Voice Area

Overview

At Colorado State University, you’ll work alongside dedicated faculty and students to develop the knowledge and skills for excelling in a variety of fields. The world-class University Center for the Arts is located in Fort Collins, consistently ranked as one of America’s top cities with a collaborative and thriving arts community.

The Colorado State University voice area provides students with excellent opportunities for vocal, artistic and personal growth. Each member of the voice faculty provides a nurturing, yet challenging studio environment. The emphasis of process over product allows students develop a solid platform of vocal technique for realizing their personal artistry.

All voice student study with the full faculty of professors of voice. In addition to a seminar for freshman voice majors that supports their transition to collegiate study, voice majors spend the Fall semester of their Freshman year by participating in individual lesson rotations with each of the voice faculty. In their second semester of study, voice majors are placed with a single teacher for the remainder of their degree program to further promote personalized and engaged care for the student throughout their study at CSU.

Voice students have the opportunity to perform in a variety of styles and formats, as both soloists and ensemble members of choirs, opera and musical theater productions, as well as chamber music collaborations. Voice students perform a jury each semester and sing on voice area and departmental recitals throughout the year.

Study With

Tiffany Blake

  • Associate Professor of Music
  • Voice (Soprano)
  • Coordinator of Voice
  • Director of Ralph Opera Program

Tiffany.Blake@colostate.edu

Nicole Asel

  • Associate Professor of Music
  • Voice (Mezzo Soprano)

Nicole.Asel@colostate.edu

John Lindsey

  • Assistant Professor of Music

John.Lindsey@colostate.edu

Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck

April 4, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Presented by the Ralph Opera Program With the University Symphony Orchestra The classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale comes to life with the Ralph Opera Program's performance of Engelbert Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel". Humperdinck’s sister, Adelheid Wette, wrote the libretto of the Märchenoper or fairy-tale opera Hänsel und Gretel, which is considered a key work of [...]

Voice Area Recital / FREE

April 16, 2024 at 7:30 PM
A recital of vocal music by students from the studios of Dr. Nicole Asel, Dr. Tiffany Blake, and Professor John Lindsey.

Virtuoso Series Concert: Faculty Chamber Music

April 22, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Join the CSU Music Faculty for a concert featuring the works of Johannes Brahms, Henri Dutilleux, Melanie Bonis, and Valerie Coleman. The concert includes CSU faculty artists Ron Francois, violin; Margaret Miller, viola; Romina Monsanto, cello; Bryan Wallick, piano; Ysmael Reyes, flute; Cayla Bellamy, bassoon; Megan Lanz, flute; Copper Ferreira, clarinet; Jooyeon Chang, piano; Tiffany [...]

News

Chandler Peveto performing Harry in Steamboat Opera's Company.

CSU Voice Major, Chandler Peveto, Performs as Emerging Artist with Steamboat Opera

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Dr. Nicole Asel, professor of music in the voice area, contacted Peveto about an opportunity with Opera Steamboat after a previous performer found himself unable to sing. This opportunity led to a contract for Peveto to fill the role of Harry in Stephen Sondheim’s Company. When Peveto auditioned a second time this past summer for Opera Steamboat, he was contracted to perform two roles; Pinellino in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and Peter Zegner in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up.

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CSU Voice Professor, Nicole Asel, presents at prominent conferences

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CSU voice professor, Nicole Asel, recently presented at two major vocal conferences in Summer 2022. The associate professor presented her research on the songs of Augusta Holmés at the 57th National Association for Teachers of Singing National Conference in Chicago held July 1-6, and the International Congress of Voice Teachers conference held Aug. 3-6 in […]

Promotional Photo of University Center for the Arts External Spring

Emily Anderson takes first place in the West-Central Regional NATS Competition

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Colorado State University vocal student Emily Anderson participated in the 2021 West Central Regional Student Auditions for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS); the 59th annual competition for Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas vocalists. Emily Anderson, a CSU master’s student, placed first in the graduate category of the West-Central regional National Association of Teachers of […]

Auditions

Undergraduate Voice Audition Information

Audition Information and Suggested Repertoire (all music majors and the minor)

I. Prospective first-year voice majors in Vocal Performance, Music Education, Music Therapy and Bachelor of Arts will demonstrate vocal technique as well as musical skills:

  • Perform two prepared vocal solos from memory (see repertoire suggestions below). A piano accompanist will be provided. Bring your sheet music in the key you are singing.
  • The interview includes a short theory diagnostic/skills assessment for voice, that consists of a short line of sight-singing (students may sing this on their choice of “la” or solfege), and a short rhythmic pattern that students will clap out. This short diagnostic allows music faculty to see where you are in theory knowledge but is not a barrier to admission to our program.

 

II. Audition Repertoire: solos are comparable to songs that would be prepared and memorized for high school All-State Choir auditions and solo/ensemble competitions. Prepare two contrasting selections:

  • One art song or aria* in Italian or English
  • A second art song or aria in English, Italian, German, French, or Spanish (one musical theater, spiritual, or folk song selection may be substituted for either song).

*Opera arias from the 19th century (Puccini, Verdi etc.) are discouraged for freshman singers. Opera or oratorio arias from the 17th and 18th century are appropriate (Handel, Caldara, Scarlatti, etc.).

III. Suggested Repertoire – selections from:

  • The First Book of Soprano (or Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone) Solos
  • The Second Book of Soprano (or Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone) Solos
  • 26 Italian Songs and Arias, (Medium High or Medium Low)
  • Folk Songs for Solo Singers, (Medium High or Medium Low) – (published by Alfred)

 

IV. Audition Dress – Professional dress is recommended: skirts/dresses/dressy slacks for women; dress slacks/dress shirt for men. Please, no jeans, T-shirts, or sneakers.

V. Transfer Student Auditions

  • Perform two prepared vocal solos or arias from memory, appropriate to your training and experience. A piano accompanist will be provided. Bring sheet music in the key you are singing. Bring a performance resume and/or repertoire list if you have one.
  • Demonstrate musical skills as requested.

VI. Voice students seeking the Music Education or Music Therapy degree path will also have an interview with faculty from those areas.

Graduate Voice Audition Information

Graduate Voice Prescreening Requirement

When applying to the graduate school, please upload a video of your pre-screening selections through the digital portfolio attached to the application. The video upload should include performances of two selections from the following:

  • An oratorio aria or 17th-18th Century piece
  • An operatic aria
  • One German art song
  • One French art song
  • One American/British/Canadian art song in English
If invited for live audition, prospective students must prepare five selections to be performed from memory. Repertoire should include:
  • An oratorio aria or 17th-18th Century piece
  • An operatic aria
  • One German art song
  • One French art song
  • One American/British/Canadian art song in English

Please provide a typed program listing your selections.

PLEASE NOTE: Incoming students will be evaluated on diction the first week of classes in their first semester of study. Students will take a diction diagnostic exam, which will test their spoken and written diction skills in English, Italian, French and German lyric diction.

Guest Artists

Guest Artist and Poster Gallery