musical theatre or vocal performance?

which do you think is better? i understand it depends on the person, but i can't decide. I am classicaly trained singer but i love musical theatre and have done both professional and community theatre throughout the past 6 years. I've also done a little bit of opera and take part in many classical competitions but i can't decide which to do in college. In the long run does it really matter? and if i go into vocal performance and ultimatly go on sing opera, how hard is it to cross over to the musical theatre world? because musical theatre is my true passion and i feel most in my element there,


advice is greatly apprectiated:)

An engineering degree will get you a job.

There's a program at NYU at the Steinhardt School that is a Vocal Performance program that has two majors: Musical Theatre and Classiscal. This is probably the type of program you'd want to go into, because that way you can train as a singer and an actor. Also, a lot of musical theatre programs now pretty much focus on dance and not acting/singing. They do incredible shows there and the department's reputation is becoming very well regarded in the NYC Theatre community.

thanks so much! i will definitly look into that!

I do believe they'll find a way to get you in if you do very well in the audition.

Yea, the audition matters A LOT... so if they really like you, they might look over the fact that your grades might not be perfect.

I'd just have to say, going to a musical theatre or vocal performance school and getting a a degree does absolutely nothing to help you in the performing world, since it's your abilities that help... not your degree. Just thought I would point that out.

Since as people said, that degree won't get you a job, others will. So I'd suggest looking into trying to find something else you can fall back on and to become more well rounded, as well as get training in singing (acting, dancing too) for musical theatre and performing. Since a degree in say, business, will be helpful with other things and then if you can get training in to improve your skills, THAT training is what helps you.

So really, going to these schools.. .you are hardly paying for the degree to help, but the training. Unless you want to become a teacher or something, then the degree helps in a few different areas. But as a performer, it's your talent and ability that you need, not the degree.

So GL... just thought I'd share that. And btw there is a thread about this kind of thing on the student board. well about where to go to school, what to major in etc. Some contrasting opinions... but you might find it helpful.

Go after both. Major in one and take as many courses as you can in the other.

How many of us have watched musical theatre singers with lousy technique? Then there are the opera singers who sound beautiful but cannot act. (Much less walk and chew gum at the same time.)

I'm a firm believer in classical technique (as in opera) for all singers--even rock and roll singers--as well as ballet for all kinds of dancers. In both cases, opera and ballet teach discipline and body awareness as well as limitations.

Do it all. But you also can go to a college and take private lessons too. A good reason to go to school is to figure out what other people can and cannot do. Learn from observing. If you train alone, you haven't a clue what others may be (or may not be) doing.

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I am majoring in Arts Administration. I get many theatre classes but I also get business, accounting, management, marketing and economics classes. This prepares me both for a career in the theatre but also many other fields.

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I was in the same dilemma 5 years ago... Holy HELL I am old! :-P Anyway, I am a singer first and had taken voice lessons for years, participated in choir and musicals in high school. When it came time to audition for schools I kept hearing about how musical theater majors (at many schools, including UCLA where I ended up going) were not given ANY voice lessons their first year of school. I thought that was ridiculous because I wanted to focus on my voice, so I became a music (vocal performance) major. Now, can I sing better than most of the musical theater majors? Yes. But, I missed out on all that dance and acting training (although I did take as many acting classes as you could if you were not a major) and now those kids can dance like crazy, and I... can't. That said... With wichever path you choose, it is possible to get outside training for the areas that aren't being focused on enough in your classes. I wish I had taken some outside dance classes, but I just have to do that now instead. I do wonder what I would be like if I had had all those dance classes with the musical theater kids, which would have been wonderful... But, their voice teachers were sometimes not even voice teacher, but accompanists being made to teach and coach vocalists. I could go back and forth all day. Just do your research! Find the school that will give you the most opportunities to work with the most qualified people.

I've wondered the exact same thing...so here is what I'm doing....I major in "Musical Theatre"....but I minor in "Vocal Performance". You might try to do that or you can do it the other way around.

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thank you all so much for you input, i really appreciate it. I've actually started looking into the Steinhardt School at NYU. It seems perfect for me because i can get a lot of vocal training while still having musical theatre too. Plus its in new york, which i LOVE. i thank everyone again for all their messages, it really helps to get a lot of opinions:)

has anyone ever been too, or know anything else about the program at NYU? thanks a bunch<3