K-State Voice Division
Faculty
Professor Jennifer Edwards
Head of the Voice Division, Mezzo-soprano
Studio voice, supervisor of voice class and vocal techniques programs, diction.
Professor Dale Ganz
Baritone
Studio voice, Italian diction, aria preparation for auditions, vocal techniques.
Professor Reginald Pittman
Director of Opera Theater, Tenor
Studio voice, director of the Opera Workshop and opera productions, advisor of the KSU Opera Guild.
Professor Amy Rosine
Soprano
Studio voice, vocal techniques, vocal director for Broadway musical productions.
Professor William Wingfield
Staff coach/accompanist
music director for Broadway musical productions; studio piano, accompaning for degree recitals, opera workshop, opera.
Professor Julie Yu
Director of Choral Activities
K-State Concert Chorale, K-State Collegiate Choir, K-State Women’s Glee Club, conducting
The Voice Division offers two graduate teaching assistantships:
1. Graduate opera assistantship: administrative assistant to the direcotr of opera theater, who will accept operatic roles, and who has intermediate piano skills. Other duties will be determined by the needs of the department.
2. Voice class and studio voice assistantship: teach Voice Class 1 and 2 and teach studio voice as needed. Other duties will be determined by the needs of the department.
Degrees
The Department of Music offers four degrees with an emphasis in voice:
K-State Vocal Ensembles
Each student majoring in voice or vocal music education or minoring in voice must sing in a choir each semester of their program. We have five choral groups:
For more information about choirs please contact:
Professor Julie Yu at julieyu@ksu.edu.
Opera Workshop
Each Fall semester the Voice Division offers an opera workshop class in which students learn short scenes from operas, operettas, and Broadway musicals which are presented in concert. The reduments of stage movement, operatic style, and musical theater style are emphasized. The scenes are performed with minimal sets and costumes but are fully staged.
Each Spring the music the theater departments collaborate on a full production of an opera, complete with costume and make-up, sets, lighting, and full staging. Every other Spring the opera production is held on the main stage of McCain Auditorium with orchestral accompaniment. In alternate springs the production is held in Nichols Theater with piano accompaniment.
Recent Productions:
2007 Mozart: Così fan tutte
2006 Sondheim: A Little Night Music
2005 Weill: Street Scene
2004 An Evening of American Opera
2003 Nicolai: The Merry Wives of Windsor
2002 Copland: The Tender Land
2001 Bernstein: Trouble in Tahiti, Puccini: Gianni Schicchi
2000 Donizetti: Elixir of Love
Broadway Musicals
Each Fall semester the music and theater departments collaborate on Broadway musical production, complete with costumes and make-up, sets, lighting, full staging and orchestral accompaniment. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty music and drama directors.
Recent Productions:
2006 Urinetown
2005 Pippin
2004 Grease
2003 Company
2002 Sweet Charity
2001 A New Brain
2000 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
National Association of Teachers of Singing Regional Auditions
The West Central Region of NATS holds its annual convention in early November of each year. The main event at the convention is a three-level competition for high school and collegiate singers. The conventions are held on various college campuses in the region which is comprised of the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and Wyoming. All members of the K State voice faculty are members of NATS and generally enter students in the competition.
Aria/Concerto Competition
Each year the K State Orchestra holds audition for students who wish to perform with the orchestra. Singers, sponsored by their studio teachers, may audition with an operatic aria or an orchestral song. The time of the audition is announced in the fall.
The Voice Division regularly sponsors leading teachers and professional singers from other parts of the country who give master classes, workshops, recitals, and lectures for our singers. In the master classes students perform songs or arias which have been prepared in the studio. The master teacher then works with the student to enhance his or her performance. Such events are learning tools which benefit the spectator as well as the participant. Guest appearances are announced in advance and the sessions are generally open to the public. Guests who have presented at K State include:
JR Fralick, recital Baldwin Wallace School of Music
Tim Caldwell, Dalcroze Workshop University of Western Michigan
Kit Foss, recital and teaching Metropolitan Opera mezzo soprano
Inci Bashar, master class Leading teacher, New York, Chicago, and KansasCity
Tom Baresel, reictal and master class University of Cincinnati College
Conservatory of Music
David Weber, lecture on vocal health Friends University
Nick Severine, music theater workshop Singer/Actor, Broadway and Europe
An entrance audition will be a determining factor in whether or not a student will be accepted as a music major or minor at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Graduate Auditions
Repertoire requirement: four contrasting selections to include one piece in each of the four languages, English, Italian, German, and French. Please include at least on operatic or oratorio/cantata aria and at least two art songs. To schedule a graduate voice audition please contact:
Professor Jennifer Edwards
Email: jre@ksu.edu
Chair, Voice Division
Phone: (785) 532-3823
Department of Music
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
Undergraduate Auditions
Repertoire requirement for the Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, the Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance, the Bachelor of Music Education, and the Music Minor: two art songs, one of which may be in Italian.
Repertoire requirement for the Bachelor of Music in Music Theater: one art song which may be in Italian and one selection from the American Music Theater repertoire.
Undergraduate auditions are held during the months of February and March each year. Specific dates are announced each fall for the following spring. If you are unable to attend one of the regularly scheduled audition days the Voice Division will accept audio or video taped auditions.
To schedule a voice audition please contact:
Teri Breymeyer
Email: mus@ksu.edu
Phone: (785) 532-5740
Department of Music
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
Scholarship Auditions
The undergraduate entrance voice audition serves as the scholarship audition. Voice scholarships are generally given only to voice majors. They range generally from $400.00 - $1000.00 per year for four years. Offers are made around the first of April.
Choir auditions
Auditions for choirs are held the first few days of each semester. No preparation is required for the audition.
Auditions for K-State Singers
Auditions for K State Singers is held in the latter part of the spring semester. For further information please contact Professor Julie Yu.
Auditions for Opera Workshop
Auditions are held during the first week of the Fall semester. Sign up for a time is outside Professor Reginald Pittman’s door, McCain 231.
Repertoire: one art song or operatic/oratorio/cantata aria.
Auditions for the Broadway Musical
Auditions are held the first two evenings of classes beginning at 7:00 P.M. Sign up is in the lobby of Nichols Theater.
Auditions generally consist of reading, singing, and movement. Please have one song from a Broadway musical prepared. Scripts may be available in the Speech office prior to auditions for perusal.
Auditions for the Spring Opera
Auditions for the spring opera are held in the Fall semester.
The date of the auditions is announced early in the semester and will be posted outside Professor Reginald Pittman’s door, McCain 231.
Repertoire requirement: One art song or one operatic/oratorio/cantata aria unless otherwise stated.
Many K-State students who are not majoring in voice participate in vocal groups and productions. Auditions for choirs, opera workshop, the spring opera, and the Broadway musical are open to all students enrolled at K-State. Please see the auditions information above.
Those students who would like to enroll for private voice for credit may audition before the voice faculty during the first week of classes of each semester. A sign-up sheet and specific information is posted the first day of classes at McCain, room 221. The repertoire requirement is two contrasting songs to be sung from memory to piano accompaniment. The auditioner should bring music to the audition for the accompanist. Acceptance for voice study for credit will be based on talent and available studio space.
