Master of Music in Voice
Major code: M730
- Baritone, Vocal Pedagogy, Area Chair
- Soprano
- Tenor
- Vocal Coach
- Soprano
- Opera Stage Director
- Bass-Baritone
- Interim Vocal Coach
- Vocal Coach (Emeritus)
- Artistic Director of Opera
| Concentration and Code (click for Coursework Requirements) |
|---|
| Opera Emphasis (Q481) |
Voice students accepted into the graduate program in the OU School of Music must demonstrate competencies in foreign language (Italian, French, and German), diction (Italian, English, French, and German), vocal literature, and piano. These competencies will be assessed early in the student’s first semester through transcripts, interviews with the faculty, and/or written tests. All competencies must be completed before graduation.
Application Deadline
To receive full consideration for admission and graduate assistantships, the application deadline is December 15. The School of Music cannot guarantee an audition, interview, admission, or graduate assistantship if application is received after the deadline.
The deadline to apply for the Benton-Schmidt audition days is typically in mid January. See the Benton-Schmidt information at the bottom of this page for more information.
Assistantships
There is no separate application for assistantship. Unless the applicant indicates otherwise, we assume that all applicants are interested in being considered for assistantships. Please note that assistantships are usually awarded for the Fall and Spring semesters together. We very seldom have assistantships available for anyone entering in a Spring semester. We do not award assistantships for Summer sessions.
Application Procedure
All applicants must complete the online application to the OU graduate college (see the Graduate Admissions page). All materials described below should be submitted along with the online application.
The members of the voice faculty will review all application and prescreening materials and invite applicants to a live audition based on the strength of the preliminary recordings and submitted materials.
Prescreening application materials required for this degree
- Pre-screening Video: Applicants are required to submit a pre-screening video that must include the following: 4 selections comprised of 2 opera arias and 2 songs. All of the 4 major languages: English, Italian, German and French must be included.
- Video files or links to online video recordings may be submitted to the online application under Digital Portfolio > Upload Media.
Application materials required for all graduate degrees
These items must be submitted to the online graduate application system.
- Resume
- Submitted to the online application under the Resume tab.
- Submitted to the online application under the Resume tab.
- Statement of Purpose
- Submitted to the online application under the Statement of Purpose tab
- Please compose a brief personal statement (approximately 2–3 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font text with 1-inch margins) regarding your desire to pursue a graduate degree in music. Include responses to the following prompts:
- How would you describe your professional path to this point?
- Why do you want to pursue this degree at OU?
- How do you want to grow musically, artistically, pedagogically, and/or intellectually during your graduate studies?
- What skills, expertise, and experiences do you bring to graduate study at OU?
- Describe your post-degree plans (i.e., How will you apply your newly acquired academic knowledge and expertise?).
- Three letters of reference
- Submitted to the online application under Recommendations tab
- Your three reference letters should include:
- At least one letter from: your studio professor, ensemble conductor, chamber coach, etc., or a person who has considerable knowledge about your abilities as a performer or composer.
- At least one letter from: a person who can speak to your abilities as a scholar of music.
Audition Procedure
Upon successful prescreening, applicants will be contacted by a member of the voice faculty. Applicants hoping to enter graduate voice programs are strongly encouraged to audition on the Benton-Schmidt audition days (see the section below for more details). These audition days will serve as your audition for the School of Music and the Masters program, as well as consideration for Benton-Schmidt scholarships. Any prize money awarded from the Benton Schmidt Scholarships is pending full admittance into the School of Music and Graduate College.
Any voice applicant who has passed prescreening and will not participate in the Benton-Schmidt audition days should contact Dr. Leslie John Flanagan by email at ljflanagan@ou.edu to schedule an audition. The repertoire requirements listed on the Benton-Schmidt page below also apply for auditions scheduled in this manner.
Applicants interested in the Opera Emphasis program will interview during the audition day with the opera faculty as well. These applicants should also contact opera faculty Dr. Jonathan Shames and Dr. Nicole Kenley-Miller at jshames@ou.edu and nicolekenleymiller@ou.edu, with whom they can arrange an interview.
Benton-Schmidt Vocal Scholarships
The annual Benton-Schmidt audition days provide scholarship awards up to $40,000 to promising incoming graduate students. Awards are given based on excellence in vocal performance and versatility as revealed through the performance audition. Scholarship prizes are for the academic year beginning the following Fall semester.
Funds for these scholarships were made possible through the bequest of Joseph H. Benton, internationally-acclaimed tenor, long-time teacher and devoted supporter of vocal art, in honor of his much-revered voice teacher at the University of Oklahoma, William George Frederick Schmidt.
View the page linked below for repertoire requirements, dates and deadlines, and the online application form.
