Legendary mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne offered her tempered pipes and tuneful wisdom Tuesday evening at a master class she led on vocal performance.

In what she recalls as her 12th season as an artist-in-residence, Horne has returned to OU this week to conduct two master classes and teach private lessons in coordination with OU’s School of Music.

Bradley Williams, professor of music in voice and Horne’s liaison for the university, said Horne’s involvement with OU gives students an invaluable opportunity.

“These master classes bring [students] her entire lifetime of experience,” Williams said.

OU is one of the first schools to launch a program of this kind, and this type of experience does well to attract musically talented students to the university, Williams said.

“There are few schools that have access [to] operatic royalty such as Ms. Horne,” Williams said.

Corinne Stevens, vocal performance graduate student, said the master classes offer people the opportunity to see what happens in a private voice studio.

“Seeing it done and seeing the bones behind it is the stuff we usually try to cover up and ... it is something special to witness,” said Stevens, who will be performing at Friday’s master class.

Stevens said she is unbelievably excited to receive Horne’s input and critiques.

“Having sung . . . from the stage of the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) with the MET orchestra underneath [her], she’s going to have feedback that I can’t quite get from any other source,” Stevens said.

As Horne entered stage left to begin Tuesday’s master class, the recital hall erupted into applause. Horne greeted the audience, and then immediately got down to business.

One by one, the graduate students performed their respective pieces, and Horne offered her critiques, often wildly gesturing in a didactic manner. Pitman Recital Hall seemed to inflate as her musical lines saturated the air.

And Horne has a decorated history to back up her commanding voice.

Since her operatic debut at the Los Angeles Guild Opera in 1954, Horne has performed for celebrities including Johnny Carson and Igor Stravinsky and appeared on stages from the Metropolitan Opera to the Royal Opera House.

She has received four Grammy awards, one of which is a Lifetime Achievement Award, and performed at former President Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration. In 1994, she began the Marilyn Horne Foundation as a leading nonprofit vocal arts organization.

“Been there, done that,” Horne more aptly said during the master class.

Horne said the students are always eager to learn and absorb her experience.

“I want to give them back anything I can, and it’s marvelous to see how they progress over the years,” Horne said.

At the same time, the 76-year-old legend said she benefits from her involvement just as much as the students do in the classes and programs.