Vocalist.org archive


From:  "Shawna" <allegro@e...>
Date:  Wed Sep 20, 2000  8:19 pm
Subject:  RE: [vocalist-temporary] College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs. Opera




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tako Oda [mailto:toda@m...]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 11:31 AM
> To: vocalist-temporary@egroups.com
> Subject: [vocalist-temporary] College Ensemble Requirements: Choir vs.
> Opera

> I would simply create a new course number for which a student could
> enroll. When s/he goes to get the instructor's signature to add the
> course, the instructor (who knows the opera) would OK the decision to
> enroll in the opera in an (ensemble) capacity. 247E instead of 247A, for
> instance. Mills uses the Banner computer system, and it is possible to
> do. Even if the computers can't do it, an advisor can always
> "over-ride" rules based on legitimate exceptions.
>
> It is terrible the kinds of hoops undergraduates sometimes must jump
> through to satisfy requirements. Who does the bureaucracy serve? The
> student or the administration? A school exists to teach and to prepare
> people for what they want to do in their lives. The truth is, most
> ensemble classes do not serve the needs of a future soloist. Why must an
> opera student learn bad pianissimo habits in a chamber chorus when she has
> a large voice?
>

Yes!! I went through this nightmare in college as well. We had two large
choruses- the "anyone-can-join" Concert Choir, and the elitist Chamber
Choir. We also had a vocal jazz group and a madrigal group- neither of which
counted as ensemble experience. We had "Opera Workshop" some quarters- which
was just scenes and duets/trios etc. and then a full production each spring.
As someone with a fairly big voice, even at 19 and 20, it was really
frustrating for me to not be able to get into the Chamber Choir because of
the type of music they were doing and the type of sound they wanted. I still
cringe when I think about some of our bigger voices who actually did get in
because they somehow managed to squeeze themselves into being able to sing
straight-tone pianissimo on sustained A's. Yipes! Looking back, I'm glad I
didn't do it, but it was still upsetting because Chamber Choir is where all
the "real" singers got tracked- if you weren't in it, people didn't think
you were a real voice student. Bleh.
I had to get all my ensemble credits out of Concert Choir, which was fun,
but didn't really challenge me musically. I was in the chorus for 2 of the 4
operas I was in, and I really wish I could have gotten ensemble credit for
it. The other thing that always irritated me is that we only got one credit
for Concert Choir- when we met 3 days a week. Eventually they started
allowing us to also take a credit for "Repertoire Studies" for it as well,
but it was still a big waste of time for such little credit.

I'm not sure how that school is handling things now, but I think they
eventually started tracking voice students into a choral track or an opera
track, and adjusted their class requirements accordingly. I wish they could
have done that when I was there. Having choral experience, for learning to
work with others, and for learning choral repertoire, is a good thing for a
solo-type voice to get into, but when your main option is a chorus who will
destroy your voice, yipes!

There was some other college I heard about once who had 3 choruses- A
Chamber group who did the acapella straight tone stuff, a music majors
concert choir that did large works that wouldn't screw with a big voice, and
then a chorus that they let their conducting students run that was for the
school at large that was less musically challenging. I think this set up is
much more equitable. I do think allowing Opera Chorus participants ensemble
credit for those terms is useful, though. Soloists probably shouldn't get
that credit, though- not to make their lives more difficult, but just
because the purpose of that requirement wouldn't be fulfilled that way.

-Shawna


emusic.com