Vocal Studies

Overview of the Vocal Studies Program

The Vocal Studies Department at East Carolina University School of Music is dedicated to the thorough preparation of singers for professional careers. You will receive vocal training and coaching by a distinguished voice faculty and benefit from a wide array of performance opportunities and academic programs in theory, history, languages and pedagogy. Master classes and visits by distinguished artists further enrich your curriculum.

The Vocal Studies Program provides excellence in vocal training at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Vocal students have opportunities to perform as soloists in recital, in the choral ensembles, and in the ECU Opera Theater. The Opera Theater presents two fully-staged operas each academic year.

Undergraduate voice students can choose from majors in: Music Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy, and Music Theory-Composition. Music performance majors may also choose the concentrations in jazz studies or sacred music, with voice as their major instrument. Students who choose the voice concentration benefit from a study of voice, which prepares them for their chosen vocation.

Overview of Undergraduate Degrees:

Students have the opportunity to study applied voice lessons, piano, diction courses, performing ensembles, and a core of theory, history, and conducting.

Music Performance majors benefit from intense study within their specific concentration. Concentrations include:

  • Voice performance students additionally take solo vocal literature and opera history.
  • Jazz students take additional hours in jazz studies and pedagogy.
  • Sacred music students have courses in choral literature, history, an internship and advanced conducting.

Music Education majors take in addition methods courses, music education professional courses and spend their final semester as a student teacher in a public school.

Music Therapy majors take additional psychology courses and a curriculum of specific therapy courses.

For specific requirements, please consult the undergraduate catalog.

Overview of Graduate Degrees

The Master of Music in Performance prepares students for careers as performing musicians or studio teachers. Concentrations include:

  • Voice Performance students study vocal pedagogy, solo vocal literature, diction, opera history. They are expected to participate in the opera and choral activities.
  • Voice Pedagogy prepares students for careers as both performers and pedagogues. Students study vocal pedagogy, solo vocal literature, diction and opera history. As a part of their pedagogical and individual vocal study, students are encouraged to participate in opera and choral activities. Students receive an MM in Music with a concentration in Pedagogy, Vocal.
  • Jazz Studies prepares students for careers as performing musicians in the field of jazz music. Students receive an MM in Performance concentration in Jazz.
  • Sacred music prepares students for vocations as church musicians. Voice students are prepared to work as conductor/singers. Students receive an MM in Performance concentration in Sacred Music: Choral Conducting. Students have an internship with this degree.

For specific requirements, please consult the graduate catalog.