About the Program

Your voice is your instrument. Take the next step to develop your sound in this five-day program with instruction in vocal technique, style, performance skills, singing with a band, group singing, and a cappella performance. Open to vocalists, singer-songwriters, and instrumentalists who sing, Vocal Summit gives you the opportunity to explore contemporary vocal music alongside other singers and musicians.

Dates: Coming soon
Check-in / Move-in: Coming soon
Move-out: Coming soon
Tuition: $1,295
Housing: $895
Registration fee: $50 (nonrefundable)

How to Enroll

This program has limited capacity. Submission of registration materials alone does not guarantee participation. You will secure your spot by paying in full.

Step 1Submit your registration
Begin by submitting your registration online. If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
Step 2Make your tuition payment
All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
Step 3Request housing
If you will be age 15 or older by the start of your Boston-based program and require on-campus accommodations, complete the Residence Hall Agreement in the Next Steps tab of your registration portal.
Step 4Complete your next steps
Visit the Next Steps section of your program to view and complete any additional requirements. Review the checklist to make sure you are on track.

Curriculum

The Vocal Summit program offers styles in pop-rock, pop and R&B, jazz, country, and musical theater. You'll select one style to study during the program and participate in several core classes throughout the week.

Solo coaching: These are small classes where singers perform solo songs with accompaniment in a master class setting. Students will be coached on interpretation, phrasing, expression, timbre, register, key selection, working with a band, count-offs, cues, cutoffs, microphone technique, and stage presence.
Ensembles: Vocal ensembles are groups of 20–40 singers directed by Berklee faculty and accompanied by a rhythm section. Each ensemble will perform one musical selection at the final concert.

Students will also select workshops to attend throughout the program. The following list of electives previously offered will give you a sense of what to expect:

Elements of Vocal Technique
Vocal Health and Wellness
Unlocking Riffs and Runs
Crafting a Sustainable Career in Music: Artistry, Business, and Beyond
Make Your Vocal Tracks Pop
Confidence Under Pressure: Owning Your Moment
Demystifying Mixed Voice
Unlock Your Songwriting Potential
Exploring Vocal Style Through Movement and Fashion
Face Music: Doing More with Beatbox
Master Class with Artist-in-Residence Ella Bric
Sing It into Being: Voice, Culture, and Creation
Ace The Audition
The Art of Reinvention
The Art of Jazz Improv: From the Classics to Contemporary Sounds
Making Melodies Mine
Social Media and Branding for Artists
Ecstatic Expressions: Vocal Distortion
Freedom Through Music and Theater

Schedule

Check out a sample schedule. Schedules are subject to change.

Each Day

8 AM–8:50 AMBreakfast
9 AM–10:50 AMEnsemble or solo coaching
11 AM–12:50 PMEnsemble or solo coaching
1 PM–1:50 PMLunch
2 PM–3 PMVisiting artist presentation
4 PM–5:50 PMWorkshops
6 PM–7:20 PMDinner
7:30 PM–8:50 PMVisiting artist concert
9:00 PM–10:20 PMOpen mics

Performance Opportunities

The program culminates in a final showcase of student ensembles. Each student will take the stage and participate in at least one ensemble.

Students also have the opportunity to perform in open mics each evening. Open mics are a great chance for students to perform in a different style than their elected style for classes.

All performances are open to friends and family.

Requirements

All students who meet the minimum age requirement and older, with six months of playing experience on electric or acoustic bass are welcome to attend.
Participants must possess a proficient level of English to enroll in this program. We do not require proof of English language proficiency (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo) as part of the enrollment or application process; however, you are expected to have a sufficient command of the English language to understand class material and assignments.
Please prepare four songs that you are confident performing, preferably from memory, for your solo coaching class. Bring four copies of a lead sheet for each song you will sing, ensuring the song is in a comfortable key for you. To learn more about converting sheet music to a lead sheet, refer to the resources below:
- How to: Music to Lead Sheet Part 1
- How to: Music to Lead Sheet Part 2
For hygiene reasons, vocalists are required to bring their own low-impedance microphone and microphone cable (XLR). If you bring a mic, please label it so it does not get lost. Review our list of instruments and gear to bring to your program in this Help Center article.

Program Directors

Cindy Scott
"I like to think that I teach beyond the realm of genre, that the methods I impart give freedom, strength, tonal control, and, most of all, expressiveness to singers to use their voices in a healthy way in whatever style they choose to perform."
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Cassandre McKinley
"Having someone speak to students honestly about those expectations, how to prepare musically (and emotionally), sets them up for a more empowered and rewarding introduction when the time comes."
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Once You’ve Enrolled

The Berklee Summer Programs Team is excited that you’ve taken the first step! Now that you’re enrolled, here’s what you need to know to be prepared before check-in, and what to expect afterward.

Please regularly check the email you used to enroll in your program for important updates. A detailed check-in email, containing information about your assigned arrival location, housing assignment (if applicable), and program schedule, will be sent one to two weeks before your program's start date.
On-campus housing is limited, and spaces will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis based on the completion of the following steps:
1. Read, sign, and submit the residence hall agreement on the registration portal.
2. The Summer Programs team will review your signed residence hall agreement within 3-5 business days. After review, we will send you an email inviting you to return to the registration portal to view your on-campus housing decision letter.
3. If your request has been approved, secure your spot by accepting your offer and paying the housing fee in full.
Important Considerations
- For students enrolled in multiple programs, please complete a separate residence hall agreement (along with the accompanying housing fee payment) for each program.
- To be eligible to request on-campus housing, a student must be 15 years of age before the start of their program.
- If a student is under the age of 18, the request for on-campus housing must be filled out by a parent/guardian, and both the student and parent/guardian must agree to all the terms and conditions.
- Applicants for Musical Theater Acting Intensive (MTAI) and Vocal/Choral Intensive (VCI) must first be offered admission and accept their offer before their residence hall agreement submission will be considered.
- Since space in our residence halls is limited, a spot in our residence halls will only be guaranteed once a student has fully registered for their chosen program and paid the program tuition in full. Any housing requests or payments made before the completion of both these steps do not ensure a guaranteed place in on-campus housing.
Learn more about housing and campus life by exploring the Help Center.
Accommodations are provided for students with documented medical needs, offering services such as academic accommodations, academic coaching, special housing arrangements, dietary adjustments, and referrals to on-campus support, including adaptive technology and tutoring.
Accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, faculty, the Office of Housing and Residential Education, a dietitian, and Accessibility Resources for Students staff. Requests for academic, housing, and dietary accommodations can be made by following the steps outlined in this Help Center article.

Access the Summer Programs Help Center

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Vocal Summit