The six-week Young Artists Vocal Program (YAVP), under the direction of Penelope Bitzas, BU Associate Professor of Music, nurtures and encourages the development of gifted young singers who wish to pursue professional studies and performance. The intensive and comprehensive curriculum is based on a conservatory model of training: one that develops all the essentials for healthy vocal technique, sensitive and informed musicianship, and convincing performance.
Individual lessons and coachings to focus on technique, interpretation, and musicianship
Academic classes through the lens of a singer in diction and IPA, music theory, music history, movement/acting, and performance skills
Masterclasses and guest lectures
College and career prep seminars aimed at building portfolios, preparing for auditions, and other skills necessary to excel in the field
Electives in health and wellness and more
Performance opportunities
Boston University transferable course credit
*The Young Artists Vocal Program is open to high school students who have not yet begun full-time college or conservatory study.
Please note: 2025 program dates, lengths, and locations subject to change due to extenuating circumstances.
Audio Clips
Faculty
Faculty and guest artists are subject to change. Additional faculty will be added.
BRAHMS Liebeslieder Waltzer, Op. 52
DURUFLE Ubi Caritas
ESMAIL Even After All This Time GARRETT Sing Out My Soul HAGENBERG O Love JAGODA Kerida POWELL Arise Beloved QUICK Loch Lomond
RIST The Garden of Union/The King Who Stole My Heart WHITACRE 5 Hebrew Love Songs – mvt. 2 Kalá Kallá
Past Seasons
2023 Season
CRELLIN Day of Fire and Sun
DELLO JOIO A Jubilant Song
HAGENBERG Measure Me Sky
KESSELMAN Ad Amore
QUARTEL In Time of Silver Rain
TAKACH Afka Hooyo
TICHELI Earth Song
VAUGHAN-WILLIAMS Serenade to Music
YOON Arirang (Korean Folk Song)
2022 Season
BRAHMS O Schöne Nacht
DE ZESPEDES arr. ROGERS Convivando esta la noche (TTBB)
FORREST The Sun Never Says
KIRCHNER Sweet Rivers
LARSEN Missa Gaia: Mass for the Earth
POWELL I Dream A World
SHATIN Adonai Roi
SHAW And the Swallow
TAKACH Afka Hooyo
YI Thinking of My Home
2020 Season
Not performed due to COVID-19 cancelation
AMLIN Time’s Caravan
BETINIS Selections from From Behind the Caravan: Songs of Hâfez
CHILDS Where Your Bare Foot Walks
ELDER In Your Light from Three Themes of Light and Love
PAULUS I Cannot Dance O Lord
POWELL The Word Was God
RAMOS O Magnum Mysterium
RIST The Garden of Union / The King Who Stole My Heart
TAKACH Afka Hooyo
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Selections from Five Mystical Songs
2019 Season
ORFF Carmina Burana
2018 Season
BERNSTEIN “Almighty Father” From Mass
BERNSTEIN “Choral Warmup” from Mass
BOULANGER “Hymne au Soleil”
COPLAND “Stomp Your Foot” from The Tender Land
RACHMANINOFF “Bogoroditse Devo”
ROSSINI “Il Carnevale di Venezia”
THOMPSON “Have Ye Not Known? Ye Shall Have a Song”
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS “Antiphon” from Five Mystical Songs
WILLIAMS “Call of the Champions”
WILLIAMS “Dry Your Tears Afrika” from Amistad
WILLIAMS “Duel of the Fates” from Star Wars
2017 Season
CORIGLIANO “Fern Hill” with soloist Ellie Jarrett Shattles, mezzo-soprano
DOVE “Ring Out, Wild Bells”
EŠENVALDS “Stars”
GJEILO “Tundra”
HARRIS selections fromShakespeare Songs
LARSEN A Creeley Collection
LAURIDSEN selections from Madrigali. Six ‘Fire Songs’ on Italian Renaissance Poems
QUICK “Loch Lomond”
RAHMAN/SPERRY “Jai Ho”
SPENCER “At the Round Earth’s Imagined Corners”
2016 Season
BERNSTEIN “Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide
DELLO JOIO “Song of the Open Road”
HANDEL “Zadok the Priest”
HAYDN “The Heavens are Telling” from The Creation
MERWE “Ukuthula”
O’REGAN “From Heaven Distilled a Clemency” from Triptych
TICHELI “Earth Song”
VERDI “Va Pensiero” from Nabucco
WILBERG “El Vito”
2015 Season
BERNSTEIN Chichester Psalms (with the BUTI Young Artists Orchestra)
BIEBL “Ave Maria”
DOVE “Ring Out, Wild Bells”
IVES New England Holidays (with the Tanglewood Music Center)
MAHLER Symphony No. 8 (Knabenchor sections with the Tanglewood Music Center)
MENDELSSOHN “Heilig” from Deutsche Messe
POULENC Quatre petites prières de Saint François d’Assise
RAUTAVAARA “Suite” de Lorca
ROSSINI “I Gondolieri”
SULLIVAN Finale from The Gondoliers
2014 Season
COPLAND Old American Songs (selections)
COPLAND “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land
The total cost of attending BUTI is based on the total number of weeks in attendance (even if attending more than one program). Find more detailed information here.
Scholarships are awarded based on merit and/or financial need in combination with enrollment needs. Any student applying for scholarship must complete the scholarship section of the admissions application, even if only applying for a merit-based award (the scholarship application is found within the digital admissions application). Students will be notified of any potential scholarship assistance with their admission decision. Learn more about scholarships at BUTI.