Early Music, Oratorio + Chamber Ensemble

The early music vocal program is designed for singers who are interested in early music, oratorio, art song, contemporary music, and choral chamber ensembles. Early music voice students receive private voice lessons and intensive coachings in art song and oratorio literature, and they attend weekly seminars and voice classes in performance practices, diction, and interpretation. Singers also have opportunities to participate in master classes with renowned guest artists.

Early music voice students share classes in diction, movement, and vocal repertoire with opera students, but they attend the Yale Institute of Sacred Music (ISM) Colloquium on Wednesday afternoons with students in other ISM-affiliated programs. 

All early music singers perform with Yale’s vocal chamber ensemble, the Yale Schola Cantorum, which offers training in ensemble techniques. David Hill is the ensemble’s principal conductor, and Masaaki Suzuki is the principal guest conductor. The Schola Cantorum offers numerous performing opportunities to early music voice students, including solo roles in major works, as well as touring and recording projects that provide invaluable professional experience.