Has anyone been part of this program? I know that one of the founders passed on a few years back, and I'm not sure how that may have affected things. My teacher was there back in the late 70's and raves.
For anyone who may be considering auditioning or who has students who may be auditioning, I would recommend staying away from the Resident Artist Training Program at the Tri-Cities Opera, which is run in conjunciton with the Masters program at Binghamton University (State University of New York at Binghamton). While the university itself is good academically, it doesn't offer much to undergraduates. There are a couple of decent teachers, but almost no performance opportunities. For Grad students, this place "seems" like a golden opportunity. It offers a graduate degree in opera in conjunction with being a part of a small professional opera company, the Tri-Cities Opera (TCO). Unfortunately, TCO is falling apart at the seams. A few years ago, it was a fabulous place to work, but since one of the co-founders died, it has degenerated badly. They consider themselves a "resident artist training program," but there is very little training going on, and the training that does happen is often damaging to the young singers. Three young singers have quit the program in the last seven months because of the vocal and emotional abuse they underwent. Many other singers in the program are unhappy, but are waiting to leave until they are accepted somewhere else. The few singers that are happy with the program are the "favorites" who are used over and over again in roles that are often inappropriate for their voices, but these singers are too young or too desperate to know better. The only good thing to be gained by going through this program is that the singers gain the experience of having gone through a worst-case scenario. There are some excellent teachers in the Binghamton Area, and they provide some excellent performance opportunities, but they are feared and reviled by the directors at Tri-Cities opera, and anyone who studies with these "outsiders" is instantly blacklisted. I would certainly discourage any singer from subjecting themselves to this unhealthy environment.
Jake and Jill Gardner were the ones recommended when I asked in the similar thread on the CS forum. The thread is on the collegiate board. It's called Program to Stay Away From.
Jake (baritone) & Jill Bowen (lyric sop) Gardner are by far the best teachers I've ever had. I would recommend them to anyone. I gladly make a 3 hour commute to study with them. Their technique is solid: everyone in their studio has made tremendous progress. Some voices which had been called "problematic" or "defective" by past teachers are now world-class, no joke. Jake & Jill are honest & objective, and they require the same of their students. They have changed my life. I know this all sounds very glib, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. I could go on, believe me. Anyone who wants more info can post and I'll respond as soon as I can.
If you are comforatble in giving me their contact numbers, I would be intersted in getting in touch with them. I am looking into whole grad school process and being a NY State res., Binghamton seems like an idea.
Does anyone have anything to say about the grad program?
If you go to Binghamton for the opera masters program in conjunction with TCO, you should be prepared to study with their instructors. TCO, in the interest of solidarity, tells students not to go to non-affiliated teachers. It only makes sense, from a business point of view. If only this were strictly business.
They had toyed with the idea of teaching a couple days a week in NYC, but so far that hasn't come to fruition. Maybe if they knew of enough interested singers, they would make it happen!
Shantooze, could you email me with their contact? I sang with Jill in the few years I spent at TriCities and would love to work with her as a teacher...
As artists, and specifically as young artists still learning our craft, we must sometimes make tough decisions. As a former member of TCO's RATP, I am very grateful for the professional experience I gained there. I wasn't vocally "damaged", but the technique I had learned there was throaty and I was not singing as well as I could. Emotionally, I was tied in knots (which, as demonstrated in other posts on this subject, is not uncommon). I turned to the Gardners for a different technical point of view. TCO did me a big favor by _not_ casting me after my last audition for the company -- I had to look carefully at myself. When I realized that I was quickly improving with the Gardners, I left TCO and its opportunities in order to learn how to sing. And the money that I may have lost from roles that I might have sung at TCO has been more than made up for in the changes in my voice, my confidence and in my life.
Not to sermonize, but most important is to learn to trust ourselves and to be objective. Remember too that everyone's process is different -- wherever you are in yours is where you're supposed to be. Whatever you do, learn the most efficient, energized and free vocal technique you can. And sing because you love to.
Jake and Jill Gardner are phenomenal teachers. They are excellent technicians, but they also look at you as a person, and use your uniqueness as an asset. I can't recommend them enough. If you're willing to make the drive from NYC, they're worth it!
They are thinking of doing some teaching there, I think they said starting in February. I'm not sure of the details, but feel free to e-mail me if you want their contact info.
I would thoroughly appreciate if anyone could update this, since seven years have passed and I would be very curious as to whether much of this information in this very helpful (though outdated) post is still true. SUNY Binghamton and its RAP with Tri Cities don't seem to rank very highly with many people on this forum, from what I've seen, so... more details please? :-D
Oh my gosh. I wish I had read this post before I went. The person who wrote that all those years ago, very well could've been there while I was there too. It could not be any more accurate. Right down to the scoop about Jill and Jake. Please, PLEASE take heed to the original post. If you can believe it, it's worse now.
I was at Tri-Cities for two years in the 90's, the year before one of the founders passed on.
I learned a lot there... unfortunately, I learned that this was not a healthy envronment for singers. I can concur with most of the statements the previous poster made... only the "favorites" sing real roles, even when there is another singer better suited and ready for it! The emotional abuse was being heaped even then... I remember one singer who was lambasted for going home during the summer to care for her dying mother instead of staying in Binghamton and studying all summer. They took away her one role that season because she "wasn't dedicated." (Her mother did actually pass that summer, no less, and they did that after she came back!)
Most of the young singers there either figured it out quick and left or stubbornly stayed to try and prove themselves. Don't do it. There are better places out there. I had hoped that the new directors would turn this place around, but apparently it's gotten even worse.
but she does have a serious illness. But, I hear that she is very positive and is doing everything in her power to make sure the people taking care of her are doing it right. She's hoping to be back at the university next semester.
I know a tenor and a soprano who were involved with it up until last year. He did OK, but she got her voice messed up pretty badly with some bad teaching, and so they've exited that affiliation.
I sang with Tri-Cities for several years, a few years ago. Peter is a bass. I haven't heard him in some time but he was a very fine bass. Last I heard he's been pretty busy with directing for TCO so I don't know if he's still singing or not...I hope so.
He is the same person. And what concerns me is that he's listed at TriCities as voice instructor. I worked with him for four years and spent the next six undoing the damage. Grrrrr. I'm not sure if he is still performing with them or not.
You're no the only one who had to undo vocal damage
October 1 2002, 1:56 PM
While I was there, several students complained of being hoarse at the end of every lesson. I spent about 8 months undoing the damage, personally. (Not physical damage, thankfully, but undoing poor technique.)
Run, don't walk in the other direction, then run farther! Terrible place to be, one of the most abusive disrespectful groups I have ever been apart of. I felt more respected working minimum wage jobs to pay the bills than I did there. The conductor is an alcoholic and shows up drunk to rehearsals and often drinks during coachings which are at his smoke filled apartment. Peter Sicilian is a good teacher, he may not have been great years ago, but he is the only redeeming quality and really does produce results vocally. I would still take a lesson with him even now. Peyton is old and basically retired. When he does show up he tends to be abusive and does force the singers to sing in ways that hurt their throats. The performers are treated poorly and paid even worse. They are often forced to perform for free in small one act operas and from what I heard, even in a partially staged opera gala last year.
I thought it was all just people blowing off steam, but its VERY true.
