Graduate students sing their way into Springfield Regional Opera

At age 2, Kristen Walker watched intently as her mother practiced the flute.

At age 10, Brianna Gilliam got an indescribable feeling of joy from her fifth grade music class.

For both, their early love for music has developed into impressive careers.

Walker and Gilliam, Missouri State University vocal performance graduate students, are two of five new Young Artists for the Springfield Regional Opera. This program is for up-and-coming musicians who wish to become professionals in the music world.

The Young Artists participate in the company’s main stage productions, sing at monthly Operazzi presentations and take instruction from famous musicians in master’s courses.

“When I graduated from the College of the Ozarks and started teaching, my students became the reason I loved music,” said Walker. “In fact, it was their love of music that drove my desire to return to school and get my master’s.”

Gilliam’s love for music arose in the fifth grade, but it wasn’t until her high school chorus teacher in her hometown of Tyrone, Georgia, inspired her, that she decided to pursue it seriously.

“Music is something that provides comfort to me,” said Gilliam. “Learning why music does that for me has been an amazing thing to discover these past few years.”

Gilliam participates with Walker and other Young Artists in musical productions, workshops and master’s courses.

Both young artists credit the support and knowledge gained at Missouri State University for their success at the Springfield Regional Opera.

“The voice faculty and Drs. Julie Combs and Chris Thompson have been a very important presence in my last three years at MSU,” said Walker. “My instructors strive toward excellence and lead by example.”

“Though I have only been at Missouri State a short time, the university and namely my instructor Dr. Ann-Marie Daehn have been a great support,” said Gilliam. “Everyone has helped me to achieve my goals.”

Post-graduation, both Walker and Gilliam plan to continue singing. Walker, scheduled to graduate this May, has been accepted into the Manhattan Opera Studio in New York where she will be performing “Marcellina in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro” over the summer. Gilliam, a first year master’s student, is still testing the musical waters.

By Britney Brown, Missouri State University graduate assistant