At the SOMD, we believe our graduates should be firmly rooted in fundamentals and grounded in the strength of the traditional canon, in order to grow and stretch beyond the artists who came before them. Our large, full-time, in-residence faculty foster a collaborative, dynamic laboratory in which student performers are given the tools—academic, artistic, technical, and social—to hone their craft to a professional caliber.
Ensembles at SOMD
Dylan Nguyen is a double major studying music and pre-med. He knows it takes perseverance to find ways to study one’s interests but is also aware it can lead to new discoveries and opportunities. In addition to his piano and pre-med coursework, Dylan rounds out his education and training by singing with the SOMD Chamber Choir. “Piano is, by definition, a powerful and solitary instrument that provides me with an individualized and intimate experience,” says Dylan. “Singing in a choir and playing in a chamber group allows me to experience music in a more connected and collaborative way.”
—Dylan Nguyen, ’22
Major in Music and Pre-Medicine
Travel with SOMD
Our school prioritizes national and international travel for our students. We believe that lessons learned on the road, when we encounter people from different backgrounds, builds resiliency, camaraderie, and awareness that cannot be duplicated in the classroom. As a result, each year, one or more of our ensembles tours to a different part of the country or world to participate in conferences, competitions, and festivals. In just the past few years, our students have participated in:
- The Cork International Choral Festival in Cork, Ireland
- The Tallinn International Choral Festival in Tallinn, Estonia
- The International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany
- The World Symposium on Choral Music in Barcelona, Spain
- The Montreux Jazz Festival in Lake Geneva, Switzerland
- Became the first gospel ensemble to ever make a public performance tour of The People's Republic of China.
- An Opera Tour of Costa Rica
- The Metropolitan Opera National Council District and National Auditions
- The American College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center
- The Reno Jazz Festival
- Academic track students have presented research in Germany, Sweden, Italy, China, and all over the United States and Canada.
