Juilliard’s youngest singers receive a basic grounding in musical skills, phonics, and diction.  The curriculum teaches students how to choose and prepare appropriate repertoire for performance and study, and offers instruction in movement, communication skills, and text interpretation.  Each semester culminates with a class recital, accompanied by a senior faculty coach. First-year students are introduced to both opera and song study, and vocal coaching, and may be invited to participate in undergraduate productions as chorus members.

Second-Year Undergraduates (Juilliard Opera Studio)

Voice student Tammy Coil in a lesson with her teacher Marlena Malas. Photo by Henry Grossman

Second-year undergraduates receive instruction in basic acting, improvisation, and vocal coaching. Each semester of study culminates in a public performance of opera scenes. In addition to work done in the classroom and rehearsal studio, students have many opportunities for individual coaching and evaluation.  Diction training and movement, along with academic classes, continue to provide a well-rounded musical education. Second-year singers participate in the chorus of undergraduate productions, and take part in the school’s Songbook series, in which singers prepare and perform selections from the art song repertoire with a member of the senior coaching faculty.

Third- and Fourth-Year Undergraduates (Juilliard Opera Workshop)

The curriculum for advanced undergraduates continues to build on the foundation established during students’ first two years at school, emphasizing movement, acting, improvisation, aria study, stagecraft, and ensemble work. Third- and fourth-year singers perform a fully staged opera production in the second semester. Arias and ensemble work are developed for fall and spring performances. Students also participate in the chorus of one Juilliard Opera Center production. Opportunities to sing in Songbooks, or in the School's Liederabend series, in which student collaborative pianists and singers pair up to perform art song repertoire, are also available.  Students continue to work with members of the senior coaching faculty in individual sessions.  A full solo recital is required for graduation.

Graduate Programs

Master of Music and Graduate Diploma (Juilliard Opera Theater)

The master’s degree program offers advanced musical and dramatic coaching to prepare students for auditions, rehearsals, and performances in the professional world. In addition to a full spring production with orchestra on the main stage, graduate opera studies offers open classrooms in which ongoing scene work is performed. Movement classes and lessons in Alexander Technique supplement intensive repertoire and audition preparation classes that meet several times a week. Classroom work is complemented by frequent individual sessions with members of the coaching and acting faculties. The School also offers a wide choice of academic- and performance-based electives for master’s degree candidates. Master’s degree students participate in the chorus of one Juilliard Opera Center production per year. Frequent opportunities to perform in recital and in other special performances are also available. A full solo recital is required for graduation. The master’s degree program requires two years of residency*  

* Students who do not hold a Juilliard B.M. degree and who have several qualifying requirements to satisfy may be advised to complete the degree in three years.

Doctor of Musical Arts (C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellows Program)

The C.V. Starr Doctoral Fellows Program, made possible by a generous endowment grant from the Starr Foundation, enables all candidates accepted into the D.M.A. degree to pursue their resident studies on a full-tuition scholarship basis.

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree program is the most advanced course of study offered at The Juilliard School. Admission to this program is limited to the most gifted and accomplished musicians who also possess a broad range of knowledge about music, a keen intellect, a natural curiosity for a wide variety of disciplines, and the potential for pursuing high-level performance, scholarly, and teaching careers.

The Doctor of Musical Arts degree program requires a minimum full-time residency at Juilliard of two years. All degree requirements must be completed within five years of admission. Following the required two years of full-time residency, doctoral candidates who have not completed the document and/or recital requirements need not pay tuition but are required to pay an annual matriculation fee. Any requests for extension of the five-year limit on enrollment in the program must be made in writing to the Doctoral Governance Committee prior to that limit (the exact date for extension requests is specified in the D.M.A. Program calendar). Doctoral students' eligibility for awards from Juilliard scholarship funds is limited to two years. Continued instruction in the major field is available upon request at an additional charge for the first year of non-residency.

Pre-Professional Training

Artist Diploma in Opera Studies (Juilliard Opera Center)

The Juilliard Opera Center accepts singers who have largely completed their formal training and have demonstrated marked potential for careers in opera.  A two-year residency leads to an Artist’s Diploma in Opera Studies, and offers singers performance experience and training in a tuition-free program.  Individual curricula, tailored to the specific needs of each singer, are designed to fill any gaps in previous training, and to provide a successful transition from an academic environment to the professional world.  JOC singers are expected to perform roles in two main stage productions and fulfill opera chorus obligations.  Private voice lessons and coachings, language study, movement and Alexander Technique, diction, acting, and role preparation form the core of the program.  JOC singers are also given ample recital opportunities, and often take part in special performances and master classes.  Depending upon individual needs, JOC singers may take advantage of Juilliard’s many classes, such as ear-training, theory, music history, and vocal literature seminars.

Artist Diploma in Performance

The Artist Diploma in Performance is a program for the few highly gifted performers at the post-master's level who wish to pursue focused studies leading to specific professional goals. Applicants must demonstrate advanced training equivalent to the master’s degree or other post-graduate studies, the ability to propose and realize specifically stated performance goals of the highest professional standard, and exceptional artistic accomplishment. The School’s full resources are available to students enrolled in the Artist Diploma program, including academic classes, coachings and voice lessons, and the possibility to perform in all Vocal Arts related events.

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	Related Links Visit our Virtual Tour to hear excerpts from Juilliard opera productions, and a panel discussion about the making of an opera, Heloise and Abelard. To see all College Division programs of study, visit the General Application Procedures page in the Admissions section.