Sunderman Conservatory Voice Area
The Vocal Program at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College promotes musical and academic scholarship within a liberal arts education and inspires personal and professional growth in a supportive and collaborative environment. A comprehensive and stimulating curriculum provides Gettysburg students with the skills necessary to be excellent singers, confident performers, educators, and life-long participants in the vocal arts.
The Sunderman Conservatory offers a rigorous program of vocal study, including courses in pedagogy, song literature, diction, opera, and chamber music. The voice curriculum is designed to cultivate the individual goals and interests of voice majors, minors, and non-majors within a supportive and collaborative learning environment. Our focus is on training singers to perform with healthy and efficient vocal technique, accurate diction in multiple languages, and expressive interpretation that is grounded in stylistic, historical, and cultural understanding. Numerous opportunities for on-campus and community performance are available including choir, opera workshop, soloing with jazz ensemble, biennial music theater productions, Now Hear This weekly recital hours, Sunderman Sings voice area recitals, annual concerto competitions, and Notes at Noon series.
Voice students receive weekly applied lessons which culminate in a juried performance at the end of the semester for the voice faculty. Bachelor of Music students receive additional weekly coachings with Dr. Scott Crowne, the conservatory’s collaborative pianist. Levels of proficiency have been established for each year and degree program, and students should perform all requirements to ensure advancement (see Student Handbook). Weekly studio classes provide the opportunity for voice students to perform for each other and obtain guidance in performance techniques and artistic application from the conservatory voice faculty. Guest clinicians have presented master classes on diverse topics including acting, Alexander Technique, auditioning, career planning, baroque gesture, jazz, literature and interpretation, musical theater, opera, vocal health, and acoustic analysis.
Voice students at the Sunderman Conservatory have exclusive access to professional development funding designed specifically to support their growth as vocal artists. The Jean C. Sloop ’53 Vocal Music Outreach Fund was established in 2013 by the estate of Jean C. Sloop ’53 to strengthen and support the experience of students participating in vocal outreach by providing financial resources supporting travel and other expenses related to vocal performance off campus. Since its establishment, the fund has supported students in a variety of vocal performance activities across the country and abroad.
Sunderman Conservatory of Music singers have been winners at chapter and region NATS Student Auditions, and national semi-finalists at the Classical Singer competition. They have been accepted to prestigious summer programs and graduate schools, including the Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Peabody Conservatory, University of Colorado Boulder, Bard College, Boston University, Shenandoah University, Temple University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Boston Conservatory, the University of North Carolina Greensboro, DePaul University, and Trinity Laban Conservatory in London. Alumni have pursued successful careers in a variety of fields—from international opera stages and top young artist programs like Santa Fe Opera and Sarasota Opera, to K–12 and university-level teaching, composition, arts administration, community outreach, and professions beyond music, including medicine, law, marketing, and many others.
Prospective students are encouraged to visit the Sunderman Conservatory, schedule a sample lesson, and attend voice studio class. Email Dr. Susan Hochmiller, Voice Area Coordinator, at shochmil@gettysburg.edu for more information.
Sunderman Conservatory alumni, we’d love to hear from you! Send us updates at shochmil@gettysburg.edu.