Welcome to Choral, Vocal, and Opera Studies at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
Through weekly private voice lessons, coaching, and studio classes; enriching coursework; and dynamic and diverse performance opportunities, our renowned voice faculty will prepare you for a 21st-century career in music performance, education, scholarship, administration, or other vocations.
Alumnus Tyler Alessi with composer Ricky Ian Gordon at Opera Fusion Cincinnati.
Alumni of our voice program have gone on to perform in the world’s greatest concert halls, opera houses, professional choral ensembles, and jazz groups. They are also among the nation’s best schoolteachers, choral directors, and voice teachers as our faculty prepare you to share your knowledge and experience with others. Whether it be through performance, education, academia, or administration, our graduates find success in their own musical calling.
Our ensembles are nationally recognized. For decades our Opera program has prepared students for admission to elite summer festivals and young artist programs. Our award-winning Chamber Choir regularly tours across the country and the globe. And our vocal jazz ensembles, Pacific Standard Time and Jazz & Tonic, are regarded as some of the best in the nation.
Here at CSULB, we believe in learning by doing. Through solo recitals, masterclass opportunities, our Evening of Song concert series, and our diverse ensembles, you will grow and thrive as a musician.
Come tour our campus, sit in on our opera and choral rehearsals, and take sample lessons with our voice faculty!
We look forward to welcoming you to Long Beach!
Dr. Alexander Hahn
Area Director, Vocal Studies Bob Cole Conservatory of Music
Bachelor of Music, Option in Performance—Concentration in Voice
The Bachelor of Music, Option in Performance—Concentration in Voice is a pre-professional, NASM-accredited program that provides students the necessary tools for a professional career as a singer. The Bob Cole Conservatory Vocal, Opera, and Choral Program, one of the largest undergraduate voice departments in the state of California, supports the CSULB Opera program, seven ensembles, weekly studio classes, guest-artist masterclasses, international tours, and significant scholarship to all voice majors. Our students take the required core in music theory, history, piano proficiency, and applied lessons; our ensembles, opera and musical theater productions, vocal jazz groups, and repertoire courses prepare our young artists for a career in music.
Bachelor of Music, Option in Performance—Concentration in Opera
This program prepares students for admission into the nation’s most prestigious graduate opera programs and to work in professional opera companies. We aim to provide training in the musical, linguistic, and theatrical aspects that will make our students successful in this highly competitive profession. Training is accomplished both in the classroom and the concert hall.
Master of Music, Concentration in Vocal/Opera Performance
This program prepares students for admission into the nation’s most prestigious music festivals, young artist programs, professional choral ensembles, and opera companies. Special attention will be given to audition and career-building strategies in preparing our students for success as a 21st-century vocalist. We aim to provide training in the musical, linguistic, and theatrical aspects that will make our students successful in this highly competitive profession. Training is accomplished both in the classroom and the concert hall.
Master of Music, Option in Choral Conducting
CSULB’s nationally recognized Master in Choral Conducting program offers extraordinary hands-on opportunities for conductors who are looking for the next step in their career. Our small cohort of 2-4 students allows each conductor ample podium time and weekly lessons. Most graduate students have assistantships, either to direct or to assist one of our ensembles, to teach class voice, or to assist with theory or music history. Seminars in choral repertoire, university teaching, music history and theory, and private lessons (one hour weekly with faculty and our staff pianist) form the core of the curriculum. We cover a tremendous amount of music, technique, pedagogy, and style. With 100% placement into DMA programs or teaching positions, CSULB’s M.M. in Conducting is among the most prestigious in the country. For more information, please email Dr. Talberg directly at jonathan.talberg@csulb.edu
