Vocal Performance

Master’s and Doctoral Programs

Graduate opportunities

In the Division of Vocal Studies at the University of North Texas, our goal is for you to achieve the highest standards of performing excellence no matter where your musical career may lead.

We offer course work leading to a Master of Music degree, Doctor of Musical Arts degree or Graduate Artist Certificate in Performance with specializations in voice.

Our division provides a nurturing and challenging environment that has produced solo singers on the rosters of renowned opera houses throughout the world. Alumni include sopranos Patricia Racette and Emily Pulley, tenors Jeffrey Picon and Scott Scully, and baritone Michael Mayes, among others.

Through private lessons, you’ll receive individual attention from faculty members who are nationally and internationally recognized performers in opera, recital and musical theatre. Their vocal talents have been featured in productions at the New York Metropolitan Opera, Opera National de Paris, Palau de la Musica (Valencia, Spain), San Francisco Opera and Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

The College of Music is one of the nation’s most comprehensive music schools and is recognized internationally for its artistic and academic excellence. The college is vital to the region’s arts community, presenting more than 1,000 concerts annually. Its facilities include 300 practice rooms, seven performance venues (including the Lyric Theatre in the Murchison Performing Arts Center and Voertman Hall), numerous classrooms and rehearsal rooms, computer labs and an intermedia theater.

The College of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21; Reston, Va. 20190-5248; telephone 703-437-0700). This accreditation means the college meets or exceeds strict academic standards for excellence in education.

Performance and research opportunities

The College of Music offers a variety of quality performance opportunities unmatched by smaller schools. They include:

• A Cappella Choir
• Collegium Singers
• Concert Choir
• Grand Chorus
• Jazz Singers (four groups)
• Men’s Chorus
• University Singers
• Women’s Chorus

In addition to those opportunities, the UNT Opera presents two yearly productions, exposing students to a broad range of musical and theatrical styles. There is also typically one production utilizing smaller orchestral forces or featuring collaborations with other departments across campus.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

You’ll need to meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School® and the College of Music and complete an audition before a faculty jury. Auditions are held on campus early in the spring semester for enrollment the following fall. Graduate school requirements are outlined at the Graduate School website. The College of Music admission requirements are available on our website.

After being admitted to the College of Music, you’ll take music history and music theory placement exams given during orientation one week before classes start. More information about the college’s requirements, audition dates, repertoire and graduate placement exams is available on the College of Music site.

Degree requirements

Master of Music degree

As part of this program, students are required to participate in a large ensemble for one semester.

• 7 semester hours of private voice lessons
• 1 semester hour of chamber music, ensemble or early music ensemble courses
• 2 semester hours of an opera theater course
• 3 semester hours of a research techniques course
• 2 semester hours of a voice diction course
• 9 semester hours in a related field (For related fields, consult the graduate catalog.)
• 7 semester hours of electives
• 1 semester hour of final recital

Doctor of Musical Arts degree

• 16 semester hours of private voice lessons
• 6 semester hours of literature in vocal performance
• 12 semester hours in a related field
• 6 semester hours of music history courses
• 6 semester hours of music theory courses
• 2 semester hours of electives
• 12 semester hours of dissertation (Three options are available for fulfilling this requirement.)

Graduate Artist Certificate

• 16 semester hours of private voice lessons
• 12 semester hours of recitals
• 2 to 4 semester hours of large ensemble participation
• 2 to 4 semester hours of chamber music

Financial assistance

Once admitted to the College of Music, you’re eligible for competitive, merit-based scholarships and teaching assistantships and fellowships. Assistantships and fellowships are awarded each spring for the following academic year. More information about these opportunities is available at the College of Music website. Other financial assistance programs are outlined on the Financial Aid site.