Voice Department

Voice Department Information

As a voice student at WCMS, there are numerous opportunities to participate in recitals, workshops, and special events. In addition to the Voice Department events listed below, there are additional events open to all WCMS students as well as events for Adult Learners (see our event calendar for more details). WCMS offers private voice lessons (ages 10+) and Eurhythmics + Singing class for children (ages 5-9), plus a number of ensembles and bands that welcome vocalists.

This webpage includes guidelines for the current school year’s voice events, plus general policies regarding repertoire and preparation.

Event Guidelines for 2024-2025 School Year

All event details are subject to change. Please check our event calendar for updates and registration links as well as all-school performance and learning opportunities.

Voice Master Classes with Maggie Finnegan
Saturday, September 28, 2024
2:00–3:15 PM (youth); 3:30–4:45 PM (adults)

Dress: Casual
Registration required to perform; all WCMS voice students are invited to observe

Broadway On Highland
Friday, October 18, 2024
7:30 PM (performer run-throughs at 6:30 PM)

Open to WCMS singers, staff, and their students only. Their invited guests are warmly welcomed to join the audience.
Singers must bring two copies of their music which are back-to-back copied, legible and complete, hole punched and binder ready. No loose sheets.
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual; no costumes
No advance registration required

Broadway On Highland
Friday, December 6, 2024
7:30 PM (performer run-throughs at 6:30 PM)

Open to WCMS singers, staff, and their students only. Their invited guests are warmly welcomed to join the audience.
Singers must bring two copies of their music which are back-to-back copied, legible and complete, hole punched and binder ready. No loose sheets.
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual; no costumes
No advance registration required

Voice Department Pop Concert—Adult
Friday, February 7, 2025
7:30 PM (sound check at 6:30 PM)

Participation is by teacher recommendation
Singers must get teacher approval for song choice and provide an mp3 file from karaokeversion.com or a file converted from a CD or professional recording. No Apple or YouTube sound files are acceptable.
Songs must be 5 minutes or under
Singers may use lyric sheets; no sheet music
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual
No advance registration required

Voice Honors Concert
Saturday, March 1, 2025
3:30 PM (2:30 PM dress rehearsal)

Participation is by teacher nomination
Singers perform a group number with music provided plus one selection of their choice in any genre with piano accompaniment. Students may accompany themselves on a secondary instrument.
Music submission deadlines are firm; music submitted must be clean, legible, and complete
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress suggested to be appropriate to the genre: Dressy
No advance registration required

Broadway On Highland
Friday, March 21, 2025
7:30 PM (performer run-throughs at 6:30 PM)

Open to WCMS singers, staff, and their students only. Their invited guests are warmly welcomed to join the audience.
Singers must bring two copies of their music which are back-to-back copied, legible and complete, hole punched and binder ready. No loose sheets
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual; no costumes
No advance registration required

Broadway On Highland
Friday, May 16, 2025
7:30 PM (performer run-throughs at 6:30 PM)

Open to WCMS singers, staff, and their students only. Their invited guests are warmly welcomed to join the audience.
Singers must bring two copies of their music which are back-to-back copied, legible and complete, hole punched and binder ready. No loose sheets
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual; no costumes
No advance registration required

Art Songs and Arias Recitals
Sunday, May 18, 2025
1:00 PM run-through for all participants
3:00 PM (youth recital); 4:30 PM (adult recital)

Participation is by teacher invitation
Singers perform a group number with music provided plus one classical selection of their choice with piano accompaniment
Music submission deadlines are firm; music submitted must be clean, legible, and complete
Dress suggested to be appropriate to the genre: Dressy
No advance registration required

Voice Department Pop Concert—Youth
Friday, June 13, 2025
7:30 PM (sound check at 6:30 PM)

Participation is by teacher recommendation
Singers must get teacher approval for song choice and provide an mp3 file from karaokeversion.com or a file onverted from a CD, or professional recording. No Apple or YouTube sound files are acceptable.
Songs must be 5 minutes or under
Singers may use lyric sheets; no sheet music
Lyrics must be family-friendly and conform to our Repertoire Policy (below)
Dress is casual
No advance registration required

general department guidelines

Repertoire Policy
Consistent with WCMS’s Code of Respect, fostering a welcoming environment for everyone is part of our promise to the community. Songs with vulgar language, sexually explicit/adult content, any form of racism or violence including gender violence, ageism, ableism, sizeism, lyrics that glorify drug or alcohol use, or songs with music videos that violate our guidelines are not suitable for public performance. Clean versions of explicit material should not be used. WCMS supports gender diversity in song selection; students are welcome to choose repertoire from across the gender spectrum. Please do your due diligence to ensure that lyrics are family-friendly.

Sheet Music Guidelines
All sheet music being provided to an accompanist or submitted to the front office must be organized as if you are preparing for an audition.

It should be clean and complete, with no missing staves or notes on the top, sides, or bottom.
Any marks should be the ones you are using during your performance. If you are adding marks, make them clear.
Music being scanned should be sent as a PDF file. It can be challenging to get straight scans, but a great feeling when you master that skill!
Always bring two copies of sheet music to a rehearsal: one for the accompanist and one for yourself (even if you’ve memorized your music) so that you and the accompanist can quickly refer to the same score if you need to go over something. Do not bring lyric sheets to a rehearsal.
The sheet music for the accompanist should be double-sided or taped back-to-back, and hole-punched for easy binder insertion. Do not submit music which is stapled or in plastic sleeves.

Tips for Performances

Bring your music in a binder. Loose sheets can fall off a music stand and they have a very sneaky way of suddenly appearing upside down or out of order!
Do not bring lyric sheets to any performance where you are performing with an accompanist.

Ask Your Teacher

Rely on your teacher for help in preparing your music. Remember that the care you take to properly submit your music translates into smoother rehearsals and performances. It is also a sign of respect to the Art of Singing!

Ask the Office Staff

Our office staff is also happy to help you when you are submitting music for accompanists!

departmental information

Voice Department Information

Event Guidelines for 2024-2025 School Year

general department guidelines

Enrollment Resources

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