Early Music, Oratorio + Chamber Ensemble

The early music vocal program is designed for singers who are interested in pursuing a career on the concert stage, focusing on early music, oratorio, art song, contemporary music, and vocal chamber music. Each student receives private voice lessons with Prof. James Taylor and intensive private coachings with Tomoko Nakayama and Jeffrey Grossman. Students attend weekly voice seminars and have instruction in period performance practice, diction, and acting. Singers also have opportunities to participate in master classes with renowned international conductors and performers.

At the Institute of Sacred Music, voice majors attend a weekly colloquium with faculty and students from other ISM-affiliated programs. Additionally, voice majors form the core of Yale’s select vocal chamber ensemble, the Schola Cantorum, which performs music ranging from the Renaissance to newly commissioned works. Prof. David Hill is the ensemble’s principal conductor, and Masaaki Suzuki is its principal guest conductor. The Schola Cantorum offers students numerous performance opportunities, including solo roles in major works and touring and recording projects that provide invaluable professional experience.