Session 2

Musical and Vocal Arts

Find Your Voice

The Musical and Vocal Arts program offers an enriching, immersive singing-and-theatre experience housed in the oldest Music Conservatory on the U.S. West Coast. Alongside individual voice instruction and musicianship training, students receive focused acting, movement, and dance work鈥攕cene study, character development, ensemble storytelling, and audition technique鈥攕o they learn to command the stage as well as the score.
Attendees will dive into the best of choral singing, solo vocal study, and musical theatre, rehearsing scenes and production numbers from classic and contemporary shows. The experience culminates in a dynamic performance showcase featuring staged choral works, polished solo turns, and fully blocked musical-theatre highlights.

Curriculum

The Musical and Vocal Arts program is intended for students who sing in their school choir and/or musical theatre ensemble and are interested in singing Solo Voice, Choral Music, and/or Musical Theatre repertoire at the Summer High School Institute. In 2026, this program is a reimagined synthesis of previous years鈥� Musical Theatre Workshop and Choir programs.

Participants will be able to demonstrate:

  • Knowledge of healthy vocal pedagogy
  • Expressive, thoughtful, and varied ensemble singing
  • Informed and thoughtful expressive choices in both acting and singing
  • Basic dance techniques
  • Synthesizing musical and dramatic skills into a meaningful performance
student singing on stage
Planned Topics

Planned Topics include:

  • Choir Rehearsals & Sectionals
  • Musicianship/Artistry Development
  • Vocal Instruction & Coaching
  • Acting & Staging Techniques
  • Dance Training
     
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Dr. Brian Epperson
Faculty Lead
Dr. Brian Epperson

Assistant Professor of Choral Conducting

PhD, Florida State University
MM, Michigan State University
BA, Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)

Epperson is new Director of Choral Activities within the Conservatory of Music.  He is also active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and collaborative keyboardist, with appearances across the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Kenya and Mexico. In June of 2025, Epperson traveled to Japan as a featured conductor as part of AVoice4Peace choral festival. As a vocalist, he has sung with Grammy Award-nominated choral ensembles and has been a featured soloist in choral-orchestral performances across the Midwest and South. Galaxy Music Corporation released his first published composition, 鈥淒a pacem Domine,鈥� in 2022.

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