Under the guidance of esteemed faculty including Tony Arnold, Kayo Iwama, Gil Kalish, Randall Scarlata, Dawn Upshaw, and more, the Vocal Arts Program offers singers diverse and meaningful performance projects in song, chamber, orchestral, and operatic repertoire. Repertoire may span from as early as the Renaissance to the newest music of today. 

"Only in looking back do I really understand the indispensable nature of the Tanglewood Music Center, which offers an experience unlike any other. One is pushed beyond one's comfort zone, while the faculty is thoughtful of all that goes into the development of young performers — not just vocally and musically, but as artists, colleagues, and humans. This environment enables one to take risks at a level that is new and freeing."

- Elena Villalón, Soprano (TMC '19)

2027 Vocal Program

Vocal Concerts and Chamber Music

Fellows perform in vocal concerts featuring music from the central canon and beyond, coached by esteemed faculty members. Each season also includes a concert for small vocal ensembles, allowing Fellows to explore a range of music from Orlando di Lasso to Caroline Shaw. 

Vocal Fellows perform chamber music with the TMC's Instrumental Fellows from both the standard and contemporary repertoire, coached by the TMC's world-class faculty and presented on concerts in acclaimed venues including Seiji Ozawa Hall and the Linde Center for Music and Learning. 

TMCO Opera Project

A highlight of each summer is the opera project with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra (TMCO). The opera project is prepared over multiple weeks of faculty-led rehearsals before the first rehearsals with the TMCO. In 2027, this project will be a concert performance of Francis Poulenc’s Les mamelles de Tirésias. 

Other recent opera projects include an evening of scenes from American opera, a performance of Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortileges, a night of Mozart opera scenes, and the U.S. premiere of George Benjamin’s Lessons in Love and Violence, under the direction of the composer.

Studio Classes and Vocal Workshops

The Vocal Arts Program is anchored by twice-weekly Studio Classes led by faculty member Randall Scarlata. These classes allow Fellows to dig into technique, interpretation, diction, and collaborative skills. Fellows largely create the pace of these classes, based on their needs. Topics regularly explored include operatic and oratorio repertoire, song repertoire in all languages, and music from the Great American Songbook. 

Fellows also have opportunities to perform in Vocal Workshops with resident faculty and major artists visiting the BSO. Recent examples include classes with Stephanie Blythe, Nicole Cabell, William Christie, Renée Fleming, and Erin Morley. Some workshops are private classes, while others are open to the public. 

New Music and Special Projects

The study of contemporary music is a central part of the TMC Vocal Program. Vocal Fellows participate in world-premieres of TMC-commissioned works and performances during the internationally-renowned Festival of Contemporary Music. Fellows also engage in special projects throughout the summer, with recent examples including explorations of music by Charles Ives (in 2026, with Gil Kalish), Bach (in 2025, with Harry Christophers and The Sixteen) and John Cage's Songbooks.

Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra

Some seasons include opportunities for Vocal Fellows to be featured performers with the TMC Orchestra, led by TMC Conducting Fellows, guest conductors, or in some cases, Boston Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andris Nelsons.