Senior Amber McKoy earns Metropolitan Opera Encouragement Award

November 4, 2009

Amber McKoy of Deerfield came to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater her freshman year intent on pursuing her passion for singing. She left the Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera Auditions this fall as the youngest participant and sole undergraduate to receive an award.

McKoy, a senior and vocal performance major, went home with an Encouragement Award, making her the second student from UW-Whitewater to do so in the past two years.

McKoy sang "Che faro senza Euridice" from Christoph Willibald Gluck's "Orfeo ed Euridice," and "Non so piu" from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro."

This was McKoy's first year competing and since many of the other contestants were five to 10 years her senior, she didn't expect to win any award, said Brian Leeper, her vocal instructor at UW-Whitewater. "This Encouragement Award will certainly boost her confidence level and continue to reinforce that her diligent work ethic and preparation over the past four years is beginning to reap benefits," he said.

Nearly 40 students from around the Midwest took part in the auditions. This year's judges included the famous soprano singer and actress Cynthia Lawrence as well as the general director of the Florentine Opera, William Florescu. Singers are judged on qualities such as acting and singing ability, quality and timbre.

Winners of the audition go on to regional competitions. Regional winners will compete for a spot in the New York Metropolitan Opera.

McKoy said she plans on going back and auditioning every year until she is too old. Her future career plans are to be a professor of vocal performance. The recognition that comes with her award should help in getting a fellowship in graduate school or an audition with a company, she said.

"In this world, you have a choice between doing what you love or doing something practical," said Mckoy. "This means a lot that I can pursue doing what I love."