Studies & Degrees in Music Performance (Vocal)
Music Performance (Vocal) Study Programs
Vocal performance is the study of singing as a profession. Students train the voice as an instrument and learn to perform for an audience, alone, with a pianist, in a choir or on the opera stage. Singers perform vocal music in many genres, and some specialise in one style, such as opera or jazz. Those who work in opera and musical theatre also have to act while they sing, so stage training is part of most programmes.
A voice degree combines one-to-one lessons with group classes. The Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of Miami, for example, offers private voice lessons, vocal coaching, diction and language study, together with music theory, music history, opera literature, solo repertoire and vocal pedagogy. Classical singers perform in several languages, and the curriculum reflects this: the voice concentration at Temple University includes separate diction courses in English, German, Italian and French.
Qualifications and levels
A degree is not a legal requirement for working as a singer. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that musicians and singers typically do not need formal postsecondary education to enter the occupation, but that those who aim for classical music or opera often take a bachelor's degree or higher. The main routes are:
- Bachelor of Music (BM). The usual first degree in the United States, where it normally takes four years. Temple University awards its Performance BM with Voice Concentration after a minimum of 124 credits. Vanderbilt University offers a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance at its Blair School of Music.
- Higher music studies in Spain. Performance (Interpretación) is one of seven specialities of the official higher artistic education in music, which lasts four academic years of 60 credits each, 240 credits in total. The qualification is official and valid throughout Spain.
- Postgraduate study. Master's degrees and artist diplomas are for singers who already hold a first degree. The University of Colorado Boulder, for instance, has an Artist Diploma in Opera and Solo Vocal Performance of 20 to 21 credit hours, and a bachelor's degree in voice performance is the minimum requirement for admission.
- Certificates and private lessons. Some universities offer performance certificates in voice, and many singers continue with a private teacher throughout their career.
Admission almost always depends on an audition. Applicants are typically asked to send recordings, to sing in person, or both. Vanderbilt University asks voice applicants for memorised art songs, one of them in a foreign language, a monologue and sight-singing. In Spain, entry to higher music studies requires passing a specific entrance test for the chosen speciality.
Where to study vocal performance
SpainExchange lists 16 schools that teach vocal performance. Ten of them are in the United States, and there is one each in Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Teaching is in English in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, and in Spanish in Spain and Latin America. Classical repertoire is sung in its original language everywhere, which is why Italian, German and French appear in the study plans.
In the United States, voice is taught inside university schools of music, such as those of the University of Miami, Temple University in Philadelphia and Vanderbilt University in Nashville. In Spain the subject is taught in conservatories rather than universities. The Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid offers historical singing (Canto Histórico) within its early music pathway, and states that the singing pathway of the Performance speciality is taught at the Escuela Superior de Canto de Madrid.
When comparing schools, look at the amount of individual tuition, the performance opportunities (recitals, choirs, opera productions), the styles covered (classical, jazz, musical theatre, popular music) and the audition requirements and dates.
Careers
Graduates work as soloists, choir and ensemble singers, opera and musical theatre performers, session and backing vocalists, and voice teachers. Temple University describes its programme as preparation for careers in concert and recital performance, opera and private teaching. Many singers combine performing with giving private lessons; teaching music in schools usually requires a further teaching qualification.
Work is often irregular. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, musicians and singers held about 170,400 jobs in the United States in 2025, 48% of them self-employed, and many find only part-time or intermittent work. The bureau projects little or no change in employment between 2025 and 2035. These figures refer to the United States only.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to become a professional singer?
No. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, singers typically do not need a formal postsecondary qualification, but those who want a career in classical music or opera often take a bachelor's degree or higher.
How long does a vocal performance degree take?
A Bachelor of Music in the United States normally takes four years; Temple University, for example, requires a minimum of 124 credits. In Spain, higher music studies last four academic years and 240 credits.
Is there an audition?
Almost always. Schools typically ask for recordings, a live audition or both. In Spain, applicants must pass a specific entrance test for their speciality.
Which languages do voice students study?
Classical singers perform in several languages. Temple University's voice concentration, for example, includes diction courses in English, German, Italian and French.