A woman in a blue dress sings passionately in a dimly lit room. A man sits at a piano, playing music. A stained glass-style banner with the word 'LOVE' hangs on the wall, and an exit sign is visible in the background.

NJ

VOCAL

INTENSIVE

Welcome to Burke Music Academy’s New Jersey Vocal Intensive. BMA’s Free Tuition Weekend Vocal Intensive program is curated for advanced vocalists seeking to refine their craft and deepen their artistic voice. Taking place in Jersey City, NJ, this intensive offers a powerful opportunity for growth through focused training, creative exploration, and connection with seasoned professionals. Participants will engage in conservatory-level vocal coaching, masterclasses with industry leading professionals, a body-mind connection movement class, a faculty recital, career-building Q & A, and a final public participant recital —all designed to strengthen both skill and confidence. Whether you're preparing for major auditions or pursuing your next artistic breakthrough, this experience is crafted to help you grow into the artist you’re meant to be.

JUNE 27th-29th, 2025

Group A:Ages 7-12

&

Group B:Ages 13-20

Free Tuition

Hosted at Grace Church Van Vorst

39 Erie Street Jersey City, New Jersey 07302

Free Application Deadline: June 1st

(Limited Spots)

2025 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

  • Performers on stage with a camera operator filming.

    Participant Recital

    Directed by BMA faculty, participants will showcase their talents in an all-encompassing final recital. This performance will provide a platform for participants to display their refined vocal skills and dynamic stage presence.

  • Two people engaged in conversation on stage.

    Masterclasses with Industry-Leading Teachers:

    Engage in exclusive masterclasses led by renowned artists from The Metropolitan Opera, The Book of Mormon, Chicago Lyric Opera and vocal instructors at the forefront of major US conservatories. Tailored for advanced singers, these sessions offer personalized guidance and expert insights to elevate your vocal prowess.

  • Optional Voice Lessons:

    Sharpen your vocal skills with a one-on-one voice lesson led by our expert faculty. Designed for advanced participants, these lessons focus on advanced techniques, expanding vocal range, and perfecting the nuances of performance. $100 dollar faculty fee for non-BMA enrolled participants.

  • Group yoga class participants stretching on mats indoors.

    Yoga and Movement Classes:

    Find balance and enhance your physical awareness with specialized yoga and movement classes. Designed to complement the demands of vocal performance, these sessions contribute to your overall well-being and stage presence.

  • Silhouette of a person taking a photo in front of a stage with two seated performers, one man in a suit and one woman in a red dress, with a blue-lit background and string lights.

    Acting Classes:

    Elevate your stagecraft and storytelling with dedicated acting classes. Advanced singers will delve into nuanced techniques to authentically convey emotion, ensuring captivating and immersive performances.

  • Audience seated, taking notes, reading a book.

    De-mystifying Artist Discussions

    In small groups, participants will engage in candid discussions with our guest faculty on topics including: Performance Anxiety, Building a Resume, The realities of being a Working Musician, Collaborating, Finding Professional Opportunities, Auditions, How to Market Oneself, and so much more.

Person smiling in front of a microphone, wearing a floral tank top and red pants, indoors. Burke Music Academy concert.
Group of people clapping in a room with an American flag in the background, standing near pews.

ABOUT

Hosted at Grace Church Van Vorst in Jersey City, NJ the BMA Vocal Intensive is designed for students ages 7-20 to nurture each person’s musical abilities while also developing a range of interpersonal skills. Students will be divided into Sessions A & B and then into smaller groups by age. Under the guidance of experienced professionals from the world of performing arts, students will embark on a transformative experience that goes beyond the stage. 

At the heart of our program is an emphasis on each student’s individual voice and style. Through vocal lessons, professional coaching, and hands-on performance opportunities, students will not only refine their musical talent but also gain confidence and share their art with the world. This confidence, cultivated in our academy’s safe and supportive environment, will empower them to navigate the challenges of the performing arts and those of everyday life. 

Beyond technical skills, our curriculum includes masterclasses and seminars focusing on emotional expression, stage presence, and the art of storytelling through music. These sessions, led by leading music educators and teaching artists will inspire our students to delve deeper into their creative potential, encouraging personal as well as musical growth. 

Directed by Burke Music Academy Faculty, participants will perform in their own recital at the end of the program. BMA faculty will offer vocal lessons, acting workshops, body-mind connection movement workshops, and masterclasses.

BMA’s Vocal Intensive is more than a weekend activity; it's a life-changing experience. It promises not just skill enhancement but a welcoming environment where participants can form meaningful connections and experience the joy of making music together.

FACULTY PREVIEW

  • Samantha Burke

    Samantha Burke

    BMA General Director

  • Sophia Alm

    Sophia Alm

    BMA Administrative Assistant

  • Jarius Miquel Cliett

    Jarius Miquel Cliett

    The Book of Mormon & Guest Faculty

  • Lynnesha Crump

    Lynnesha Crump

    Grammy Award Winning & BMA Guest Voice Faculty

  • DR. JOHNNIE Felder

    Dr. Johnnie Felder

    USC & BMA Guest Voice Faculty

How to Apply

Person standing in a church setting near a podium, with a stained glass window in the background and a piano on the left.

AUDITION REQUIREMENTS

  • All singers should upload a song from the Opera, musical theater, jazz, or art song repertoire

  • Video recordings should be recorded during the last year and must not contain any audio edits.

    • Video Solos and Excerpts can be in different links and takes. Please make sure video links are not set to private.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

  • Video Audition Submission: June 1st, 2025

  • Students will be notified by: June 10th, 2025

TUITION AND FEES

Application Fee: Free

Date: June 27th-29th, 2025

Tuition: Free Tuition

$100 optional voice lesson fee with industry leading faculty

BMA students who are currently enrolled will not pay $100 dollar lesson fee.

  • Our intensive is specially curated to meet the technical, emotional, and practical needs of highly motivated and talented singers. This is a place to challenge, grow, and create…not a place where perfection is the priority. We believe that students deserve to leave better than they arrived because of the amount of autonomy they have over curating their performance experiences, honest and candid discussions about the realities of being an artist in the 21st century with leading professionals, and the complete support that BMA faculty gives to individual students.

  • BMA Summer Vocal Intensive faculty and staff represent some of the finest experts in the industry and are selected based on artistic merit and eagerness to work with young musicians. Participants can expect to work with renowned vocal experts from the world's leading institutions including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Manhattan School of Music, University of South Carolina, The Book of Mormon among others.

  • FREE APPLICATION

    NJ Weekend Vocal Intensive Workshop is free (with limited spots). Participants have the option to schedule a 1-hour $100 lesson fee with one of our industry-leading faculty members. BMA students who are enrolled will not pay for their 1-hour lesson.

    Application Fee: Free

    Program Dates: June 27th-29th, 2025

  • Our vocal faculty and staff prepare students as if they are participants in a top-tier young artist program. In order to ensure everyone receives proper time and attention, unprepared singers may lose their opportunity to perform in their assigned masterclass or recital.

    This allows the staff to focus on bringing out the highest level of artistry from every singer in the program instead of granting extra time to unprepared singers to make them “performance ready.”

  • Lunches are not provided, but lunch breaks are scheduled for Saturday June 28th. BMA will provide snacks for participants throughout the program on June 27th and June 28th.

    If you have food allergies please email us directly at info@burkemusicacademy.com.

  • (Day 1 Friday June 27th, 2025)

    2-3pm: Faculty/Staff Check in and set up

    4-5pm: Student Check in & Welcome Everyone

    5:30-6:45: Hone Masterclass 1 (Group A 7-12) (select students have private lessons or rehearsal with pianists)

    6:30-6:45: Break

    7-8pm: Faculty Recital

    (Day 2 Saturday June 28th, 2025)

    10am:10:30am- Check in & Welcome Everyone

    10:30am-11:45pm: Group A: Acting, Group B: Movement

    12:00pm-1:00pm: Students break for lunch

    1:15pm-2:30pm: Group A: Movement, Group B: Acting

    2:30 pm-5:00 pm: Groups B: Hone Masterclass 2 & Q&A, (select students have private lessons or rehearsal with pianists)

    (Day 3 June 29th, 2025)

    2-2:30pm: Student Check in & Welcome Everyone

    3pm-5pm: Student Recital

  • Chaperons are not required, but invited to group masterclasses. BMA faculty and staff will be available to supervise participants.

Frequently Asked Questions

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

Burke Music Academy’s New Jersey Vocal Intensive admits students of any race, color, creed, sex, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, family responsibility, national origin, ancestry, handicap, or religion to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students during the intensive. It does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs or any other Institute-administered programs.