Grades 9-12

Location: Music Bldg., Room 0052

Achieve personal vocal growth by learning a healthy vocal technique. Through a variety of exercises designed to strengthen the voice and help you reach your full and true potential, you will explore an in-depth study of vocal skills and concepts and gain insight into the capabilities of your instrument and its possibilities.

Discover how to be an engaging, dynamic performer and interpreter as you explore many styles of music, including musical theatre, standards, pop, cabaret, and jazz. Learn about vowel color, diction, tone quality, phrasing, expression, interpretation, and dynamics. Understand how to approach a song from the basic learning stages—accuracy of notes and rhythms—through a polished, thoughtful and musical performance of the song.

Work on solos as well as group singing to grasp the technique of vocal blending. Master classes in vocal jazz will be offered by Alexis Cole, who teaches jazz voice in the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. Emerge with a true sense of your own vocal possibilities, musicianship, style, and artistry.

Typical Day

9:30-10:15: Vocal Technique
We hit the ground running daily with a 45 minute to an hour group vocal warm-up and technique session that includes upper body stretching and breathing exercises. Apply vocal technique to simple group songs.

10:15-12:00: Performance and Music Practice/Technique
Each day we will delve into any combination of the following:

  • Music theory – notation, theory practice sheets;
  • Rhythmic and harmonic exercises/games, conducting, solfege singing;
  • Approaching your song – learning what every mark on the page means;
  • Learn group songs/blending voices;
  • Discuss and learn about different singing styles;
  • Musical Bag of Knowledge – over 60 musical ideas and terms will be introduced and discussed daily and you will practice these throughout the session. Your bag, which will be filled with an immense amount of musical knowledge, will be yours to keep and use as you pursue your singing!

12:00-1:00: Lunch

1:00-3:30: Solo/Group Singing

  • Warm-ups and stretching;
  • Incorporate techniques learned in morning session to all vocal music as you work on a solo piece both with the instructor and in master class style;
  • Work on small and large group songs;
  • Various lectures/discussions apropos to imminent vocal needs of students

Session II: July 15–July 26
Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
$1,200 for the first registration
$1,080 for the second registration in the family, Purchase College employees and alumni, and early registrations (received by May 10, 2019)

For a well-rounded summer, combine with Acting on Camera Boot Camp, Musical Theatre Boot Camp, Songwriting Workshop, Modern Journalism, and/or Web App Creator and Python Programmer. Discount for enrolling in multiple programs.

Interested in undergraduate music programs at Purchase College? Check out Voice & Opera Studies, Studio Composition, Music Composition, Studio Production, and Jazz Studies Programs in the Conservatory of Music.

About the Instructors