Goals and Aspirations

My goal in life is to develop the talents that God has given me to the fullest
possible extent, and to use them in a way that will allow others to see God in my life. I
intend to pursue a career as a professional opera singer. In the near future I would like to
audition for such programs as the Music Academy of the West and Seattle Opera’s Young
Artist Program. Baylor’s degree program will enable me to develop both my talents and
my faith into a cohesive whole.

In my observation Baylor has an excellent Vocal Performance Degree which will
prepare me academically as well as vocally. While I feel my time at Baylor has
significantly altered my voice, I need the extra two years to complete the transition from
my pop music background to trained classical singing. Also, in my family higher
education is a priority. Both of my parents are educators, and I would like to leave the
door open for the possibility of pursuing a doctorate down the road.

One thing that has been a great cause of concern is how little tolerance there is in
the performance world towards people with an active faith. As a Christian University,
Baylor encourages my beliefs rather than discourages them, as so many other reputable
degree programs would likely do.

I love to learn, and school comes easily to me. I enjoy researching and paper
writing, and relish any opportunity to gather information about my craft. As a graduate
student I intend to use my time gathering working knowledge of performance practice to
better my own singing. One class I’ve been looking forward to taking for four years is Dr.
Zeiss’ Opera Literature class, which in my four years at Baylor never fit into my schedule.
I’ve also been wanting to try my hand at composition, and would relish the opportunity to
lean from Baylor’s amazing faculty.

I believe that the Baylor School of Music is the perfect place for me to study
because it meshes seamlessly the serious study of music and the Christian Faith, a
background I will need once I venture out into the larger world of music.