Vocal Performance

Vocal performance is a demanding and multifaceted discipline that prepares you for a professional life as a singer in classical, operatic, or contemporary performance contexts. It is not simply the training of the voice as an instrument, although that is central to it; it is also the development of a complete performer who can inhabit musical texts with intelligence, emotional authenticity, and physical presence. Vocal performance training draws on musical theory and history, language coaching, dramatic technique, and the study of a wide repertoire from multiple periods and traditions.

At Chichester, this four-year degree develops you as a complete performing artist. You will study the art of performance at a high level, with coaching in the pronunciation and diction of French, Italian, and German, which are the primary languages of the operatic and art song repertoire you will encounter. You will learn to manage performance anxiety, to use gesture and physical presence as expressive tools, and to develop the skills of concert and event hosting that are increasingly expected of professional performers.

The programme offers the opportunity to study Alexander Technique, yoga, dance, and acting alongside a wide range of contextual modules, giving your vocal training a rich supporting framework. This breadth reflects the reality of professional vocal performance, where technical skill, physical awareness, dramatic ability, and cultural knowledge are all required in combination.

Graduates of vocal performance degrees pursue careers as professional singers in opera, oratorio, recital, and musical theatre, as well as in choral conducting, teaching, and music education. The performance training and stage experience developed in the degree are the essential foundation for audition-based entry into the professional world. Many graduates continue with postgraduate performance training, entering conservatoire programmes that deepen specialist expertise in particular operatic or concert repertoire.

Others combine performing careers with teaching, working with young singers in schools, music services, and private studios.