Vocal Program

The Vocal Music Program at Valencia offers opportunities for all singers.  For the performance minded singer there are numerous ensembles in which to take part, as well as private voice instruction.  Solo opportunities are possible through audition within the ensembles.  Year after year our vocalists make a strong showing at any number of vocal competitions and auditions.  Our singers can be seen and heard in many of the local performing organizations, including the Orlando Opera Company Chorus, Orlando Shakespeare Theatre, and Orlando Youth Theatre, as well as the various on-campus musical and theatre productions. Our number one goal is to prepare our singers for a 4-year program.  The strong emphasis we place on building repertoire has enabled our students to go onto the school of their choice, more fully prepared in terms of their overall musicianship.  If, however, you are a singer who wishes, simply, to improve your skills and to be a part of some wonderful ensembles then we want you as well.  We have plenty of students who join the Valencia Singers or the Contemporary Ensemble in order to keep singing, but with no real plans to become a performing artist or even to pursue a degree in music.  Please consider joining any of these fine groups for the sheer joy of making music with others. 

Applied Lessons

Private lessons for music majors and minors in voice are available.  Private voice students are often encouraged to participate in the local NATS Vocal Competition (National Association of Teachers of Singing) along with other appropriate vocal competitions.  Our students consistently win in the many different categories of the NATS Competition (see Big News for details on this year's NATS competition).  We also have vocal soloists winning at the yearly Winter Symposium sponsored by the Florida Community College Activity Association (FCCAA) Big News.  Students of Musical Theatre are encouraged to take advantage of voice lessons as well and a separate set of repertoire requirements has been created with the Musical Theatre voice in mind.  Multiple credit course.  Prerequisite: Audition by appropriate faculty

Valencia Singers

This is a select performing group conducted by Mr. Alan Gerber, which was established for music majors and/or students with experience in choral singing and music-reading ability.  A wide variety of choral literature is studied and public performances are stressed.  Students are given opportunities to audition for solos and are encouraged to try their hand at conducting the ensemble.  Some of the beautiful music they have performed in the past has included: Vivaldi's Gloria, Vaughn-Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes and this semester they perform the exciting Coronation Mass by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, for Valencia's 40th Anniversary Celebration on April. 8th, when they will join forces with the Valencia Symphonic Band (see East Campus Music - Valencia Community College).  This is a multiple credit course and may be repeated for credit, but grade forgiveness cannot be applied.  Prerequisite:  Open by audition to all students

Contemporary Ensemble

The Contemporary Ensemble is a choral/dance ensemble that performs choreographed selections from popular Broadway musical and jazz repertoire such as Hairspray, Chicago, Rent, Guys and Dolls, Avenue Q, Wicked, Jekyll and Hyde, Grease and Phantom of the Opera, as well as medleys from the 60s, 70s and 80s.  Performances by this ensemble are often costumed and students are frequently given the opportunity to assist in choreographing select pieces. This group often performs off-campus to entertain at other venues.  Prerequisite: Open by audition to all students

Opera-Theatre Workshop

This course is unique in that most Community Colleges do not offer any sort of opera workshop for its students.  Created and directed by Carla DelVillaggio, this class encompasses training in acting for the singer, working as part of an ensemble, stage and performance techniques, and knowledge of voice-appropriate repertoire.  It is a complete group effort that culiminates in a staged and costumed performance of scenes and excerpts at the end of the semester.  Students are given opportunities to choreograph and stage some scenes, others help out with costumes, staging and props, and some are involved in working as stage crew in addition to their performance assignments.  Performances in the past have included scenes from such operas as: The Magic Flute, Lakme', Cosi fan Tutte, The Student Prince, Porgy and Bess, The Marriage of Figaro, Street Scene, and Die Fledermaus among others.  Musical theatre scenes have included: West Side Story, Falsettos, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Aida, Spring Awakening, Sweeney Todd, South Pacific, Man of La Mancha, Legally Blonde, Company and Guys and Dolls, to name but a few.  Prerequisite: Open by audition only to all students.   

This semester the group will perform Act II of J. Strauss' Die Fledermaus, as well as excerpts from "Curtains", "Jekyll and Hyde", "West Side Story", "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying", "Rocky Horror Picture Show", and "Avenue Q"...to name a FEW!

Voices of Valencia

Valencia Chorale