Professional Training of Singers and Teachers of Singing : A Comparative Study of Selected Vocal Performance and Pedagogy Programs in the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany

How are singers and teachers of singing professionally trained in the United States and Germany? In what context do degree programs function and how do they compare in both countries? Using methods of comparative education, data from twelve institutions were collected and analyzed. Findings show that American programs emphasize performance studies, music scholarship, and general education. Programs with pedagogy emphasis are found in only a small number of US institutions raising questions about the purpose and content of graduate degrees in voice, especially the Doctor of Musical Arts. In Germany, vocal performance and pedagogy programs are found in every college of music. However, in the wake of the EU Bologna Declaration, German institutions are struggling to adapt performance and pedagogy programs to bachelor’s and master’s degree structures, yet maintain traditionally high standards and international competitiveness.