Voice

Our goal in the TCU College of Fine Arts is to prepare our students for success whether they choose to use their vocal talents on stage, in the classroom or elsewhere in life.

The School of Music offers the Artist Diploma program for exceptional vocalists who seek a conservatory approach rather than the traditional course of study leading to an academic degree with a performance major. It’s available to post-baccalaureate students.

Scholarship support is available for talented undergraduate and graduate music majors. Assistantships that include full-tuition remission plus a stipend are available for graduate students.

Voice Faculty

James D. Rodriguez, BM, MM, DMA – Division Chair, Associate Professor of Voice & Voice Pedagogy
Gwendolyn Alfred – BM, MM, DMA – Assistant Professor of Voice
J. David Brock, BM, MM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Audrey Davis, BM, MM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Marcie Ellen Duplantis, BM, MM, MAT – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Jeremy Hays, BM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Colleen Mallette, BM, MM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Mark Metcalf, BM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice
Twyla Robinson, BM, MM – Assistant Professor of Professional Practice of Voice
Allison Whetsel Ward, BM, MM – Adjunct Faculty of Voice

Choral Faculty

Christopher Aspaas, BM, MM, PhD – Director of Choral Activities & Associate Professor of Music
Marla Ringel, BM, MM, DMA – Assistant Director of Choral Activities, Assistant Professor of Music Education
Amy Pummill Stewart, BM, MM, DMA – Instructor II of Music

Opera Faculty

Corey Trahan, BM, MM, DMA – Director of TCU Opera Studio & Instructor of Voice

All incoming students (freshmen, transfer students and graduates) will be assigned to a voice studio by Dr. James D. Rodriguez, chair of the Vocal Arts Division.  Students will be contacted before the start of the fall semester with more information on how to request a specific teacher.

Music minors and electives who have not taken studio voice previously at TCU should contact Dr. Rodriguez. Studio space is limited and priority will be given to majors.

You’ll gain practical experience while attending the TCU School of Music, including myriad on-campus choral, jazz and operatic ensembles, as well as chances to delve into the rich musical culture of the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Fort Worth is a rich environment for young singers. In addition to performing on campus, many students sing in local churches and with professional organizations such as the Fort Worth Opera and Dallas Opera.

Concert Chorale
University Singers
Opera
Vocal Jazz Ensemble
Frog Corps
Cantiamo
New Music Ensemble Program

More Ensembles

The John Large Vocal Arts Laboratory at TCU enhances studio instruction with scientific tools, fostering the art of singing and understanding of the physiological and acoustical processes involved. By using specialized equipment and software, students learn the acoustic parameters of pitch control, fundamental frequency and harmonic partials that pertain to vocal timbre, vowels and linguistic accuracy.

TCU joins select colleges and universities, including the Oberlin Conservatory, Westminster Choir College, Belmont University, UT Austin and Vanderbilt Voice Center in incorporating this technology into the development of vocal artists.

Learn more about the John Large Vocal Arts Laboratory

Our graduates have gone on to enjoy positions that include operatic groups from the Los Angeles and Wolf Trap opera companies in the U.S. as well as Deutsche Oper Berlin in Germany and the Grand Théâtre de Genève in Switzerland. Through the power of the human voice, they have helped bridge cultures and gained a broader perspective on the world around them.

Other recent graduates have chosen to continue their academic studies and have been accepted into prestigious graduate programs such as those at Boston Conservatory of Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Eastman School of Music, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, University of Southern California, Cleveland Institute, Manhattan School of Music and the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.

Your faculty advisor will work with you to choose the right combination of courses and mentor you so you can reach your goals.

Schedule one-on-one meetings with your career consultant to learn more about everything Career Services has to offer music majors.

Career Preparation

Admission & Audition Information

For undergraduates and graduates wanting to attend the TCU School of Music, there is an admissions process. Learn more about the audition requirements below.

Admission Information

Audition Requirements

For more information, contact:
Dr. James D. Rodriguez

Associate Director of the School of Music,
Division Chair of Voice,
Associate Professor of Voice & Voice Pedagogy
Music

james.rodriguez@tcu.edu | 817-257-4572