as well.  We have a professional interest in the quality of your performances and expect them to meet our collective standards.
 
 
 

Accompanists/Collaborators

        Most of the "solo" performances you present as a singer will require the support of one or more musicians.  It is crucial that you 1) develop your ability to assess the relative merits of a potential musical partner; 2) cultivate effective and professional manners when working with another musician; and 3) uphold your responsibility in compensating another musician for service to you.  There are many considerations when choosing a pianist or chamber ensemble:  skill level, availability and compatibility all contribute to a musical partnership.  You should discuss your options with your teacher.  It is your responsibility to prepare your material with an accompanist(collaborator), and to make sure your collective performance represents you well.  However your teacher will expect your collaborator to be present and prepared for coaching with you at lessons and rehearsals sufficiently prior to your performance.  All student accompanists and the conservatory staff accompanist are assigned or confirmed by the voice faculty vocal coach.   Please consult the conservatory guidelines concerning these arrangements.  Students are required to provide copies of their music to their accompanist/collaborator two months in advance of their degree recitals.
 
 
 

Attending Performances

        A well-trained ear is essential for a singer and is developed mainly through disciplined listening.  Furthermore, much about literature, musicianship, and technique can be learned through hearing your colleagues and teachers perform.  For these reasons we expect all vocal students to attend all vocal and choral performances(up to a minimum of 12 per term), and other instrumental programs as time permits.  Conservatory policy requires attendance at 12 recitals per term in addition to those in which you participate.  You will be asked to report your attendance to your teacher at the end of each term.  By coordinating the conservatory master calendar with your own planner on a regular basis, you will be able to avoid employment or social conflicts with these required events.
 
 
 

Voice Major Adjunct Study (required of all music majors whose primary instrument is voice.)

        Unlike many instrumentalists who have the stamina to practice two to four hours daily, the physical limitations of the developing vocal instrument usually permit singers to practice only one to two hours daily (in addition to ensemble participation).  Yet there is much information to be mastered by the serious vocalist.  Therefore, to complement your relatively restricted practice, the voice department has created a series of courses designed to instruct you in a variety of important adjunct subjects.

        During each term of the first and second years of the degree, topics essential to the educated singer are addressed.  In the first year an introduction to vocal studies, English diction and Italian and Latin diction are studied.  In the second year, German and French diction and recitative style are studied.
 

        The sequence of the vocal major adjunct studies is:

 

Term:	I	II	III
Freshman	MURP 271	MURP 272	MURP 273
	Introduction to Vocal Studies	English Diction	Italian/Latin Diction
Sophomore	MURP 274	MURP 275	MURP 276
	German Diction	French Diction	Recitative Class

         The six terms of adjunct courses involve formal registration and carry one unit of credit each. You are required successfully to complete this sequence to continue in the major. The final course, Recitative, is only required of vocal performance majors.
 
 
 

Evaluating Progress

        Learning how to sing is a lengthy process.  Some estimate that this process takes from eight to ten years of consistent effort, and truly mastering one's instrument may be a life-long quest.  To measure growth in short intervals is therefore difficult and must be somewhat subjective.  There are, however, certain basic criteria which help us to measure your work.  Being aware of these should help you in organizing your efforts to the best advantage.  They are: vocal progress (your ability to grasp and apply vocal concepts with resultant improved singing), effort (the amount, regularity and quality of your practice time), literature learned (the careful, prompt preparation of assigned literature), performance activity (the amount and quality of performance accomplished within the term).  We are always ready to discuss your work with you.
 
 

Studio Changes

        Although studio changes should not be lightly or quickly undertaken, a student or teacher may consider a studio change if there is an irreparable personality conflict, a serious lack of communication or other circumstance which significantly inhibits the vocal progress of the student.  In any case, teacher and student should discuss the problem first to see if it can be resolved.  If the situation does not improve, either party may request a new studio assignment.  Appropriate professional courtesy and respect should guide the actions and conversations of all parties involved. (See Professional Responsibility below.)  In any such situation you should be assured that we are more interested in your development and progress than in which studio you study.
 
 
 

Voice Use

        Very few undergraduates can physically sustain a schedule of four hours of active voice use per day.  Still fewer profit from it.  Even three hours of daily voice use is quite strenuous and must be very wisely done in order to make it beneficial rather than detrimental.  Obviously then, one of your basic concerns as a voice student must be how to spend this limited and important time.

        Compare these daily schedules of two upperclassmen and you will see what this can mean.  First, an ideal day:  three, well-spaced, half-hour practice sessions, a half-hour lesson and an hour in ensemble rehearsal.  This totals as much use as can benefit most young voices.  Now the other extreme:  a half-hour lesson, an hour each in two ensembles, and another hour of singing in a local church choir.  Heavy overuse with no time or energy left for practicing.

        If this sounds like an anti-ensemble lecture, let us quickly clarify: it is not.  We believe that the experience of singing in an ensemble is so valuable that we require you to participate in one every term you are on campus and we provide you with a wide variety of ensemble choices: Lawrence Chorale, Women's Choir, Concert Choir, Opera Theatre, Chamber Singers, CollegiumMusicum, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

        What we are saying is that it is very easy to make the wrong mix of your daily voice time if you are not aware of how limited and important it is.  In line with these concerns, we limit the number of performing ensembles in which you may participate by requiring the permission of your studio instructor in order to participate in more than one ensemble per term.
 
 
 

Ensemble Requirements

        Please consult the course catalogue for the specific ensemble requirements for each vocal major.  All entering vocal students should audition for the vocal ensemble directors at the start of the year.  Some first-year students will be assigned to the Lawrence Chorale, a fine ensemble designed in part to maximize mental and aural training while keeping the vocal/physical demands at a conservative level during the first year--a time when new vocal ideas and techniques are being incorporated.  Some students may be physically and technically ready for the more strenuous vocal and time demands of Women's Choir or Concert Choir and--with the permission of their studio teacher--may be accepted into one of those ensembles.  Information concerning other choral ensembles may be obtained from the director of choral studies.
 
 
 

Missed Lessons

         Lesson time is limited and quite valuable.  Therefore there is usually only one reason for your missing a voice lesson, debilitating sickness, and you are the only one who really knows how you feel.  Obviously, if you are bodily ill, hospitalized, etc., there is no question about it-- you should cancel.  But head colds and minor infections can be hard to judge.  They are also too complicated to discuss here, so your studio teacher will discuss them with you early in the year.

         If you know you are going to miss a lesson, for any reason, let the teacher know as soon as possible.  Use of your lesson time can often be made if even a few hours prior notice is given, but twenty-four hours notice is appreciated.  Missed lessons can be made up when they were caused by illness if enough advance notice was given so that use could be made of the lesson time.  Lessons missed because of the absence of the teacher will also be made up, but all others are simply lost.

          The idea of a makeup lesson is not just to go through the formality of replacing a lesson.  It should be undertaken only when you have recovered and gained some stamina.  It should be carefully scheduled so that you can give it the extra preparation time that will make it truly useful.

           Afterthoughts:  If you have a fresh cold or a sore throat, it is just a professional courtesy to do what you can to keep it from your fellow singers, including your teacher!  Don't bring your cold to the studio to share it with everyone--use the telephone or e-mail!   When you are incapable of taking a lesson you obviously should not participate in any vocal rehearsals or performances. Cancel them all, with as much prior notice as possible.
 
 
 

Professional Responsibility

            Your entry into the Voice Department at Lawrence is also your first step towards entry into the musical profession.  You will be joining a group of teachers and students who will expect you to join them in actively practicing and upholding good professional behavior.  Here are some formal guidelines which are generally accepted by our profession*:
 

            (1)  It is important to both teacher and student that throughout their relationship a spirit of

*Based on a pronouncement of the AmericanAcademy of Teachers of Singing.
 

Following these professional ethics will foster a community environment of mutual respect and encouragement, in which we learn from and support each other.
 
 

Italian

Anthologies (primarily Baroque)

Twenty-six Songs and Arias                                                                                                 Alfred

French

Songs  Fauré,  3 Vol. H, L                                                 Belwin

American and English

Anthologies

50 Art Songs from Modern Repertoire  H                                                             G. Schirmer

British

40 Songs and Arias of Purcell  H, L  (4 vol.; available in 1 vol.)                        International

American

Old American Songs  2 Vol.  H, L  CoplandBoosey

Other

Biblical Songs  Dvorak  English                                                                        International
 
 
 

Opera

Operatic Anthology,  SATB (baritone-bass) Schirmer

Oratorio

The Oratorio Anthology,  SATB                                                                        Hal Leonard

Books and Dictionaries
 

Schirmer Pronouncing Pocket Manuel of Musical Terms MacMillan Publishers

Performance Review and Qualifying Examination Requirements
 
 

BM Music Education Majors with Voice as the Primary Instrument
 
 

BM Performance Review (1st Year) (For printable form, click here)

(for all BM majors with voice as the primary instrument)

5-6 selections to include:

        2 English (at least one English art song)

        2 Italian (at least one baroque period selection)

        1 French or German song

        1 self-prepared selection (may overlap with any of the above categories)
 
 

BM Music Education Qualifying Exam (2nd Year) (For printable form, click here)

8-9 selections to include:

1 song that demonstrates comprehension of cultural diversity

BM Music Education Majors with Voice as a Secondary Instrument
 
 

Music Education Vocal Proficiency Exam (Choral/General/Voice Secondary) (For printable form, click here)

(to be completed before student teaching)

    3-4 selections to include: