<p>I’ve looked all over and can’t find info on Pace’s music department. Do they not have one?? Doesn’t seem possible in a university this size with an MT program but I just can’t find it. Thanks, Ruth</p>
<p>Ruth, I had the same question! The MT faculty includes some voice faculty, but there does not seem to be a vocal performance or music department. Is this unusual? All the other schools I have looked at show VP and/or opera departments, and music departments. I would think that in order to have a good MT department, you would need one or both of these others. Does anyone out there know more?</p>
<p>I’m really hoping someone can answer this. How do they get orchestras for shows or accompanists for practice/rehearsals? Do they outsource this somehow? Do the MT kids take keyboarding?</p>
<p>I’d like to know too…what about music theory? Sight singing? Are there any other MT schools that don’t have a music department and/or VP program?</p>
<p>A college doesn’t need a music department to have a musical theater program. The musical theater program itself employs faculty that teach vocal technique, vocal performance, music theory, keyboarding, and associated music skills/courses related to musical theater. For example, my daughter attended NYU/Tisch for a BFA in musical theater. While NYU does have a music school and department, it is not associated with Tisch’s BFA program. Her program had a full faculty of singing/voice faculty and the full array of music type courses for a MT major. </p>
<p>I don’t want to speak for Pace. But for example, given some questions above, I can tell you that they do teach all those music type courses for a MT major. They also have private voice teachers AND private vocal coaches. They have accompanists in the vocal performance classes. They have accompanists for rehearsals and shows and so on. I know some of this because my daughter has been on Pace’s MT faculty in some of these capacities. Look over the courses and faculty to get a sense of what I mean.</p>
<p>Thank you for your response, soozievt. Do you know if tuition covers the cost of accompanists for lessons and rehearsals? And the cost of hiring musicians to play for shows? I’m still really surprised that a university this large with multiple campuses doesn’t have a music department or music major anywhere.</p>
<p>I don’t feel qualified to answer the money issue as my own kid is not a student there. To my knowledge, there are no additional costs for accompanists for the students. They get vocal coaching privately and there are accompanists in classes and rehearsals and so on, like any other MT program. My daughter has served in that capacity and I really think tuition covers this but maybe a Pace student, parent, or faculty member can pipe in here.</p>
<p>My dd’s in the program and we have never had to pay separate accompanist fees for classes or shows. To practice, mp3 accompanist tracks are provided.</p>
<p>Who does the music for the shows, NightOwl2? Do they hire musicians or use tracks?</p>
<p>MTruth, I suspect NightOwl will reply and has first hand information with her daughter in the program. </p>
<p>But I truly believe the musicians are LIVE. Just as an example, I know my D has played piano for Pace productions and has been asked to musically direct and play for some she could not fit into her schedule. </p>
<p>Again, many MT Programs are not affiliated with music departments but have their own music staff such as coaches, accompanists, musical directors and so on. As I wrote before, my kid went to Tisch and there were always live musicians. A MT program doesn’t need a music department in order to have music staff for classes, lessons, and productions.</p>
<p>The students receive 1 private coaching (15min) and 1 private voice lesson (1 hour) per week. The coaches and voice teachers are comprised of incredibly well respected professionals in their areas. You can find a list of the faculty if you google “Pace University Musical Theatre Faculty”. As soozievt stated above they do rehearse with MP3s when they aren’t in their coachings or lessons, like I imagine most other BFA MT’s do as well. Unless there’s a student amongst them who has accompanist caliber piano skills, which 1-2 in each class tends to have.</p>
<p>The Music Directors, accompanists and Musicians involved in the productions are also Broadway professionals who teach and work at Pace on their off time. Pace strives to bring real professionals into the working environments so the students get a true sense of what life on the “outside” is all about. </p>
<p>The Music Theory classes are infamous for being the most challenging of all the classes. They are taught by composer Ryan Scott Oliver. They include instruction in sight singing, theory and keyboard and are leveled so the students can learn at the pace(ha!) that’s right for them.</p>
<p>MTRUTH they hire professional musicians. No tracks. What BRbway said, “Pace strives to bring real professionals into the working environments so the students get a true sense of what life on the “outside” is all about” is one of the key benefits of Pace. And, these same professionals provide opportunities for students outside of the classroom, i.e. readings, concerts, etc.</p>
<p>One of the benefits of attending a BFA in NYC is that many of the faculty are working professionals. That was true for my daughter at NYU/Tisch and I believe it also is the case at Pace. And a lot of networking evolves from these experiences working with professionals active in the arts in NYC.</p>
<p>Sorry I’ve missed posting here. My s1 is a musician (piano) and a BFA MT student at Pace and this was an important issue for us. He chose Pace despite there not being a formal music school – and he has not looked back. The music instruction is amazing. As BRBway mentioned, the instruction by Ryan Scott Oliver (google him) is top-drawer. The students can start doing musical theatre composition in their freshman year and many MT students write their own full-length musicals. All the musicians for the shows are wonderful professionals from the NYC scene. At the freshman showcase, the students performed all original works written by Pace students. You can find videos of them from the past few years on Ryan Scott Oliver’s Youtube channel – again, google it. My son has been very happy with all of his music classes and with the calibre of musicianship and musicians in the program and the shows.</p>
<p>S1 has also benefitted from excellent voice teachers – again all talented working professionals from the NYC area. Accompanists are provided. All part of the program.</p>