Voice

Meadows Concert Choir

The Meadows Concert Choir is a large mixed choir that is open to students of all ages and academic concentrations. The Concert Choir's repertoire encompasses everything from the standard choral repertoire to Broadway and spirituals.

Meadows Opera Theatre

The Meadows Opera Theatre, under the direction of Hank Hammett, offers imaginative, diverse, and cutting-edge productions of repertoire encompassing a wide range of opera, operetta, and musical theatre, providing extensive performance opportunities to vocal students at all levels including undergraduates. The main focus of the program is intensive acting technique training and professional audition preparation. The Meadows Opera Ensemble annually presents its monthly Opera Free For All series and one fully-produced innovative production. Main stage productions are accompanied by the brilliant Meadows Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Maestro Paul Phillips. Recent major stagings include Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Copland’s Tender Land, Mozart’s Il re pastore, and Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld.

Meadows Chorale

The Meadows Chorale has long been regarded as one of the premier university chamber choirs in the country. The Chorale features the most advanced vocal talent at SMU, performing a repertoire ranging from plainchant to contemporary works. The Chorale has performed by invitation at conventions of the Texas Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association and has collaborated with conductors, composers, and other ensembles to present rarely performed works and world premieres. These have included, among others, world premieres of works by Simon Sargon and Warren Benson and collaborations with the Meadows Wind Ensemble and the Ft. Worth Ballet.

The Meadows Commitment

Southern Methodist University is located in the heart of Dallas, a vibrant city and major cultural center. As a result, you will not only have access to all the advantages of being a student in the Division of Music at this prominent university, but will be within easy reach of more than 500 cultural events a year. The faculty of the Meadows School of the Arts is committed to the highest standards of teaching and to active professional participation in music performance and research. Students benefit from the broad experience of our faculty, our rehearsal and performance facilities, the Hamon Arts Library, our visiting artists, and the thriving culture of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Coursework is supported by four full-time voice teachers, an opera director, choral director, choral education specialist, and vocal coach/accompanists. The quality of instruction at Meadows is superlative and is further augmented by world-renowned ensembles and exceptional opportunities.

Bachelor of Music Degrees

The Bachelor of Music in Performance prepares undergraduates for a performance career and for private studio teaching. Members of the voice faculty draw upon accumulated knowledge and skills developed over many years as successful performers and teachers. This program of study provides a balanced performance curriculum of solo, chamber, choral, and opera repertoire. There are also opportunities to perform with the Meadows Jazz Orchestra and Meadows World Music Ensemble. All undergraduate voice degrees include a balanced curriculum of music theory, aural skills, music history, vocal diction, foreign language, acting, pedagogy, and interesting elective courses together with a well-rounded general college curriculum. These courses provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of continued learning, creativity, and artistic fulfillment.

Vocalists may also pursue degrees in Music Education, Music Therapy, or Composition while still developing professional-level musicianship. These degrees include performance-level voice study while developing undergraduates' skills and knowledge for these careers. A Bachelor of Arts in Music degree facilitates double majors or the inclusion of Pre-Med or Pre-Law courses.

Graduate Degrees

The Master of Music in Performance degree prepares students to pursue a career in performance or to undertake further studies at the doctoral level, positioning them to become college studio professors. The degree is completed in four semesters of study with a minimum of 30 credits required for graduation. The Performer Diploma and Artist Diploma are two-year programs (20 credits) for musicians in their final stages of preparation for professional performance careers. Contact Dr. Wagner for details.

Complete the graduate application online. 

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

If undergraduate need-based financial aid is desired, the FAFSA and CSS Profile must be completed. All applicants are considered for academic and music scholarships. We will do our best to provide a financial aid package that makes an education in the Meadows School of the Arts affordable.

Graduate financial assistance is available through merit scholarships, graduate assistantships, and work-study positions. The FAFSA is required for work-study and graduate assistantships.