Blair’s Vocal Music program provides students with a complete musical experience through performance and academic study.
Students have the opportunity to join a choral ensemble and/or take private voice lessons. Through both courses of study, students learn sight-singing skills, improve their musicianship and develop their vocal technique. All levels of experience are welcome!
Katy Hylton, director of choral music, holds a master of music degree in choral conducting from the Eastman School of Music and a bachelor of science degree in music composition and theory from Hofstra University. While at Eastman, she served as director of the Eastman Repertory Singers and was a teaching assistant for the University of Rochester Women’s Chorus. At Hofstra, Ms. Hylton served as assistant director of the Hofstra University Chamber Singers and the Hofstra University Chorale.
Questions?
For more information about performing arts at Blair, or if you are interested in bringing a group to the Blair stage, please contact Ms. Hylton at (908) 362-6121, ext. 5670.
The Blair Academy Singers is the School’s main performing choral ensemble, comprised of both male and female students from all grades and musical backgrounds.
The choir sings a wide variety of choral repertoire, from traditional folk tunes to contemporary Broadway songs to 18th-century classical a cappella works. Students make a year-long commitment to the group, as they rehearse during the class day (four times per week) throughout the fall and spring semesters, and perform at various school-wide events throughout the year.
The Singers represent the best of choral music at Blair Academy. In addition to providing music for School events such as Convocation, Christmas Vespers and Baccalaureate, the Singers attend workshops with guest musicians at Blair and at off-campus venues. In recent years, the Singers has traveled to Quebec, New England and California for performances. The Blair Academy Singers have released two CD recordings, “Canticum Novum” (2001) and “Gloria” (2003).
If you are interested in becoming a Blair Academy Singers patron, please contact Blair's Advancement Office. 
Blair students can take private lessons on a wide variety of instruments, as well as for voice.
Private voice lessons are open to all students, with a range of previous training. Students new to singing are welcome to begin their vocal music experience through private lessons. Those singers with more experience will find that lessons challenge them to learn new singing techniques, undertake new genres and languages, and raise their skill level in sight-singing.
In addition to private lessons, students are annually given the opportunity to participate in master classes with professional vocalists. To read more about the spring 2012 master class, click here.
Private lessons meet once per-week during the class day for one hour. A full year of lessons, successfully completed, may substitute for one-half of the junior/senior art requirement, although no credit will be granted.
Instruments & Instructors
- Violin – Branislav Svitek
- Cello – Semyon Fridman
- Flute – Jennifer Pagotto
- Clarinet – Nelson Hill
- Saxophone – Nelson Hill
- Trumpet, Low Brass – Chris McMillan
- Voice – Katy Hylton
- Guitar – Spencer Reed
- Electric Bass – Spencer Reed
- Percussion – Marc Thomas
- Piano – Jennifer Pagotto, Tsukasa Waltich and Rachel Hosterman