Voxtet Recital Guidelines

All recitals must take place before the last day ofYSM classes.

First-Year MM Recitals (Required Recital):

  • c. 55 minutes of music- total is not to exceed 1 hour, including applause, entrances, and exits
  • No intermission
  • First-year recitals typically take place mid-week, with two student recitals back-to-back
  • First-year recitals typically take place either in Marquand Chapel or in the Great Hall
  • Program must include music of at least 4 eras, and 4 languages
    • It is recommended that the program contain roughly 50% later repertoire (post-1750) and 50% early repertoire (pre-1750)
  • If required, the ISM will provide money for a continua group
    • Students may hire one additional instrumentalist other than the Voxtet Accompanist to play in the recital (i.e. lutenist, organist, etc).
    • Instrumentalists may be paid $25/hour, and must be approved in advance by your voice teacher
    • Payment for instrumentalists must be approved by the ISM Concert Production Office at least 30 days prior to the first rehearsal. The office will advise you on submitting payroll
  • Recitals will be recorded by the ISM, free of charge
  • Scheduling:
    • Your voice teacher will assign your recital date during the fall term
    • After recital assignments are made, the ISM Concert Production Office will reserve performance spaces
    • If you need to use one of the ISM’s continua instruments, submit an Instrument Request Form to the ISM Concert Production Office at least 90 days before the recital. If your recital is scheduled for the first semester, submit the Instrument Request Form immediately after your date is assigned. It is better to reserve an instrument and then cancel it than to wait until the last minute to reserve it
  • Programs
    • All recitals must be sung entirely from memory, regardless of the repertoire you choose to perform
    • Submit your proposed program to your voice professor and pianist/coach by the end of October
    • You are responsible for preparing and printing your own concert program, and for supplying original texts and translations
    • Your concert program must include your name, the date of your recital, and your proposed degree; it must state that this is your required, first-year recital
    • Your concert program must also include composers’ names and dates, opus numbers, and poets’ names (poets’ names are typically included with the texts and translations)
  • Dress code
    • Your recitals are the most important performances of your degree program, and you should dress accordingly. If you have questions or concerns, speak with your voice teacher in advance of your recital
  • People identifying as men should wear a jacket and tie.
  • People identifying as women should wear a dress or pantsuit appropriate to the time of the day the recital will be performed

Second-Year MM Recitals (Degree Recitals):

  • Second-year recitals are considered full recitals. They take place in Sprague Hall if at all possible
    • You should program at least 75 minutes of music
    • You may include a I5-minute intermission
    • A good total length of program is 1. 5 hours, including intermission, applause, entrances, and exits
    • Do not exceed 1.5 hours of music
    • Encores are not permitted
  • All student degree recitals in Sprague Hall are recorded free of charge by the YSM’s AV department
  • No repertoire requirements
    • It is permitted to program a large-scale song cycle such as Franz Schubert’s Die schone Miillerin or Winterreise. These cycles stand alone and do not require additional music to complete the program
  • Second-year MM students receive a budget of up to $1,000 to hire instrumentalists.
    • This budget may be used only to pay instrumentalists
    • Payment for instrumentalists must be approved by the ISM Concert Production Office at least 30 days prior to the first rehearsal. The office will advise you on submitting payroll
    • Caveat: Do not make your recital a logistical nightmare. Programming music that requires frequent changes of ensemble can be complicated and frustrating. Musicians can drop out at the last minute, or might not be available for rehearsals. The emphasis should always be on you and your singing, and not on an overly complicated, fancy program and extraneous musicians
  • Scheduling:
    • Your voice teacher will assign your recital date during the fall term
    • Confirm your date with the ISM Concert Production Office, which will book Sprague Hall
    • You are responsible for completing a recital contract and submitting it to the YSM Concert Office; for details see the YSM Student Handbook 2022-23, which can be downloaded from the Student Resources tab of ArtsVision anytime throughout the year.
    • You are responsible for scheduling your dress rehearsal with the YSM Concert Office
    • On your recital contract, request the use of BOTH a continua organ and a harpsichord so that the YSM has them available. If you do not need these instruments, alert the YSM Concert Office of this change at least 60 days prior to the recital.
  • Programs:
    • At least one month before your recital, submit program information to the YSM Concert Office
    • Program notes are appreciated, but not required
    • Program information includes
      • a list of works (with composers’ dates)
      • program notes
      • roster of performers
    • At least one month before your recital, submit a separate document to the YSM Concert Office containing camera-ready texts, translations, and biographical blurbs about yourself and any soloists. This program supplement must meet the formatting requirements of the YSM. The office will photocopy the document and insert it into the program
  • If you do not meet these deadlines, you are responsible for creating and printing the program at your own expense
  • Dress code
    • Your recitals are the most important performances of your degree program, and you should dress accordingly. If you have questions or concerns, speak with your voice teacher in advance of your recital
    • People identifying as men should wear a jacket and tie, or tuxedo, or tails
    • People identifying as women should wear a dress or pantsuit appropriate to the time of the day the recital will be performed

MMA Recitals: MMA students present two full recitals

  • The second recital should take place in Sprague Hall
  • Repertoire is determined by the student, as described for MM degree recitals above
  • MMA students receive a budget of $1,500 to hire instrumentalists for the second recital; speak to your voice teacher about budgets for your first recital
  • The second recital is considered a lecture recital
    • Students are required to present a brief lecture during the recital at a point of the student’s choosing
  • Programs: You are responsible for program information, as in the guidelines above for MM second-year recitals
  • Dress code: Wear concert dress appropriate to your recital, as in the guidelines above for MM recitals

OMA Recitals:

A third recital at the time of the DMA orals is required to complete the DMA degree

  • Consult with your DMA adviser about specific requirements
  • Graduating DMA candidates receive a budget of $1,500 to hire musicians