Program Overview
The voice program seeks to develop the musician by establishing a sound vocal technique and a thorough understanding of the singing voice, its literature and pedagogy. These tools are essential for the study and performance of vocal and choral literature and for training students as solo performers, professional teachers or choral conductors.
Capitalizing upon undergraduate work, students continue to build and demonstrate healthy vocal technique while deepening their knowledge of voice literature and pedagogy. Students develop a strong understanding of the complex relationships between music and poetry.
Curriculum Overview
This voice pedagogy and performance program has two emphases. The pedagogy emphasis entails private lessons, voice literature, opera, vocal pedagogy, supervised student teaching and a full recital. For students whose undergraduate work has not included a public recital, presentation of a 30-minute recital is required before work on the graduate recital may begin. Weekly coaching classes as well as studio and performance classes offer frequent performance opportunities. Two fully-staged operas, one with orchestra, are presented each year. Private vocal coaching is available (fee is charged).
Each Pedagogy Emphasis student completes a multi-course sequence in Voice Pedagogy, including voice science, methods and teaching, research, and literature. Four semesters of applied voice study culminate in a graduate recital.
Please see the Voice Handbook for language requirements.
Degree Offered
- M.M. in Voice Performance and Pedagogy (Pedagogy Emphasis)
Contact
Margaret Cusack
Professor
Department of Piano and Voice
Westminster Choir College
Omega House
609-896-5000, ext. 8253
mcusack@rider.edu
Program Website: www.rider.edu/wcc
Associated Department: Department of Piano and Voice
Related Programs
- Sacred Music
- Music Education
- Music Theatre
- Piano
- Voice Pedagogy and Performance (Performance Emphasis)
- Voice Pedagogy and Performance (Pedagogy Emphasis)
Faculty
Margaret Cusack • Professor and Chair, Voice, and Chair of Voice and Piano Faculties, 1994. B.M., M.M.T., Oberlin College.
Christopher Arneson • Professor, Voice, 2003. B.A., M.M., Binghamton University; D.M.A., Rutgers University.
Susan S. Ashbaker • Associate Professor, Voice, 2006. B.M., M.M., Southern Illinois University; M.M., University of Illinois.
Victoria Browers • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2017. B.M., Ohio Wesleyan University, M.M. Westminster Choir College of Rider University; D.M.A. State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Jay Carter • Assistant Professor, Voice, 2019. B.M., William Jewell College; M.M., Yale University School of Music; Institute of Sacred Music; D.M.A., University of Missouri Kansas City - Conservatory of Music and Dance.
Rochelle Ellis • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 1995. B.M.E., University of Missouri, Kansas City; M.M.E., Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
Faith Esham • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2000. B.A., Columbia Union College; B.M., M.M., The Juilliard School.
Nancy Froysland Hoerl • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 1995. B.A., Moorhead State University; M.M., Westminster Choir College.
Akiko Hosaki • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Piano, 2005. B.M., Musashino Academia Musicae; M.M., Westminster Choir College of Rider University; D.M.A., University of Minnesota.
Katherine Johnson • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2006. B.M., University of Calgary; M.M., Manhattan School of Music.
Robin Massie • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2008. B.M., Westminster Choir College; M.M., Yale University.
Sean McCarther • Associate Professor, Voice, 2012. B.M., Baylor University; M.M., D.M., Indiana University.
Martin Néron • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2020. B.M., Université de Montrèal; M.M. Westminster Choir College of Rider University; D.M.A., Manhattan School of Music.
Kathy Kessler Price • Professor, Voice, 2012. B.A., University of Richmond; M.M., University of Maryland; Ph.D., University of Kansas, Lawrence.
Debra Scurto-Davis • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2004. B.M.E., Evangel College; M.M., Baylor University; S.M., University of Michigan.
Elizabeth Sutton • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2005. B.A., Bowling Green State University; M.M., College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati.
Sally Wolf • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 2001. B.M., Kent State University; Artist Diploma, Curtis Institute of Music.
Amy Zorn • Adjunct Assistant Professor, Voice, 1996. B.M., University of Wisconsin, Madison; M.M., Boston University.
Master of Music: Voice Pedagogy and Performance (Pedagogy Emphasis) Major Requirements
(34-37 credits)
Learn more about General Graduate Policies
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Major Area | ||
| Applied Primary Study | ||
| VC 641A | Voice Primary (4 terms) | 8 |
| Voice Science and Pedagogy | ||
| VC 723 | Voice Ped I: Voice Science | 3 |
| VC 724 | Voice Pedagogy II: Methods | 3 |
| VC 725 | Voice Ped III:Tchng Practicum | 3 |
| VC 726 | Voice Research | 3 |
| Performance | ||
| Select one of the following: | 1-3 | |
| Performing in Lyric Theater | ||
| Opera Workshop | ||
| Opera Theater | ||
| Grad Voice Rep:Italian/French | ||
| Grad Voice Rep:German/English | ||
| The Singing Actor: Opera | ||
| Opera Auditions: Prep & Tech | ||
| Spec Topics in Voice Perf Prac | ||
| Literature | ||
| VC 722 | Literature for Teaching | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Seminar in Song Literature | ||
| German Lieder | ||
| French Melodie | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| Oratorio Solo Literature | ||
| Opera Literature I | ||
| Opera Literature II | ||
| Seminar in Opera Literature | ||
| Seminar in Song Literature | ||
| German Lieder | ||
| French Melodie | ||
| Core | ||
| MH 731 | Intro to Musicology | 3 |
| CR 509 | Symphonic Choir (2 terms) | 2 |
| Theory or Music History elective (1 graduate level course) | 3 | |
| Core elective (1 course) 2 | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 34-37 | |
- 1
Students are strongly encouraged to take VC 730 as an elective if they have not already selected this as a “Performance” course.
- 2
The core elective must be a single, 3-credit graduate-level course outside the student’s major area, area of emphasis and/or area of applied study.
- 3
Prior to graduation, students must complete at least one year of undergraduate-level study in two of the three major European singing languages (Italian, German and French). Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” in these courses. Grades of “C-“ or below are not accepted.
- 4
Students are required to present a public recital following approval by the department.
Academic Plan of Study
The following educational plan is provided as a sample only. Students may follow a different plan to ensure a timely graduation. Each student, with guidance from his or her academic advisor, will develop a personalized educational plan.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| VC 641A | Voice Primary | 2 |
| VC 723 | Voice Ped I: Voice Science | 3 |
| CR 509 | Symphonic Choir | 1 |
| MH 731 | Intro to Musicology | 3 |
| VC 661 | German Lieder | 3 |
| Suggested as a performance elective: | ||
| VC 591 | Performing in Lyric Theater | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| VC 641A | Voice Primary | 2 |
| CR 509 | Symphonic Choir | 1 |
| VC 724 | Voice Pedagogy II: Methods | 3 |
| VC 662 |
French Melodie or Opera Literature I or Opera Literature II or Seminar in Opera Literature or Oratorio Solo Literature |
3 |
| Recommended as a performance elective: | ||
| VC 730 | The Singing Actor: Opera | 3 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| VC 641A | Voice Primary | 2 |
| VC 725 | Voice Ped III:Tchng Practicum | 3 |
| VC 722 | Literature for Teaching | 3 |
| VC 593R | Opera Theater (Role) | 2 |
| TH 623 or MH 733 |
Seminar in Music Theory or Seminar in Music History |
3 |
| Suggested as a performance elective: | ||
| VC 593 | Opera Theater | 2 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| VC 641A | Voice Primary | 2 |
| VC 726 | Voice Research | 3 |
| Suggested as a performance elective: | ||
| VC 705 or VC 706 |
Grad Voice Rep:Italian/French or Grad Voice Rep:German/English |
1 |
| Core elective | 3 | |
| Oral exam | ||
| Graduate Recital | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours for Graduation | 50 | |
Courses and Descriptions
VC 591 Performing in Lyric Theater 2 Credits
Performing in Lyric Theater offers techniques for the preparation of lyric roles in a theatrical setting. It will develop elements of stagecraft, systematize a process for preparations and exploration, and introduce the working relationship with director and conductor.
Prerequisite(s): Undergraduates, VC 291 and the successful completion of Level II jury, or permission of the Chair.
VC 592 Opera Workshop 2 Credits
Introduction to opera performance. Acting exercises, character development, dramatic exploration and musical coaching culminating in a workshop-format presentation. It is recommended that VC 491 or 691 be taken before this course. This course may be repeated for credit.
Prerequisite(s): Undergraduates, successful completion of the level II voice test or permission of the chair.
VC 593 Opera Theater 2 Credits
This course involves preparation and performance of a role or in the chorus of a fully staged opera production. Open only by audition. May be repeated for credit.
VC 621 Oratorio Solo Literature 3 Credits
A performance course surveying solo and ensemble portions of oratorios, masses, passions, and cantatas from the early Baroque period to the present, with emphasis on appropriate performance techniques for stylistic integrity.
VC 627 Opera Literature I 3 Credits
Study of the development of opera from 1600 through the Napoleonic era (ca. 1815), with emphasis on performance practices, singing styles, libretti, the role of the orchestra, and the historical, political and sociological milieu in which the operas were written.
VC 628 Opera Literature II 3 Credits
Study of the development of opera from the early 19th century to the present, with emphasis on performance practices, singing styles, libretti, the role of the orchestra, and the historical, political and sociological milieu in which the operas were written.
VC 633 Seminar in Opera Literature 3 Credits
An intensive study of an area of opera literature. The specific content of this course will change from semester to semester. Emphasis is placed upon in-depth study of the works of a selected composer or of a specific genre of opera.
VC 635 Seminar in Song Literature 3 Credits
An intensive study of some area of art song history and literature. The specific content of this course will change from semester to semester. Emphasis is placed upon in-depth study of the selected repertoire.
VC 641A Voice Primary 2 Credits
VC 661 German Lieder 3 Credits
This survey of the German Lieder begins with its roots in the 17th and 18th centuries and continues into the 20th century. Classes will involve study of Romanticism, including philosophers and poets of the 18th and 19th centuries who were important for German Lieder. The bulk of the class involves in-depth study of the Lieder of the important composers of the genre: Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Robert and Clara Schumann, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Brahms, Wolf, Strauss, Mahler, Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. Class sessions will involve a balance of lecture, discussion, and student performance.
VC 662 French Melodie 3 Credits
This course is designed as a survey of the song literature of France. Students examine works for voice and piano/instruments by Berlioz, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Bizet, Faure, Duparc, Chausson, Debussy, Ravel, Messaien, Milhaud, Poulenc, and others, analyzing their relationship to larger stylistic, social, and musicological trends. Investigation will include matters of prosody, scansion, and compositional organization, with particular attention given to matters of text setting and poetic treatment. Special emphasis will be placed on important French language poets whose literary works serve as the basis for this material. Poets will include Baudelaire, Verlaine, Hugo, Rimbaud, Mallarmé, LaForgue, Maeterlinck, and others. Poetic history and form will be covered as well as important composer/poet partnerships. Class sessions will involve a balance of lecture and discussion. Works by both well-known and lesser-known composers will be included.
VC 705 Grad Voice Rep:Italian/French 1 Credits
This class is a performance seminar focusing on the synthesis of musical line and linguistic inflection. Elements of tonal color, frequency, vowel purity and rhythm will be practiced in each class session as individual students perform selections from the literature. Repeatable for credit only if space is available AND by permission of the Chair.
VC 706 Grad Voice Rep:German/English 1 Credits
This class is a performance seminar focusing on the synthesis of musical line and linguistic inflection. Elements of tonal color, frequency, vowel purity and rhythm will be practiced in each class session as individual students perform selections from the literature. Repeatable forcredit only if space is available AND by permission of the Chair.
VC 722 Literature for Teaching 3 Credits
A survey of graduated teaching literature for beginning, intermediate and advanced voice students. Literature will be explored that is particularly well-suited to specific vocal issues (e.g. legato, coloratura, staccato, etc.)
VC 723 Voice Ped I: Voice Science 3 Credits
Study of voice anatomy and physiology with concentration on respiration, phonation, articulation, hearing and vocal health. Through hands-on experience in the Westminster Voice Laboratory, students explore the physics of sound, the fundamentals of musical acoustics, and acoustical elements that are unique to the human voice. Priority registration is given to M.V.P. majors and M.M. students majoring in Voice Performance and Pedagogy. Other students may enroll on a space-available basis.
VC 724 Voice Pedagogy II: Methods 3 Credits
A comparative study of various pedagogical methods and ideals. A wide range of important historical and contemporary pedagogy treatises is reviewed. Students explore exercises and vocalises for general voice development as well as techniques to address and correct specific vocal problems. Role-playing exercises are used to develop appropriate listening and teaching skills. Class participants begin supervised instruction of a volunteer singing student.
VC 726 Voice Research 3 Credits
Peer reviewed research in voice is evaluated and research methodologies are explored. Class projects include research in historical, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
VC 730 The Singing Actor: Opera 3 Credits
This course entails coaching of selected songs, arias or repertoire from music theater, and techniques for performance preparation through intensive research. A final written project involves a musical and dramatic analysis of all chosen repertoire.
VC 731 Opera Auditions: Prep & Tech 2 Credits
This class will explore the many facets of preparing an audition for an opera role, apprentice program, or competition. At least three to four arias in contrasting styles and languages should be prepared for work in class. Areas to be addressed include vocal and dramatic presentation, networking, resume building, make-up, and photo advice. In coordination with the Office of Career Services, panel discussions with invited guests that will explore specific career-related topics will be scheduled.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the applied instructor.