Voice Studies Overview
Give your talent a voice. Develop the technique and understanding to create compelling sounds in classical, jazz, or popular vocal genres. Delivered by a highly distinguished cadre of studio teachers, Voice Studies at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music offers peerless training, extraordinary performance opportunities, and rewarding interactions with major international guest artists.
Expect Inspiration
Learn
Voice Studies Students explore vocal performance, vocal pedagogy, opera, and historical performance in small classes taught by singing professionals with noteworthy records of national and international achievement. While students focus on the songs, chamber works, choral music, and opera of the classical repertoire, they also have options for studying a diverse range of other genres, including jazz, musical theatre, and popular music.
Perform
Performance figures prominently in the Voice Studies experience. All students, including those in Interdisciplinary Music Studies, have ample opportunities to perform in curricular and co-curricular events involving other vocal and instrumental areas. In addition to the lectures, masterclasses, and roundtable discussions conducted by faculty and distinguished visitors, student concerts contribute fundamentally to the busy “Singing Year” noon-hour series held every Tuesday throughout the school year. The Collaborative Piano program provides further opportunities to perform, as does Voice Studies’ significant contribution to the annual Musical Theatre concert at Hart House Theatre.
Participate
A number of voice-oriented clubs provide students with gratifying options for getting involved. They include Music Faculty clubs, clubs associated with Hart House, and the Student National Association of Teachers of Singing (SNATS).
Programs
Join Excellence
Strengths
U of T Voice Studies is widely recognized for the strength of its faculty and the quality and range of its undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. Every year its reputation attracts visits from world-renowned professional singers who perform, lecture, and engage with students in interactive masterclasses. Past visitors have included Denyce Graves, Jessye Norman, Eric Owens, Joyce DiDonato, Graham Johnson, Patricia Caicedo, and Margo Garrett.
Breadth and Diversity
Voice Studies’ breadth extends to a voice-teaching Pedagogy Program at the forefront of the field. A requirement that all juries and recitals present music by underrepresented composers, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour (BIPOC), manifests its commitment to diversity.
Access Opportunity
Studying voice in North America’s fourth largest city comes with numerous benefits. The home of major opera companies, symphony orchestras, choirs, and ensembles, Toronto provides endless opportunities for attending voice-oriented concerts. It also offers students significant opportunities to perform in public, sometimes in a paid professional capacity. Voice Studies regularly hosts events at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church, the Centre for Faith, Justice and the Arts, Heliconian Hall, and the Canadian Music Centre. Voice Studies students often perform as paid section leads in community and professional choirs.
Upcoming Events
– Ian GillisThe student’s experience at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music is one characterized by a distinct sense of community. Established on a foundation of unparalleled instruction and personal support, the hallmark which sets it truly apart is the invaluable connections it provides by way of instructors, peers, and industry professionals. Located in the cultural centre of Canada, there is truly no other community of artists like it in the country.
Bachelor of Music in Performance 2025 - Voice
– Dimitra KahrimanidisStudying at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music has been a truly transformative experience. The faculty's exceptional instructors, diverse course offerings, and state-of-the-art facilities have helped me grow both as a musician and as a person. The opportunity to perform with talented peers, attend masterclasses with renowned artists, and engage in enriching discussions with musicologists has broadened my musical understanding and inspired me to reach new heights. The UofT Music community's warmth, support, and passion for music have made me feel at home, and I am forever grateful for the skills, knowledge, and memories I've gained during my time here.
Bachelor of Music 2024 - Music Education (Voice)
Have a question?
Contact our Voice Studies Area Head for more information about our Voice Studies area and programs.