Vocal Performance
SJSU's School of Music and Dance Vocal Area is a thriving community of vocalists engaged in the vocal arts. Students study the fundamentals of vocal production (breathing, vowel formation, intonation, resonance, and diction) and repertoire, including art song, opera, musical theater, and oratorio, in various languages, during their four years of study. Vocal students benefit from weekly individual lessons with our extraordinary faculty of artist/teachers, as well as weekly studio classes.
Vocalists have the opportunity to join the Concert Choir, the famous Choraliers, Opera Theater, Musical Theatre, Collegium Musicum, Treble Choir, Glee Club, as well as our student a capella groups, including the Spartones and Pitch Please!. Undergraduate vocal majors perform recitals in their junior and senior years, and benefit from interation with an extensive rotation of distinguished guest artists. Recent guests have included Eugene Rogers and Rickey Tripp.
Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Music in Performance
- Bachelor of Music in Composition
- Bachelor of Music in Music Education
- Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- Master of Music
- Minor in Music
Faculty
Dr. Jeffrey Benson
Director of Choral Activities
408-924-4645
jeffrey.benson@sjsu.edu
MUS 262
Sandra Bengochea
Area Coordinator, Voice; Opera Theater
408-924-4658
sandra.bengochea@sjsu.edu
Christopher Bengochea
Voice
christopher.bengochea@sjsu.edu
Corie Brown
Choral Activities, Music Education
corie.brown@sjsu.edu
Ren Geisick
Vocal Jazz
408-924-4678
rengeisick@gmail.com
Jennifer Mitchell
Voice
jennifer.alexis.mitchell@gmail.com
MUS 244
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
Voice
jwilson1897@gmail.com
MUS 268
Philip Skinner
Music Education, Vocal Performance
philip.skinner@sjsu.edu
Jonathan Smucker
Voice
johnathan.smucker@sjsu.edu
Simona Snitkovskaya
Collaborative Pianist; Chamber Music
simona.sniksovskaya@sjsu.edu
Audition Information
Learn more about suggested audition repertoire.