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Curriculum

MM, Vocal Performance: Music Theatre

Our musical theatre students pursue training in acting, dance, and voice.  You’ll have one-on-one lessons with our renowned faculty, as well as workshops, master classes, and small seminar sessions providing individualized instruction. You'll perform in fully staged productions under the guidance of professional directors, choreographers, conductors, and designers from Broadway and major regional theatre communities, preparing you for a career in music theatre.

Core Course Sequence

Core voice classes provide a strong foundation in technique, crucial in preparing you for a successful and healthy career.  You'll take courses in areas such as script analysis and dramaturgical process, music criticism, film music, music therapy, and music theatre history, as well as specialized classes in private voice instruction, vocal coaching, music theatre workshops, and acting. You will work with your advisor and faculty mentors to determine the electives that best fit your goals and needs.

As a music theatre student, you’ll take classes in acting and dance with our renowned faculty.  You'll also have the opportunities to cross traditional lines and take classical voice training and participate in opera workshops and fully staged opera productions.

Culminating Experience 

As your terminal degree experience, you will perform a graduate recital, demonstrating a technical foundation in vocal production that will allow your voice to evolve in an efficient and healthy manner. Your performance will demonstrate your respect for the value of the text, and the words and the sounds of the music in combination. Degree recitals are held in Steinhardt’s world-class performance venues and recorded to provide an archival document of professional quality. 

Course Title Credits
Requirements
Vocal Performance Core
MPAVP-GE 2111Vocal Training (Private Lessons) 19
MPAVP-GE 2112Vocal Coaching: Advanced 23
MPAVP-GE 2141Graduate Acting for Singers I2
MPAVP-GE 2142Graduate Acting for Singers II2
MPAVP-GE 2151Script Analysis and Dramaturgical Process2
Musical Theatre Specialization
MPAVP-GE 2351Music Theatre History I2
MPAVP-GE 2352Music Theatre History II2
MPAVP-GE 2xxMusic Theatre Workshop 34
Dance Electives
3 credits by advisement:3
MPAVP-GE 2123
Beginning Ballet
MPAVP-GE 2124
Beginning Modern Dance Techniques
MPAVP-GE 2125
Jazz Dance Technique
MPAVP-GE 2126
Tap Dance
MPAVP-GE 2127
Music Theatre Dance
MPADE-GE 2025
Hip Hop Dance Culture
Culminating Experience
MPAVP-GE 2121Colloquium in Music and Music Education2
MPAVP-GE 2122Recital1
Total Credits32
1

Students take this 3 credit course three times for a total of 9 credits.

2

This course is taken concurrently with Recital.

3

Students complete 1 credit each semester for 4 semesters.

Students must demonstrate proficiency in Music Theory, Aural Skills, and Music History through a diagnostic exam or the completion of appropriate coursework in addition to degree requirements. 

Students perform a voice jury at the end of two semester of private voice study to determine readiness to participate in Master's Recital. 

Students must earn a minimum of a B in any MPAVP-GE course in order for the credits for that course to count toward the degree.

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester/TermCredits
MPAVP-GE 2111 Vocal Training (Private Lessons) 3
MPAVP-GE 2151 Script Analysis and Dramaturgical Process 2
MPAVP-GE 2141 Graduate Acting for Singers I 2
Music Theatre Workshop 1
Dance Elective 1
 Credits9
2nd Semester/Term
MPAVP-GE 2111 Vocal Training (Private Lessons) 3
MPAVP-GE 2142 Graduate Acting for Singers II 2
Music Theatre Workshop 1
MPAVP-GE 2351 Music Theatre History I 2
Dance Elective 1
 Credits9
3rd Semester/Term
MPAVP-GE 2111 Vocal Training (Private Lessons) 3
Dance Elective 1
MPAVP-GE 2352 Music Theatre History II 2
Music Theatre Workshop 1
 Credits7
4th Semester/Term
MPAVP-GE 2112 Vocal Coaching: Advanced 3
Music Theatre Workshop 1
MPAVP-GE 2121 Colloquium in Music and Music Education 2
MPAVP-GE 2122 Recital 1
 Credits7
 Total Credits32

Placement Exams

  • Music Theory and Aural Comprehension
  • Music History

Placement exams are given before the start of the first semester. For each exam or part of an exam that you do not pass you will be assigned an undergraduate course. Any undergraduate review courses you are required to take do not count toward the 32 points required for the degree.

Registration for Private Voice Instruction is required for each semester that you are enrolled on a full-time basis (10 credits or more: 3 credits taken per semester for the first two semesters of study, and 2 credits taken during the third and fourth semesters of study).

Voice Jury

At the end of two semesters of private voice study you are required to perform a voice jury. You must prepare a minimum of six (6) songs and must demonstrate that you are making vocal progress and are covering sufficient repertoire to enable you to prepare your Master’s Recital.

Note: Vocal Performance majors must provide their own accompanists for lessons, juries, and recitals. Accompanists can be found through the program and there are often accompanists already associated with particular voice studios.

Minimum Grade Requirement

Students must earn a minimum of a B in any MPAVP-GE course in order for the credits for that course to count toward the degree.

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