True Magic from Classroom to Stage with the Santa Fe Opera Young Voices and University of New Mexico Students
True Magic from Classroom to Stage with the Santa Fe Opera Young Voices and University of New Mexico Students
Fire up the Key Change time machine! We’re charting our course for the collaborative partnership between Santa Fe Opera and the University of New Mexico (UNM).
Never experienced time-machine travel before? No problem! Key Change co-hosts Olga Perez Flora and Anna Garcia are experienced pilots. They introduce us to students participating in the Young Voices residency and steer our audience through an exciting day of master classes and workshops on the UNM campus. And don’t worry if you’re new to this bold, creative initiative. Olga and Anna provide episode recommendations to help you navigate the journey.
“It’s such a wonderful opportunity,” says Jamie Flora, esteemed tenor and professor at UNM, of the university’s collaboration with Santa Fe Opera. The dynamic program includes master classes on technique, audition logistics, performance critique, and resumé building, all designed to bridge the academic and professional opera worlds.
“We’re planting seeds in their minds that this is possible!” explains Kristin Ditlow, Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching at UNM and Music Director of its Opera Theater. “We have pathways and relationships that get you from school to being a working singer.”
Quiara Cortez followed one of those pathways to UNM, where she is now studying. She credits the collaboration with Santa Fe Opera for nurturing her artistic development. “Being able to talk with the best of the best and seeing what our next steps as people who are already in college might be. And having something big and professional to look forward to is wonderful.”
FEATURING
Kristin Ditlow – Associate Professor of Vocal Coaching, University of New Mexico; Music Director, University of New Mexico Opera Theater
James Flora – Lecturer II in Voice and Opera, University of New Mexico Opera Theater
Michael Hix – Chair, Department of Music University of New Mexico; Professor of Voice, University of New Mexico
Andrea Klunder – Producer, Key Change Podcast
Amy Owens – Director of the Young Voices of Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera Young Voices participants – Rylee Baca, Elsa Dhonau-Egan, Landen Kessler, Eleanor Lucas, Ava Mitchie, Alexander Nicholas Neas
University Of New Mexico participants – Maria Bollinger, Quiara Cortez, Alexandra King, Ryan Lopez, Taylor Stanley
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
La Traviata | Santa Fe Opera
Hometown to the World | Santa Fe Opera
Eugene Onegin | Santa Fe Opera
University Of New Mexico – Department Of Music
Apprentice Program for Singers | Santa Fe Opera
Opera Storytellers Summer Camp | Santa Fe Opera
Opera Makes Sense | Santa Fe Opera
The Philadelphia Orchestra
The Inner Voice: The Making Of A Singer
Classical Singer Music Awards
Paula Corbin Swallin
KEY CHANGE RECOMMENDED PLAYLIST
Where Talent Meets Opportunity: Career Trajectories in Opera with Kristin Ditlow & Jamie Flora
What’s Opera to a Bunch of High School Students? Young Voices, “The New Crop”
Taking Care of the Art with Chandler Johnson, Director of the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers
Rise to the Occasion of Your Opera Career with Chandler Johnson, Director of the Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program for Singers
Safe Space for Creative Risks with Community Engagement and Education
Hometown to the World: Discovering “Postville” with Laura Kaminsky and Kimberly Reed
Making Learning Sticky: Creative Compassion for Kids & Educators Through Opera with Charles Gamble
Harmony in Process: The Young Voices of the Santa Fe Opera with Amy “Process” Owens
An Opportunity to Encounter Excellence (and Big News!)
QUOTES
“This is such a wonderful opportunity for them to know the sound, to know the standard in the industry, and there is no greater standard than Santa Fe’s standard.” – Jamie Flora
“No two paths are the same, but that there’s a clear understanding from, of course, starting with the three of us, then going to the university, and then everyone who’s been so fantastic and welcoming at the Santa Fe Opera.” – Kristin Ditlow
“Meeting people was like the best part because I met so many talented young people who are my age and have shared similar experiences, and it’s just such an incredible opportunity to get to see all these different voices changing in all these different ways and get to work alongside that with these amazing people.” – Eleanor Lucas
“It really means a lot to me to be able to see and meet some of the people that I will be working with and get comfortable before getting thrown into a whole new experience of college.” – Rylee Baca
“Be a good person. A lot of it is the singing part of it, but it’s also about showing up and being nice to work with and just being a good person.” – Ryan Lopez
“To be able to partner with an opera company that is among the best in the entire world is just a tremendous educational experience for our students.” – Michael Hix
“I didn’t realize how important it was to me until I got into college that having representation in the field that you’re in is, and so working with Dr. Flora, as a fellow Latina American, has just changed the game for me, and seeing what can this career look like for somebody like me, that looks like me.” – Quiara Cortez
“It has been wonderful for these Young Voices to be here at UNM to hear what it’s like to have this next step.” – Amy Owens
CREDITS
Key Change is a production of The Santa Fe Opera, Department of Community Engagement & Education.
Produced & Edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios
Hosted by Anna Garcia & Olga Perez Flora
Audio Engineer Collin Ungerleider & Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe
Technical Director Edwin R. Ruiz
Production Support from Alex Riegler
Show Notes by Lisa Widder
Theme Music by Rene Orth with Corrie Stallings, mezzo-soprano, and Joe Becktell, cello
Cover Art by Dylan Crouch
This podcast is made possible due to the generous funding from the Hankins Foundation, Principal Education Sponsor of the Santa Fe Opera.