Vocal Institute

Building Your Craft: From Studio to Stage

May 26-June 10, 2022

The Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival® invites applications for its Vocal Institute: Building Your Craft: From Studio to Stage, at the University of Houston Moores School of Music. This intensive program for college freshmen, sophomore, and junior vocal students builds a foundation in stagecraft through classes in acting and dramatic interpretation, language and diction, solo and ensemble coaching, stage movement, dance, and body awareness. Led by a stellar faculty with years of international experience, participants prepare and stage scenes from opera and operetta for public performance.

Daily Classes and Sessions (up to 35 hours per week) include:

• Dance and Movement for the Stage
• Techniques in dramatic interpretation and theatrical presentation
• Diction and Language
• Daily individual and ensemble coaching
• Staging of scenes
• Lectures (Vocal Health, Collaboration: You and the Pianist, Performance Anxiety, Learning Orientations)
• Individual voice lessons will be available for participants. (Lessons are voluntary and offered with the approval of the individual’s voice teacher.)
• Final performance(s) of opera scenes. Last performance: Friday, June 10, 8:00 p.m.
• Limited enrollment, generous tuition fellowships

Faculty

• Zachary Averyt, Moores School of Music
• Richard Bado, Houston Grand Opera
• Debra Dickinson, Rice University
• Joseph Evans, Moores School of Music
• Lauren Pastorek, singer, actor, dancer
• Melanie Sonnenberg, Moores School of Music*

* Institute Director

Fees (all fees are non-refundable)

• Application Fee: $80 (due with application)
• Registration Fee: $1200 
• Tuition: $0 (All participants receive a fellowship for the remaining tuition valued at $2700, underwritten by the Immanuel & Helen Olshan Foundation)
• Optional Room and Board Fees:          
  • Room only: $615 (Participants are responsible for own meals. UH Quad Townhouses; single occupancy, shared bath, kitchen, and laundry.)
  • Room and meals: $1115 (For participants who also require meals. UH Quad Townhouses—single room, shared bath, kitchen, and laundry. Three meals daily in UH cafeteria).  Must be requested no later than April 11, 2022. 
  • Participants who chose to live Off Campus are responsible for their own housing/meals and must have reliable transportation.

Deadlines:

• Recorded Audition/Application Deadline: Extended to April 1, 2022
• Acceptance Deadline: April 11, 2022

Application Requirements: 

Vocal students completing their freshman, sophomore, or junior year of college are eligible to apply. (Enrollment in 2022 includes juniors because of Covid in prior years. Current seniors are not eligible.) Applicants must be 18 years of age by May 25, 2022 to participate.

• • Completed application form with $80 non-refundable application fee (payable by credit card only, details TBA)
  • Attach one-page resume & video recorded audition with two vocal selections, one in English and one in Italian ORGerman.
  • Applicants will be notified of acceptance status via email.
  • International Applicants: If accepted, you are responsible for obtaining or having the proper visa to attend.

• (Enrollment in 2022 includes juniors because of Covid in prior years. Current seniors are not eligible.)

For more information

Melanie Sonnenberg, Director
713-743-9963
msonnenb@Central.UH.EDU

The health and safety of all TMF students, faculty, and on-campus guests are our primary concern. We will monitor the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic, following all university, city, and state guidelines.
University Visitor Protocols may be found HERE.