How did you get your start with music?
I have been singing since I was about 2 years old, so music has always been a big part of my life. I come from a very musical family - lots of singers, guitar players, and piano players. While no one in my family was ever formally trained, music is something that we have all pursued in one way or another. I did musical theatre and sang in choirs in high school and realized that music was definitely something that I wanted to have a deeper understanding of. I didn't take any voice lessons or music theory classes until I came to college, so even though I had involved myself with music my whole life, the formal learning of it was pretty new to me until recently. I am so glad that I chose music as my educational path, and I don't think I'll ever want to stop pursuing it and learning more about it.
What initially drew you to the Music Department at UC Santa Cruz?
What really drew me in to the Music Department at UC Santa Cruz was the fact that it is a very small and intimate department that has a great student to professor ratio. It is a tight-knit network of professors that are very passionate about what they teach, and students that are always eager to learn. The faculty have definitely been great resources for me as a student - it's so refreshing to learn from people who really love what they do. Everyone is very knowledgable and helpful, and I have made a lot of great connections over the years. Not to mention the view - the Music Center overlooks one of the most beautiful landscapes on campus which is definitely a plus!
What extra-curricular musical projects are you currently engaged in?
Outside of my regular musical commitments like Vocal Lessons, Vocal Repertoire, Chamber Singers, and Opera, I am also part of UCSC's original a cappella group Cloud 9. We rehearse 3 days a week and have a show at the end of every quarter. A lot of music majors are in the group as well, so there is some overlap with the department in many ways - we definitely use what we learn through the major to help the group learn and perform awesome music!