Vocal Summit

How to Enroll

Submit your registration by May 1.* Begin by submitting your registration online(Opens in a new window). If applicable, you may need to submit additional supporting materials.
Make your tuition payment by May 1.* All programs have limited capacity, so be sure to complete your full tuition payment to reserve your space in the program.
Request housing by May 1. Students who are 15 years of age or older by the start of their Boston-based program are eligible to stay in on-campus housing. If you meet the eligibility requirements and have indicated that you would like to request on-campus housing, please revisit your registration portal(Opens in a new window) and submit a Residence Hall Agreement.

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

Curriculum

The Vocal Summit program offers styles in pop-rock, pop and R&B, jazz, 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. Electives are not yet available, but the following list of electives previously offered will give you a sense of what to expect:

Vocal Technique Overview
Improvisation for Vocalists
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Background Singing
Ace the Audition
How to Record and Mix Vocals
Voicework: Vocal Technique
Empowerment for the Emerging Artist
Learn to Beat Box
Singer-Songwriter Workshop
Soul, R&B: The Past, Present, and Future
Musical Theater Audition Techniques
Demystifying the Mix Voice

Schedule

Below is a sample of a typical day in the program.

Time	Event
8 AM–8:50 AM	Breakfast
9 AM–10:50 AM	Ensemble or solo coaching
11 AM–12:50 PM	Ensemble or solo coaching
1 PM–1:50 PM	Lunch
2 PM–3 PM	Visiting artist presentation
4 PM–5:50 PM	Workshops
6 PM–7:20 PM	Dinner
7:30 PM–8:50 PM	Visiting artist concert
9:00 PM–10:20 PM	Open mics

Schedule subject to change.

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

General Requirements

All students 15 and older with six months of singing experience 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.

Required Materials

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:

For hygiene reasons, vocalists are required to bring their own low-impedance microphone and microphone cable (XLR)(Opens in a new window). 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(Opens in a new window).

Program Directors

Cindy Scott

Program Director

Cindy Scott’s technical mastery and commitment to lyrical expression have earned her fans worldwide. She has been steeped in roots music, jazz, gospel, and Southern soul. She plays flute, guitar, and percussion, and is a composer and lyricist. Scott has lived across the southern US and in Germany, Mexico, and Hungary. She has master's degrees in both jazz performance and international business. She came to Berklee from New Orleans' rich music scene and continues to perform with A-list Big Easy musicians. She is an associate professor and the program director of Vocal Summit.
Cassandre McKinley

Assistant Program Director

Boston native Cassandre McKinley is a singer, recording artist, composer, producer, vocal coach, and educator. As an artist and singer, she channels genres ranging from soul, jazz, and blues to R&B, pop, and country, unifying them into a singular sound. This freedom from stylistic boundaries defines McKinley’s approach to making music. In her youth, McKinley studied voice, dance, and theater, and by 19, after attending Boston Conservatory, she was signed with an agent and working as an actor, singer, dancer, print model, and voiceover artist. She has five solo records, including 2006's Til Tomorrow: Remembering Marvin Gaye (Maxjazz/Mack Avenue), hailed by JazzTimes as “a rich, sensual salute,” and 2018's Dragonfly, which features the robust vocal interpretations that she'd become known for. Her music can be heard on hundreds of national and international radio stations and cable and internet music outlets, including iHeartRadio, Spotify, Pandora, and Sirius XM. Currently an associate professor of voice at Berklee College of Music and an instructor at Berklee Online, she continues to perform regularly as a solo artist and featured guest artist.

Visiting Artist

Ella Bric

Ella Bric is a Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and trumpeter, making history as the first woman to win the Latin Grammy for Producer of the Year in 2018. She has collaborated with artists like Wynton Marsalis, Alejandro Sanz, and Karol G, and was a finalist in the Rolex Mentor Protégé program with mentor Lin-Manuel Miranda. With a new conceptual album in the works, she continues to push the boundaries of contemporary music.

Once You've Enrolled

The Berklee Summer Programs Team is excited that you've taken the first step! Now that you've enrolled, here's what to know, to be sure you're prepared before and after you check in for the experience of a lifetime.

What to do first?

Important: continually check the email you used to enroll

Request on-campus housing

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:

Read, sign, and submit the residence hall agreement on the registration portal(Opens in a new window).
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(Opens in a new window) to view your on-campus housing decision letter.
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(Opens in a new window).

Request accessibility accommodations (if needed)

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(Opens in a new window).

Complete These Tasks by June

Complete the items in your Magnus Health account by June 1

We require up-to-date health information, documentation for the required immunizations(Opens in a new window) mandated by Massachusetts law, as well as conduct and consent forms for all students. Instructions on accessing your Magnus Health account will be sent via email to all registered students in mid-spring.

If you have more questions you can review our help center. Here are some articles that might be helpful:

Submit a photo for your ID by June 1

Submit placement videos

To ensure accurate class placement, we request that you create a brief video showcasing your talent. Please refer to the class placement submission form for requirements and expectations. Videos must be submitted at least two weeks before your program's start date. Late submissions may not be reviewed, potentially resulting in placement at a level that does not align with your ability. Log into the registration portal and click on the Next Steps tab to submit your placement video.

Prepare to Arrive and Check In

What to pack if you’re staying on campus

All of our on-campus residence halls follow a standard college-style layout, with each room equipped with a closet, bed, and desk for each resident.

Students staying in a Berklee residence hall should bring the following items:

Bedding (sheets, pillow, pillowcase, blanket) for an extra-long twin bed (36 inches by 80 inches)
Towels (bath towels, washcloths, hand towels, etc.)
Toiletries

We also recommend bringing the following:

Alarm clock
Clothes hangers
Earplugs
Extra spending money for snacks, drinks, or public transportation (costs for Berklee-coordinated events will be covered by the school; students are responsible for additional expenses during events)
Headphones
Laptop computer, tablet device, cell phone, etc., including chargers
Laundry detergent and quarters (coin-based laundry facilities available in every residence hall, although we recommend bringing quarters)
Plastic bin for storing snacks or food
Prescription/first-aid needs
Small refrigerator
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Umbrella
Water bottle
A fan

Items available upon request from the resident advisor's office:

Basic cleaning supplies
Games
Movies
Toilet paper (for private bathrooms)
Vacuum cleaners

The following items are not allowed in a student’s residence hall room:

Candles/incense
Weapons
Cooking appliances (hot pots, toaster ovens, grills, popcorn makers, or anything with a visible heating element, etc.)
Air conditioners
Bicycles
Futons, chairs, couches, or any other non-Berklee-issued furniture
Wall hangings
Pets (including fish)
Halogen lamps and holiday lights

Download the Guidebook app

Getting to campus, parking, and hotels nearby

Access the Summer Programs Help Center

Explore some of these top articles from the Summer Programs Help Center.