Introduction
The German for Singers and Vocal Coaches program integrates the study of German language, literature, and culture with the study and performance of German vocal music. This program is part of the curriculum of the German School of Middlebury College, which began its widely-acclaimed language immersion program in 1915. All students in the German for Singers and Vocal Coaches program are required to speak German at all times. This approach to language study, which makes use of Middlebury's Language Pledge, ensures that students will attain a high degree of language proficiency in a relatively short period of time. Inside this structured world, singers and coaches will gain some of the skills required to become professional artists.
Lectures and master classes, private coaching, and individual tutoring will complement formal classroom instruction. In a carefully structured environment of immersion in German language and culture, students will gain the skills and confidence required to become singing artists with German language proficiency and insight into the vocal repertoire of German-speaking cultures.
Master Classes in 2006 will be given by:
Carolyn Hague, Coach/pianist in Vienna, former assistant to Walter Berry and current assistant to Robert Holl Kammersängerin Julie Kauffmann, Bavarian State Opera, lyric coloratura for 24 years in Munich, Hamburg, London, etc. Russell Ryan, Vienna Musikhochschule pianist, faculty member, and alumnus; current assistant to Edith Mathis Other highlights of the program include:
Transfer Credit: three Middlebury "units" (the equivalent of nine semester hours) of credit are awarded -- two units (six semester hours) for language study and one unit (three semester hours) for music. Students should check with their home institution to ascertain the amount of credit which will transfer. Middlebury College will assist with the process. The program has been directed since 1999 by James McDonald and Ruth Ann McDonald, faculty members in the Voice Department at the New England Conservatory. Development of Expressive Singing: Daily work with German poetry and lyric singing diction will enhance the student's ability to perform the German repertoire accurately and effectively. Students will be expected to bring at least 4 memorized German Lieder or arias so that intensive work can begin immediately; more repertoire will be selected during the summer. Intensive Language Study: The course includes a language component of daily instruction in grammar and conversation at a level appropriate to each student's proficiency. The College's Language Pledge means that classes, performances, and indeed the entire range of culturally authentic activities students enjoy are conducted in German. Students will receive weekly voice lessons and coaching, participate in weekly performance classes, and attend regular master classes. State-of-the-Art Facilities: The Middlebury College Center for the Arts offers a modern, air-conditioned facility equipped with ample practice rooms, rehearsal and performance spaces, a music library, multimedia workstations, and a solid collection of books, periodicals, and scores for further study. Goethe Institute Proficiency Tests: Students will have the opportunity to take the Goethe Institute Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache or the more advanced Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung, recognized world-wide, at a reduced rate. Financial Aid: Need-based and merit-based tuition reduction are available. Assistance is also available in the form of loans. Note: The German for Singers and Vocal Coaches program has a supplemental application for admission. Interested students should consult the Applications page for both the regular Language Schools and the singer's application.