The Department - The Directors - The Ensembles

The Vocal Department at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts helps prepare students for post-graduate vocal studies. The program curriculum includes courses in vocal technique, diction, keyboard, music theory, music history, AP Music Theory, songwriting, electronic music production, studio recording, choral conducting, and jazz history. Students can specialize in either classical vocal performance or a contemporary songwriting track. They are placed in one or more large choral ensembles that include Chamber Choir, Chorale, Treble Choir, and Men's Chorale. There are opportunities to audition for our two specialized vocal ensembles, Silhouettes & Eclipse, which are designed to explore pop, jazz, and musical theater literature for treble and mixed voices.

The Vocal Department at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts has earned numerous superior ratings at District and State choral festivals as part of the Florida Vocal Association. They have performed for live television specials, local community events and professional organizations, private engagements, and for state and national professional conferences. Our ensembles were featured on the 2004 & 2011 National American Choral Director’s Association conference, the Southeastern conferences in 2010 & 2014. The choirs at Douglas Anderson also won the Georgia Southern University 1st Place Mixed Chorus award in 2019 and more recently in 2024

Our students embarked upon a performance tour of Austria in the spring of 2004, in addition to touring annually to colleges and universities within the Southeastern United States. The Vocal Department also auditions for the Disney EPCOT Candlelight Processional performance annually, providing students the opportunity to travel to one of Florida’s greatest attractions and perform for hundreds of people alongside other high-school choral students and Disney professional musicians.

Singers in the Vocal Department perform regularly in vocal solo and choral master classes given by professionals in the field throughout the year, including during our College Showcase event for seniors and our Spring Masterclass Series for our Vocal Tech students. Additionally, our singers perform quarterly concerts and seasonal vocal recitals throughout the year.

Songwriter Track

DA’s Songwriting program is poised to become the most unique educational track in the region. This track draws inspiration from similar university-level programs across the nation and remains singular in its mission and appeal: To give our students, our young songwriters, everything they need to succeed in the ever-expanding world of contemporary pop music.

The program provides instruction on songwriting structure, music history, and music analysis while focusing on the creation and performance of original works. Students receive support, critiques, and guidance from songwriting instructors, vocal instructors, and a variety of special guests and experts. The Arts Business class is geared toward giving students a deep-immersion experience in marketing their own creative works, in effective and profitable ways, as they manage a career in the arts. Our students record their original songs at JU’s Dolphinium Records. Students receive real-world professional studio experience and a pro-quality master of their songs along with opportunities to perform their songs live at Jacksonville University’s Cantina Bravo.

Other experiences that students can look forward to are Contemporary Music History which focuses on early American and Western pop music to today; a beginning guitar class, which will take a nuts-and-bolts approach to the guitar as it applies to contemporary songwriting; and the growth of our educational and community partnerships. This includes, but is not limited to: collaborations with the University of North Florida Crossover Songwriter’s Festival, national songwriter contests, off-campus live performances, and collaborations with our Cinematic Arts department to develop music videos for social media and streaming platforms.