SCAD launches new vocal performance degree with Jon Batiste as founding director

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Savannah College of Art and Design is launching a new bachelor’s degree in vocal performance this fall, with eight-time Grammy Award winner Jon Batiste serving as the program’s founding director.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in vocal performance will be SCAD’s first audition-only degree program. The university said the program is designed to prepare students for careers that increasingly cross between music, live performance, film and television.

Students will study vocal performance while developing skills in musicianship, storytelling, production and other areas intended to help them work across the entertainment industry.

Batiste, a musician, composer and bandleader known for his work across music, television and film, helped shape the program’s vision and creative direction. He said the program will bring singers from around the world to Savannah while allowing them to develop their individual voices.

“My family has deep roots in the southern United States, hailing from Louisiana and Georgia,” Batiste said in a statement. “I am so excited to invite singers from all around the world to join me back home down south for this very special program that will help to hone, deepen, and celebrate the power of your one-of-a-kind voice.”

The new degree expands an existing relationship between Batiste and SCAD. Over the past year, he has worked with the university on several creative projects, including Press Play, SCAD’s music listening lounge, which features a curated vinyl collection and individual listening stations.

Batiste also delivered the university’s 2025 commencement address, where he spoke to graduates about creativity before performing a live piano and vocal set.

SCAD said the new vocal performance degree will be housed within its School of Film and Acting, alongside programs including acting, film and television, production design, sound design and music production.

The university said the interdisciplinary structure will give vocal performance students opportunities to collaborate with students working in other areas of entertainment.

SCAD President and founder Paula Wallace said the program will give students opportunities to develop their performance skills while working across different creative disciplines.

“With Dr. Jon Batiste serving as the Founding Director of SCAD’s new vocal performance degree, students are sure to enjoy unparalleled opportunities to develop their own talents into a thriving profession,” Wallace said in a statement.

Batiste’s appointment adds a high-profile name to SCAD’s growing emphasis on music and performance education. In addition to his eight Grammy Awards, he has received an Emmy, Academy Award and Golden Globe.

Students interested in the Bachelor of Fine Arts in vocal performance can find information about the program and audition process at SCAD’s vocal performance program website.