BwayBound

Looking for information about MT (Springfield, MO) or either IU (Terre Haute, IN) My daughter is serious about these two and wondering if anyone out there has any info on the MT departments...... Please reply... Thanks....

srw

My son auditioned for the MT program and was accepted at MoState. He chose to go another way though. He liked the school, the campus and the kids. There seemed to be a slightly negative air about the program though. When we had a parent meeting with the head of the department, he seemed bored with the whole thing and slightly embarrased that he was in the "Ozarks". He made it very plain that due to the difficulty of having a career in MT that they discouraged the students pursuing a career in this area, I mean students CURRENTLY in his program, basically his philosphy was if the students choose continue inspite of his discouragement they might make it. We personally did not care for this approach. Also he said some negative things about another school, which we thought was uncalled for. Also they have no departamental award money, which was an issue for us. I know alot of the kids that go there just love it, and I am sure it is a great experience for many. Hope this helps and I hope I wasn't to negative, you may have a very different experience.

actrss100

are the rumors true that Indiana will be auditioning MT BFA's next year?

chrisnoo

Yes they are, but BwayBound, I'm confused on your request for MT from Indiana University. You said Terre Haute, but Indiana State University is there, not Indiana University. IU is in Bloomington.

IU Bloomington is offering a BFA MT Audition Program next year, but I do not know anything about ISU.

I have many friends at IU for various theater/music/dance disciplines. From what I hear, all the voice students love it, however its classically based. Dance is very ballet, and theater I don't know much about. The only complaint I have heard from a music standpoint is that the Grad students get all the time and energy, and the undergrads get what is left.

Hopefully this helps,
Chris

BwayBound

I don't think anyone needs to hear negativity...... what an awful experience.... thanks so much...... Belinda

BwayBound

all I know is that one in IU and the other is located in the southwest part of the state closer to Kentucky.....

But how can a MT program be classically based....?

ocuMTinfo

I believe Chrisnoo means that the vocal teaching is classically based. For instance, at Oklahoma City University, our musical theater majors and vocal performance majors receive the same kind of vocal training, which is classically based.

Does this mean a MT major comes out singing like an opera singer? No. The classical voice training gives a foundation for vocal technique and health, no matter what kind of music you are singing. OCU has performers in operas and in "Rent".

Ericsmom

Mo State - I guess is the one that used to be called SW Mo State. I've seen a couple of people perform who graduated from there and who did a good job. I seem to remember early in the process of a college search, that they were also negative about the prospects of the business in the written material (may have been a web site).

IU - I just bumped up a previous thread with info. about their brand new MT program that will combine the theatre and music dept's and will be audition based. They have not previously offered MT at IU. Their vocal performance program is already based on auditions and has a fabulous reputation. Their theatre dept. is very good. We saw a play there and my son attended an acting class. We were impressed with the play and my son enjoyed the class. From all the schools we visited, I believe that IU had the nicest theatre facilities. The entire campus is beautiful.

To answer the MT questions you have, there has not been an MT major in the past, so there is nothing on which to base answers to the questions about this brand new program. I'm sure all the right elements are there to make for a top notch MT program, pulling from the various good dept's already on campus.

My son applied and was accepted for college at IU with a nice academic scholarship. He would have done the BA in theatre there and could have added music and dance in the independent study major. The MT major wasn't available for this year's incoming freshmen. He thinks he would have been very happy there if he had not gotten into one of the audition based MT programs. I hate to refer to it as a safety because it was too impressive to us to really be called a safety.